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M4A2 'Charmer' *FINISHED 03/03/18*


fatfingers

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29 minutes ago, Martin T said:

Not being an armour modeller, this is an interesting thread to follow to see how it's done. Sometimes tempted by small scale armour, but then I look at the stash and the model railway stuff, and I think there is enough to be going on with. 

Thanks Martin.

 

If you try one you'll be hooked! :worry:

 

Regards.

 

Steve

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I have brief spells at both armour and ships and this GB is really quiet enjoyable to be part of my first major GB

 

Nice work so far like the stowage and fixing points for the tracks  :yes:

 

beefy

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How do chaps.

 

This evening I have mostly been painting!

 

Primer coat of Vallejo black sprayed through a 0.4 needle. This was a bit temperamental but it ended up ok...

 

vaB7LdA.jpg

 

0seSiZD.jpg

 

This was left to dry for a good while and then Tamiya Olive Drab was misted on. The OD I used is the 'old recipe' in a large jar with a Beatties label on it! It's nearly gone now though :huh: Sprayed beautifully through my H&S Evolution with a 0.2 needle.

 

sGpsCNH.jpg

 

qxfbG1Z.jpg

 

The tracks and a few other bits got a coat of Tamiya Dark Iron.

 

GaD07iF.jpg

 

After tea :eat: I then opened up a bottle of AK Real Colour Faded Olive Drab and this was misted in a cloudy pattern over the top of the hull and turret etc. This again sprayed lovely and really lifted the colour up.

 

kghTt2Q.jpg

 

qvxc85z.jpg

 

SdTg0UB.jpg

 

Then I had a thought..... British Sherman's were generally left in the original Olive Drab unless they had been given a major overhaul or converted (Firefly etc) With this in mind I decided that the turret stowage box and other added bits would in fact be painted in SCC15 Olive Drab. The box was masked off and sprayed with AK Real Colour SCC 15 British Olive Drab.

 

R7oqH1T.jpg

 

I may be wrong regarding this but I quite like it and the effect is quite subtle. The strip on the front and also the spare track brackets were brush painted in this colour too.

 

2oYTmvF.jpg

 

mDNGpBp.jpg

 

This is where she stands when I called it a night.

 

lzKJEHT.jpg

 

Detail painting of tools and tyres next and then decals. Now..... I've not used dry rub before so it should be fun! Do they need to go down on a gloss coat first? :hmmm:

 

Comments and suggestions welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by fatfingers
Imgur still being a prat!!!!
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1 minute ago, Ozzy said:

Nice going Steve, she's looking sharp with a coat of paint on.

Thanks Ozzy.

 

Really comes to life with a bit of colour. Suits Olive Drab really well.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

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Who cares if you're wrong about colour(s) Steve, and who can argue for certain it's wrong? looks brill to me.  After having returned to modelling the last couple of years I'm astounded at the detail in the Dragon Shermans I have bought, especially the cast surface effect.

Watching with interest along with all the other builds on here.

 

:goodjob:

 

Davey.

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Re the rub down decals, I have not used any for years, but I have a vague memory of glossing the paintwork on the grounds that rubbing the decals down could damage the paintwork, or at least leave marks. The rub down decals I was using were thin and fragile and I do not know what they are like today. The big issue I had with them is that they have to be in exactly the right place as once committed to rubbing them down they cannot be moved. 

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I've used rub down decals a few times (SKP in particular), and the recommendation is to apply them to a matt surface. Providing you get them in the correct place, they shouldn't b a problem.......BUT.......you don't get a second chance! Use an old ball point pen (one that doesn't write), and gently rub them down. Peel the backing sheet off very carefully as sometimes the decal is still stuck to it. Once the backing sheet is removed, lightly rub with something like a cotton wool bud over it and then seal it in with a coat of varnish. 

 

John.

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Outstanding job on "Charmer" The choice of overall OD and added SCC.15 is spot on for this scheme. You have done well with this kit. Definately matt surface for the Archer Dry Transfers. Take a look at their website. Plenty of hints and tips on there for the use of their transfers. 

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iwm photo b5471 taken on 13th june at brevilles -les -monts shows 3 13th 18th hussars shermans still with intact wadeing trunks and waterproofing around mantlet  one is 71 carole the other 2 harder to see names or numbers

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How do chaps,

 

Many thanks for all the comments. Much appreciated :D

 

On ‎06‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 11:04 PM, Hewy said:

Sweet paint job steve, do you mix those ak paints with laquer thinners? 

Regards 

Glynn 

Aye up Hewy,

 

The AK was sprayed thinned with their own brand thinner. Smells very much like Tamiya X20A. It says in all the product blurb that it's 'high compatibility' so I assume it can be used with Tamiya and such like :hmmm:

 

Since last week when I thundered ahead with the build, things have slowed quite a bit due to being back at work after last week off :unamused:

 

Managed an hour in the shed earlier and did a bit of detail painting on the tools and running gear.

 

XfRhMZo.jpg

 

gD3sIjq.jpg

 

Now....  A couple of questions.

 

Were the return rollers rubber or steel and should they be the same colour of the tyres or left in olive drab? I've seen quite a few Sherman's over the years but they were in museum's and everything was painted olive drab including the tyres! All the colour pics that I've found on t'interweb have been of an angle where you can't see the rollers :fraidnot: 

 

Also, were the T49 tracks all steel without the inner rubber pads?

 

Just waiting on some resin stowage being delivered for the rear deck then it will be time for the decals.

 

More to follow soon.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Edited by fatfingers
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3 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Nice going Steve,

 

the return rollers were steel after a few miles the paint would have been rubbed off, I've found this link In regards to your track question.

 

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/tracks/vvss_tracks.html

Cheers Ozzy!

 

Both questions answered. Great link too :thumbsup:

 

Regards,

 

Steve

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Another useful page for running gear info:  http://www.theshermantank.com/about/sherman-suspension-and-tracks-the-page-an-easy-to-find-place-for-sherman-suspension-info/the-vertical-volute-suspension-page-both-early-and-late-vvss-will-be-covered/

 

I'd always assumed there was a tyre on some variants, but looks like it was actually a steel spacer.  :oops:

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19 hours ago, Ozzy said:

 

 

the return rollers were steel after a few miles the paint would have been rubbed off,

 

 Tamiya say that my Easy Eight had rubber tyres on all but the sprocket wheels. But I have seen return rollers, and idlers that are all steel. I guess the question as to whether they had rubber tyres or not depends....

 

This one appears to have rubber tyres on the return rollers and the idler. I can't see anyone painting them black for the hell of it.

694156fortgaryhorsemilitaasquadron.jpg

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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9 minutes ago, Badder said:

Tamiya say that my Easy Eight had rubber tyres on all but the sprocket wheels. But I have seen return rollers, and idlers that are all steel. I guess the question as to whether they had rubber tyres or not depends....

 

This one appears to have rubber tyres on the return rollers and the idler. I can't see anyone painting them black for the hell of it.

On an HVSS suspension, the six single and four double return rollers had rubber tyres as did the idler. Sgt will correct me if I'm wrong here, but as far as I know, it was only on VVSS units that the idler had no tyre.

 

John. 

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