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M4A1 “Goldie” Normandy 1944 - Eduard/Tasca 1/35 - Finished -


PlaStix

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Time to declare my build for this first armour STGB. It has been a bit of a struggle to decide what to build and I've been torn between several different scales and manufacturers before going back to my original choice. I've re-decided on Eduard's reboxing of Tasca's M4A1 (Tasca kit number 35010). I've recently completed another 1/35 build which I thoroughly enjoyed so thought I'd stick in the same scale.

So this is the kit box:

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..........you can also see I've recently picked up the Haynes Owners Workshop Manual for £6 :thumbsup: Good timing from the Works!

 

I'm going to build the kit as “Goldie”:

 

...which landed at Normandy on June 9th and took part in the Battle of Bloody Gulch near Carentan, France, a week later.

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As I mentioned above the kit is a reboxing of Tasca's kit but includes some nice Photoetch from Eduard - although the version I'm building doesn’t use all of it:

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Looking forward to the weekend.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

Edited by PlaStix
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Nice choice Stix, I built this on as the base for my DD tank the Tasca boxing without the brass bits. Robw built one of these during the summer also, looking forward to seeing this one come together. I had no problems with the build, just look out for the first road wheels lifting off if you use the kits tracks as their a little tight.

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18 hours ago, Ozzy said:

Nice choice Stix, I built this on as the base for my DD tank the Tasca boxing without the brass bits. Robw built one of these during the summer also, looking forward to seeing this one come together. I had no problems with the build, just look out for the first road wheels lifting off if you use the kits tracks as their a little tight.

Hi Ozzy and thank you for the information and advice - I am going to use the kit tracks so I will watch out for that. :thumbsup:

 

This morning I got the kit out to give it all a wash in warm soapy water, ready for the weekend, so I also took some photos of the box and it's contents - nice box art-:

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Everything except the instructions:

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The PE that Eduard added to the Tasca kit:

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Some close-ups of some of the nice detail:

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The instructions:

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Sample pages:

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It does look like it should be an interesting build.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

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Does washing the kit count as having started????? :lol: I've got cat sick all over mine. It's been there a week and is getting awfully maggoty, but I'm too afraid to wash it off.

 

Have you ever done PhotoEtch before Stix? I'm going for my first serious attempt. We can mess it up together.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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On 28/12/2017 at 12:38, SleeperService said:

That looks like a lovely kit. An early model in 1944 makes a nice change. Looks like you'll have some spare brass too. Result!

Yeah it does seem to be a nice kit and the reviews are favourable. You are correct - there will be a lot of PE left over and I hope I will be able to use it on one of the other kits I have in the stash.

 

On 28/12/2017 at 16:26, Bullbasket said:

You've picked a Sherman "Rolls Royce" there Stix. All that etched brass as well.

John.

Thank you for your comments John.

 

On 28/12/2017 at 21:40, Badder said:

Does washing the kit count as having started????? :lol: 

Maybe it does!!!! There are a lot of parts so it might be close to the 25% completion allowed! :P;)

 

On 28/12/2017 at 21:40, Badder said:

I've got cat sick all over mine. It's been there a week and is getting awfully maggoty, but I'm too afraid to wash it off.

Ewwwwww! :sick:

 

On 28/12/2017 at 21:40, Badder said:

Have you ever done PhotoEtch before Stix? I'm going for my first serious attempt. We can mess it up together.

Rearguards,

Badder

I have used it a fair few times now but nothing major - mostly flat stuff which I have only had to use CA and epoxy resin glues. If you have any questions about PE just ask - if I don’t know the answer (and I probably won’t!) someone on here will be able to help.

 

I have started my project this morning. I began by getting the parts for lower hull glued together:

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The detail seems good so far:

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I also had to make a start with some PE and possibly some of the smallest I have used - there are 8 of these to attach - it's the strip of PE to the right of the one pence piece (the Queen even seems to be amazed by it's minute size!):27611048739_3dbfc218eb_b.jpg

 

.......and I was actually able to get them attached - I applied CA glue using the end of needle and picked up the PE using Blutack on the end of cocktail stick.

27611047299_8b2c6ca178_b.jpg

 

It's been a pleasant build so far and I'll hopefully get some more done tomorrow.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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3 hours ago, wimbledon99 said:

What a cracking kit, Stix. Trust Eduard to offer something so good!

