Robert Stuart Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I've been watching this GB, getting more and more twitchy, 'cause I wasn't 'in'. I did have a Takom Grant lined up, but, with the vagaries of evil-b and the RM, it never arrived. I'm not out of funds on that one so, only time lost ... Another go at evil-b, and this morning the postman DID deliver - this ... Dragon do two versions of the Sexton, this with CDP tracks and a single piece transmission housing, and another with the older three piece housing and conventional tracks - see @beefy66's build: Opening the - heavy - box, we see That's pretty much ramed full of plastic. I won't do individual sprue shots, Amorama has a review with better images than I would arrange. So far as I can tell, most of the plastic in the earlier version is here, together with some additions. Amoung the additional sprues is a new set of bogies - both of these are in the box: Note that the Ram bogies are heavier and more robust than the Sherman versions. The return roller brackets are a different design too, being angled rather than flat. (As far as I know, there were at least three different styles of return roller used on Sextons) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 It will be interesting to see your's and beefy's versions in progress. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 35 minutes ago, PlaStix said: It will be interesting to see your's and beefy's versions in progress. Kind regards, Stix In total agreement. Looking forwards Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefy66 Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 This should be interesting I have not seen this version before. beefy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Somebody volunteer to supply the corn ... recipies here ... https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=firefox-b&dcr=0&ei=_C5nWoPdDIaNgAbC_a6IBw&q=stove+cooked+pop+corn&oq=stove+cooked+pop+corn&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i13k1j0i13i30k1l3j0i8i13i30k1.1625181.1630824.0.1631096.21.19.0.2.2.0.201.1710.18j0j1.19.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.20.1652...0j0i67k1j0i131i67k1j0i131k1j0i22i30k1j33i22i29i30k1.0.9kn-MWtgXZM OK, I've started work. Now with armour, I gather it is usual to start with the running gear, so, in true aircraft tradition, I skipped to stage 3, the 'cockpit' ... ... or, at least the driver's compartment. Not glued to the main hull yet are the transmission, the gear box, the fighting compartment floor, and the driver's seat. Given the very close fit, I'll probably leave the driver's seat as a press fit after painting. Just arrived in the post are these ... Huh? Thought the kit was CDP? And that's Bronco track!! It is, but ... a the box contains both CDP drive sprockets AND a selection of conventional Sherman sprockets. I want to build something based on this ... There are a few components in the CDP version of the kit that are not in the 'standard' version, most importantly, the later transmission cover. Getting some AM track would be simpler than upgrading the other version - and yes, I'm aware that Bronco track has a reputation for being very easy difficult to use, but it's cheaper than the alternatives. The kit's Sexton bogies have angled return roller brackets, I still have to come up with a solution to that problem ... hence jumping ahead a few stages with the build. The other thing I have to think about is paint ... what colour is this thing? When that photo was taken, the division's vehicles had been repainted for a GOC inspection. The only paint readily available - in quantity - was a 'light grey', probably 'liberated' from a Kriesmarine warehouse. My own guess is 'Mittlegrau', which was a standard navy mix of grey paints. My other option is to paint it in campaign colours - Olive Drab - which will allow for some weathering fun later. But, again that raises a question, was it US Olive Drab, or SCC 15? Being Canadian built, I suspect the latter. The Canadians tended to use local materials where possible, AND, they made paints to War Office specification (or as close as feasible). Comments & suggestions welcome ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefy66 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Great start as for the colours it is a minefield not sure about the grey i went for a version of what I thought was SCC15 beefy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Grey would definitely make this stand out in a crowd ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 Bronco track isn't too bad, just takes time ... It works out at 5 parts for each link, pins (doubled), two connectors (guide horns), tyre plate, and link assembly top and bottom. Bronco's instructions for these links are not the best, I'm using the Terry Ashley method, outlined here - https://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/bronco/ab3538.html - and a couple of other places on the Perth Military Modelling site. