Vlákno založeno M4A1

přidal nové fotoalbum.
27 15 February 2021, 14:35

Started building the M4A3 Sherman Cougar kit from Asuka. No big plans with this one. Just gonna make a small base under it and a crew member refuelling on the engine deck. Have been using PE from Aber and Eduard and other after market stuff like stowage from Tamiya, Bronco and Legend on this model. Replaced the Asuka gun parts with a full gun mount and breech from Resicast. Don't know if I'm gonna use the figures on the pics. Just took them out of the spare box to see if these could work with the model.
15 February 2021, 14:51

Not much happening here. Ordered a track link set from MiniArt and started building it to check the quality. Quality and detail are good I think.
Gonna replace the Asuka belt type tracks with these from MiniArt.
11 September 2021, 19:20

It's a bit late to mention it, perhaps, but those MiniArt tracks are not accurate for a late-model M4A3 like this 🙂 They're the T41 type, which were only used on early Shermans (and most M3 medium tanks), but by the time your tank would have been in service, if it had plain, flat, rubber-block track, they would have been T51. You can get those most easily from AFV Club: M4 T51-Track (AFV Club AF35026, 1:35)
19 January, 11:54

Thanks Jakko for the like and your input. And you're right. I already replaced the MiniArt tracks. Gonna use them for an early M4A1 Sherman in the future. I'm using a Bronco T51 track set now.
1 19 January, 19:38

They're a right pain to put together, and the track pins are a pain to just remove from the sprue. They're too thin, so they break easily, and it's very difficult to glue the halves of the blocks together without getting glue on the pins as well. I started on one set and never did complete it because it just sapped my will to go on with them 🙂
The MiniArt tracks are much better (and, I assume, the new Gecko ones too, as they use the same method of construction as MiniArt) while the AFV Club T51s are easier still — but on their T48s, some of the end connectors are too loose and will fall off. You have to file an ejector pin mark off each block with the AFV Club tracks, but that's nowhere near as bad as putting together the Bronco ones, IMHO.
20 January, 09:30

Thanks Jakko for sharing your experiences with Bronco. I've completed 3 track sets of them and experienced what you said as well. I also completed a MiniArt Sherman track set, the one I originally intended for this project, but for some reason Bronco works better for me. I also ran into problems with the MiniArt set. The most important lesson I learned, regardless MiniArt or Bronco, is to be carefull with the amount of glue.
1 20 January, 11:13

The left side track is done. Now working on the right side. Because duckbills had the tendency to break I didn't attach them on all the endconnectors.
26 January, 19:38

Just an idea: recently I got to examine an M7 priest in person with the track extenders. In addition to a few being missing, there were several where they had partially broken off.
27 January, 14:53

Thanks Ben. I'm aware of that and it's a nice addition. Think I'm gonna use it. Left side track is on the Sherman for visuals. It's very loose because it's a dry fit.
28 January, 20:06

@Jakko, based on the pic I understand you think that. But I haven't connected both track ends yet. I have to put both parts of the track shoe visible under the middle bogie on top of eachother. Then the track should be fine.
1 30 January, 20:11

Painted the tracks and glued them together on the right side of the tank. Need to add the last endconnectors. Also added the decals and started painting the details on the tank.
5 February, 20:53

Painting of the tracks is finished. I've put the tracks on the tank and after wheatering is done they won't look so clean anymore. 🙂 Still working on painting the details.
2 7 February, 09:13