:popcorn:

It is a really nice kit and, apparently, Eduard did a good job with this AFV release of Tasca's original kit compared to a previous AFV kit release.

 

I just hope I can do it justice!

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

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Nice work on that tiny PE. I've got even smaller to look forward to. And I've been sat here for the past couple of days thinking 'I am not allowed to start until Monday.'

Stupid me!:rage:

 

Best ditch work on my diorama then!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

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14 hours ago, PlaStix said:

......and I was actually able to get them attached - I applied CA glue using the end of needle and picked up the PE using Blutack on the end of cocktail stick.

I really, really wished I'd known this about a week ago. You have saved my sanity Sir! Thank You a million times. :worthy:

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On 30/12/2017 at 19:25, Badder said:

Nice work on that tiny PE. I've got even smaller to look forward to. And I've been sat here for the past couple of days thinking 'I am not allowed to start until Monday.'

Stupid me!:rage:

Best ditch work on my diorama then!

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

Hi Badder - yes I've seen you've now got underway with yours! Yes there are some individual PE bolt heads in mine which are pretty small to work with. I need to get 12 around the rim of each outer wheel which will be fun!! I will try a couple when I get there and decide if I'm going to do them all!

 

On 30/12/2017 at 19:42, beefy66 said:

Looking forward to see how you go with this kit Stixs I have this one too but going for something else with the GB

beefy

It seems like a good kit so far although there some prominent seam lines in places which need to be removed and some flash here and there. Nothing major - just not what I was expecting from a Tasca kit - although it is an older one.

 

On 30/12/2017 at 20:42, Ozzy said:

Nice start Stix, good work on those tiny PE parts.

Thank you Ozzy!

 

On 31/12/2017 at 08:39, SleeperService said:

I really, really wished I'd known this about a week ago. You have saved my sanity Sir! Thank You a million times. :worthy:

No problem - wished I'd mentioned it sooner then!

 

On 31/12/2017 at 11:08, Hewy said:

I think that you just broke your own tiny pe application record there, an impressive amount of patience was used up there I'm  sure, good stuff stix, 

Yes I think these were the finest PE parts I have applied ever but they were't too bad to do as there location was free from any obstructions - basically they were just glued on flat. Thank you for your comments.

 

On 31/12/2017 at 20:38, robw_uk said:

NICE START, YOU KNOW where i am with mine... will watch yours as well

I've got yours bookmarked Rob - so thank you. :thumbsup:

 

On 01/01/2018 at 14:16, nick32 said:

Nice start Stix, it's an excellent kit. I built one a year or 2 ago and it was a blast.

Thank you Nick. Do you have a link to yours or any photos?

 

Well I did do more on this on Sunday and Monday but didn't get chance to post any photos.

 

Sunday morning saw me working on more PE parts - these two rectangles, for the ends of the exhausts, needed a slight curve (which I did over the two screwdrivers in the photo - smaller first then the larger to even out the curve) and you can see the cocktail stick and Blutack SleeperService referenced above:

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....and in place - fixed with CA glue:

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More PE in place - grills for the intake covers - plus I drilled out the ends of the machine guns:

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Intakes glued in place on the rear deck:

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Transmission unit glued onto the front of the lower hull tub:

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Starting to get some of the smaller parts attached to the front of the upper hull:

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I also started work on the front fenders. The curve was done over the handle of a household decorators brush and the straight bends over a small metal ruler:

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Both done and with PE bold heads added - I used two part epoxy resin to hold these in place - to give me time to get them in position:

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Engine cover hatches in place plus filler cap chains added:

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Rear lights and guards in place:

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Front light guards and PE chains in place:

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First bit of painting started - Revell's Anthracite thinned with water:

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Some dry-brushing with Humbrol's Gunmetal on the guns and the exhausts:

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Horn unit and PE cable in place - there are a couple of holes that need drilling in the glacis for the frame for the horn unit but the instructions do not mention them - there are two locations for the holes under the front - I was trying to work out it's location from photos before I discovered them!:

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Finally I got the upper hull glued onto the lower hull:

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More next weekend.

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

 

Edited by PlaStix
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nice work... looking at mine, i have my "light"? (the piece in the angular frame inboard of the main lights) further inboard... wondering if it is in the right place now. might leave off the PE wiring. I am now on the MG - quite fiddly PE but there are plastic alternatives then I believe its all done. Left the bogies/wheels off for ease of painting but that means I have o leave the tracks until much later

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