Jump to content

Israeli Driver Training Tank


SleeperService

Recommended Posts

Greetings Sherman Fans.

My entry for this GB will be this

tumblr_p1o40zWuBw1t8blhlo5_r1_1280.jpg

 

Photo for discussion only from the excellent walk round HERE. I may also make an instructor figure as this is a driver instructor in the Israeli Army....

 

tumblr_p1o40zWuBw1t8blhlo4_r1_540.jpg   

 

After that I assure you things will go downhill....

 

This is what I'll be starting with

tumblr_p1o40zWuBw1t8blhlo3_1280.jpg

 

My big box of unloved Sherman bits left from several stalled and abandoned builds. Fortunately there are enough bits to build this vehicle but I will be replacing the horrible HB tracks with THESE from OKB Grigorov and using his drive sprockets HERE. The HB tracks are a little narrow due to overthick drive sprockets. But they seem right for the slightly narrower items fitted to the T29......

 

The M4A1 upper hull has had an engine bulkhead added to keep the lower hull aligned and it's engine deck removed for another project which, as you may guess, never got finished.

 

Roll on the 30th!

 

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That will be interesting to see what you will do for the figure, ... oh yes and the vehicle too of course.

 

There are some 1/35 IDF female figures out there, most seem to be holding a gun, or will this also be created from the spare parts bin?

 

regards,

Jack

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 28/12/2017 at 3:44 PM, JackG said:

That will be interesting to see what you will do for the figure, ... oh yes and the vehicle too of course.

 

There are some 1/35 IDF female figures out there, most seem to be holding a gun, or will this also be created from the spare parts bin?

 

regards,

Jack

 

Unfortunately there is nothing like her in the parts bin :( I'm going to be exploring 1/48 figures for something suitable. 

6 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Love the box.....I has one just like it, but the contents are smaller!  :D

That's good it means you can get even more in :D

 

I've just realised that the drive sprockets are different to each other. Better to realise now rather than later. Of course I only ordered the one type. I'm a fool to myself....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see that that driver instruction tank is based on the M51 upgrade hull evidenced by the engine deck which has had a Cummins Diesel engine installed. Good luck with the kitbash. Quite a few 1/48th scale kits in evidence so far. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Threadbear said:

I see that that driver instruction tank is based on the M51 upgrade hull evidenced by the engine deck which has had a Cummins Diesel engine installed. Good luck with the kitbash. Quite a few 1/48th scale kits in evidence so far. 

It is indeed Grahame. With the post 1975 high level exhaust apparently. The stowage bracket on the right rear is interesting. This started life as a 290/240mm rocket launcher, those brackets hold the 'legs' that the rocket is slid up to reload....by hand!! The Kilshon missle launcher uses the same recycled hull. Waste not, want not. 

53 minutes ago, JackG said:

oooh, my mistake, had missed the part o f it being a 1/48 build.  Closest thing I can come up with is this female figure, either with a clipboard or huge wrench:

 

regards,

Jack

Thanks for that Jack I've been looking for those for a while after I lost my bookmarks. 

 

In other news I've made a start today but nothing worth a picture yet. However I have noted the following;

 

The HB HVSS pivoting arms are too tall by just over 1.0mm which explains why they look like the vehicles in films on old TV. This has slightly irked me as I had got a set of 'corrected' resin items which aren't much better.

 

HB would have you fit the final drive covers in the wrong place. On all the versions. Cut off the locating peg and glue them with the top edge horizontal, simples.

 

The OKB sprockets are beautiful, use HB plain shaft drive housings, ream out the sprocket centres to 6.0mm and they fit beautifully with a stop built in to get them aligned right. I love work done by somebody who knows what they're doing.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, JackG said:

oooh, my mistake, had missed the part o f it being a 1/48 build.  Closest thing I can come up with is this female figure, either with a clipboard or huge wrench:

 

maim48008.jpg

 

maim48007d_720x600.jpg

 

 

regards,

Jack

I'd say that's eminently doable.  B)

 

Now that came out completely wrong, didn't it?  :doh:

 

What I meant to say is that figure appears to have a lot of potential for conversion to your subject.  :winkgrin:

  • Like 1
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Greetings All!

First serious build session done and here we are...

 

In this shot one can observe the basic lower hull assembled from HB bits and a recycled Tamiya rear plate from the box. The latter was an unavoidable error as it would have been quicker to use Plasticard. Ho Hum. I removed the hull roof ventilator and added a blanking plate. The engine deck infill was another error as I didn't notice that the deck was extended backwards.

General Note No 1: HB final drive cover fitted with top edge horizontal rather than at the odd angle the instructions state.

General Note No 2: The two large return roller brackets should align with two bolts level NOT one at the top.

 

tumblr_p1vdh8rCdL1t8blhlo2_1280.jpg

 

Reinforcing my error about the rear plate.... Another one was drilling out the rebated holes for the turret blanking plate. On the real vehicle the plate isn't centered by any means, so a bit of filler and Plan B to follow. Engine deck now the correct length and the start of the new engine deck.

 

tumblr_p1vdh8rCdL1t8blhlo1_1280.jpg

 

That's All for now Folks!

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Another session done and not a lot to show TBH, but it was a lot of work. Holes, lots and lots of holes.

 

tumblr_p2ji3mleYe1t8blhlo1_1280.jpg

 

Three thin coats of Mr Surfacer 500 after I'd filled all the tool location holes. Made the sponson fillers and, as I usually do, left them overlength. They'll be trimmed when the rear plate is re-attached. 

The turret blanking plate is done. :yahoo:tedious doesn't begin to cover it. Careful study shows that the hull had no casting marks and the final drive marks are on the bottom rear edge, I think I'll skip those then. The Mr Surfacer on the lifting lugs is smooth BTW, the kit items are a little skinny and this bulks them up and makes it easier to add the weld seam. I am awaiting a supply of Salter's 10 thou rod as I seem to have ordered 20thou twice....at least I won't need any of that for a while.

 

In the meantime it's time to look at the suspension.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Some nice progress Sleeperservice, looks like you've had your geometry set out for the turret blanking plate.

Busted I am. Forty years I held onto my technical drawing stuff, knew it'd come in useful one day :D

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

I like this. When you've finished, you could do one of the IDF's live targets. Very similar.

 

John.

Thank You Kind Sir.What on Earth had a squady to do to get a session in that? Possibly enlivened the experience with the odd cannister round or similar just for laughs. 

 

monster_latrun.gif

 

For discussion purposes only. They're mad, mad I tell you!

I'm looking closely at the Kilshon launcher at the moment.... :idea:

 

  • Like 2
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SleeperService said:

Thank You Kind Sir.What on Earth had a squady to do to get a session in that? Possibly enlivened the experience with the odd cannister round or similar just for laughs. 

 

Let the troop sergeant overhear you saying that you think he bats for the other side!! 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...