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Darn it robert, if only you'd have posted that link to terry Ashley's bronco track build two days ago I've got two full runs of my t54e tracks together and I'm now on the guide horns and starting to lose track flexibility due to capillary action of the glue they do still move quite well but you can tell the glue is making things restrictive, I'll remember for next time, or I'll get panda tracks instead and save my sanity Glynn 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 44 minutes ago, Hewy said: Darn it robert, if only you'd have posted that link to terry Ashley's bronco track build two days ago I've got two full runs of my t54e tracks together and I'm now on the guide horns and starting to lose track flexibility due to capillary action of the glue they do still move quite well but you can tell the glue is making things restrictive, I'll remember for next time, or I'll get panda tracks instead and save my sanity Glynn Sorry Glynn I'm also using tube cement, 'cause that's what I always used, but there's less flow there, so fewer issues with capillary action - just smear a little on the middle face of the track. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Good to see another Artillery piece Robert Stuart, good luck with the tracks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 Progress with the tracks ... All the plastic is cut, and 160 odd (maybe 180+) track pins have their connectors (teeth - two teeth per pin) have been joined - barring the odd one or two that went ballistic Now all I need is to attach the link assemblies (treads) before returning to the kit ... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I feel your pain, keep your chin up, you're nearly home Glynn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Good luck with those Rob - that looks like a lot of work! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Aiieee! So many bits! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 3 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said: Aiieee! So many bits! Oh, not SOooo bad ... Two tracks, Shermans had 79 treads on each track (I suspect you knew this ), five pieces per track (more on the real thing) - that's only 790 pieces. ... only ... Bronco suggest we really need 83 treads, that's another 40 pieces Glynn ( @Hewy) has it worse with his duck-bills 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 If it makes you feel better I do have a couple of 1/35 Objekt 279 in the stash.....God only know how many track link parts they have between them, looks like a couple of million by my estimate! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 Well, tracks are now well advanced. Each track is (should be) 79 links long. This is advanced enough that I have to return to the kit, starting by assembling the drive sprockets I've also indulged in some ResiCast bogies These ones have the horizontal return roller bracket. These come with some nice guide springs with nuts that I won't be using - unfortunately they are the wrong sort for my Sexton. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 Good to see the tracks are almost done! Bet you're a bit Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted February 1, 2018 Share Posted February 1, 2018 The tracks look good Robert, you'll be able to relax when they're glued in place, are you painting before or after they're on the tank Glynn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 1, 2018 Author Share Posted February 1, 2018 Thanks Stix, Glynn As to painting, I'll do that off the tank, since they are all steel tracks I should be able to spray the tracks without masking or too much careful brush work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted February 2, 2018 Share Posted February 2, 2018 Nice work on those tracks Robert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 Some progress over the week-end ... Bogies are dry fitted, which gives some articulation. The gun has been started. Transmission coved are glied on, and the painting is started. The pressure in my air brush was, I think, too low. There is a smooth white Halfords primer under the speckled green Is that Olive Drab right? It is MiG Ammo SCC 15, but seems a little dark to me. The rear panel is nearly complete too. p.s. I just stumbled across this page http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/Sherman Construction/sherman-construction.html full of Dragon Sherman building tips. It's too late for me to apply some of those tips, but I can double check my wheels. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 Started, or rather finished work on the radio cage ... This was my first go but I didn't like the sprue tags I'd left at the bottom there, so a quick clean up, and repaint gives ... This has a base of Ammo MiG SCC 15, but I've used Tamiya XF-60 (Olive Drab) to relieve the darkness of that colour together with XF-58 (Olive Green) as a fade colour, mixing in XF-71 (Cockpit Green) for high-lights. The radio panels and switches are a mix of Gull Grey (X-Acrylics), and black & white (Daler-Rowney FW ink). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badder Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 2 hours ago, Robert Stuart said: (Daler-Rowney FW ink). Great stuff that! I'm experimenting with the possibilities brought about by mixing it with various substances, AND applicators. For instance, I've used black ink as a wash (mixed with water)and have a load of technical drawing pens (Rotring) and used the 0.18mm to colour in periscopes. So it's great to see someone else using the stuff. Rearguards, Badder 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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