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Pershing double: M26A1 Pershing & M45 Howitzer Tanks *Finished*


Shermaniac

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WELL! Here we go, my first Group Build and on familiar ground

The kits are by HobbyBoss and are a fantastic build

The cunning Plan: :ninja: the M26A1 to be 1st US Marine Division, Chosin 1950 and the M45 of the 6th Medium Tank Battalion

M26A1 Pershing with RB .30cal & .50cal MG's and MDC .50cal ammo belts and a few resin ammo boxes

M45 Howitzer Tank using T26E4 base kit and Accurate Armour M45 Howitzer conversion (had this for years, about time I used it) :whistle:

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Time is now 09:40 on Saturday 19th April 2014 and the build starts now! (well, after breakfast anyway :eat: )

Edited by Shermaniac
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These are soooooo easy to build, I'd say - equal to if not better than the Tamiya one, and a lot better detailed (even have an engine)

HobbyBoss also do ALL 5 main versions. I highly recommend these kits

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Half an hour into the build of the M26A1

The kit has a full torsion bar suspension and some interior walls and although their is a full engine pack, I shall not be installing it as it can't be seen when the hatches are closed.

2014_04190004.jpg

Well, I'm about 4 hours into the build and I'm at this point - the torsion bar suspension does work.

I've also restructured the inner-most vision ports on the hull to the reworked full cast one with the 1000c.f. blower. The rear gun brace is no longer part of the exhaust housing and should be relocated to the mid-rear deck. Lastly, I've replaced the Hull .03cal mg with the RB upgrade which required drilling out the kit part to around 5mm - the ball race does work.

2014_04190009.jpg

Incidentally, the large stowage bins are loose fit at the moment, still have to install the track arms first - the next job!

Time for some Tea :eat:

Edited by Shermaniac
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I had visitors so, not so much today

As you can see, I've got a lot further with the turret which is fairly straight forwards in construction, I even used the kit gun :hmmm: . The cupola however, like many in 1/35th scale, isn't right.

The downwards angle and curve are too sharp. :nono: The commander should be able to view forwards across the turret top but these only give him an upwards view.

Dragon's T-28 Heavy Tank actually has the correct angled cupola (not in this picture) - I wish I had dozens of them!!! (they're darned near perfik!) :thumbsup:

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I have also completed the dampeners/suspension shocks - AND THEY WORK! - on both sides. :yahoo:

On this top view, the driver/co-driver hatches (not glued in) have had a couple of vision cupolas fitted from a spare Dragon Sherman turret sprue (it came in the T-28 kit as well), a small amount of tweaking was needed to fit them. This enables me to have the clear scopes fitted and open hatches for what I'm planning. I have also fitted the lights & guards, tow eyes/hooks and external telephone.

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I shall continue on with this tomorrow - soon be throwing some paint around at this rate and I still have the M45 to do.

On the M45, as the hull is pretty much the same as this one, once I get started I shall only post the changes so there may be more of a time-lag between elements.

Edited by Shermaniac
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It's Teatime on Easter Monday - I have managed to get the M26A1 to be ready for paint but wanted to keep the build schedule going while I have the time.

I have started to construct my 2nd kit, the M45 Howitzer Tank however, I have found that the T26E4 has the wrong track in it and a couple of other issues (nothing wrong with the actual kit though) which preclude it from this project so, I have dug out the HobbyBoss M26 Pershing (Oh, I have a few!!!) and have made a start.

The resin conversion for the M45 Howitzer Tank (C076) from Accurate Armour was obtained a dozen or so years ago at Telford with the full intention of doing the model back then. Obviously, that didn't happen and so I have the impetus to complete it now through this GB

Rear Hull, I modified kit part B27 by filling all the holes and removing the exhaust placement pins then, I cut the modified exhaust from AA Part O and fitted AA parts P & Q to Kit part B27

M45 Turret, built up as required - with a liberal application of filler around the resin casting joints then smoothed off and re-textured to simulate cast metal.

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The drive sprockets are Sherman type so I shall need to add the metal ones from the AA conv Kit, I shall also attempt to fit the resin track provided - more new ground, it's getting interesting.

Steak for Tea :eat: Mmmm :Tasty:

That Steak, Spuds & Veg was brill - haven't cooked in ages

OK, here's how far I've got for tonight. Oh Yeah!, I know the mantlet looks right weird as it seems like it has a droopy eye but it is supposed to be that way.

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I need to give my eyeballs a rest for tonight so back to it tomorrow at some stage.

Edited by Shermaniac
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Well, I have been busy and as you can see the 2 Pershings are well on their way to completion. A few more tweaks on the M45 (the CA isn't gluing quite as well as I had hoped - I needed to properly clean the resin!!!) An extra to each build is the SRC-610 aerial pot from Armorscale - the kit ones just don't cut-it, the commanders cupola and stowage rack on the M45 are from some spares from a Tamiya Pershing I had converted earlier.

Not so much progress yesterday as I was assisting a Club member with some airbrushing of his Stryker, (which came out REALLY well) but I learnt something new which will help with this and future projects.

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Rear view of each vehicle showing the differences and especially the revised exhaust on the M45

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My inspiration comes from these 2 photo's:

M26A1 in support of the 5th & 7th Marines at Chosin, December 1950 M45 of the 6th Tank Battalion Kumho tributary, Naktong River

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Reference Material for these projects are:

Concord: Armour at War 7003: Tank Warfare in Korea 1950-53 (Zaloga/Balin) ISBN 962-361-605-8

Squadron: M26 Pershing, Walk Around Color Series (Doyle) ISBN 978-0-89747566-2

Squadron/Signal: Armor in Korea (Mesko) ISBN 0-89747-1450-4

Schiffer: The M26 Pershing and Variants: T26E3/M26-M26A1-M45-M46/M46A1 (Thiel) ISBN 0-7643-1544-7

Feist Publications: Pershing, A history of the Medium Tank T20 series (Hunnicutt) ISBN 978-0-9821907-0-8

Time for lunch :eat: (notice how everything revolves around FOOD!)

Edited by Shermaniac
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Those brass barrels look fab.

The cupola however, like many in 1/35th scale, isn't right.

The downwards angle and curve are too sharp. :nono: The commander should be able to view forwards across the turret top but these only give him an upwards view.

Dragon's T-28 Heavy Tank actually has the correct angled cupola (not in this picture) - I wish I had dozens of them!!! (they're darned near perfik!)

Have you thought about making an RTV copy of the cupola? You can get some two-part putty RTV that mixes like milliput, but with a very short working time, and you could just push it down over the cupola, and make as many copies as you want.

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Those brass barrels look fab.

Have you thought about making an RTV copy of the cupola? You can get some two-part putty RTV that mixes like milliput, but with a very short working time, and you could just push it down over the cupola, and make as many copies as you want.

Yeah, those barrels ARE FAB! and in 2 parts - wait 'til you see the .50cal WOW!

I'm a big fan of RTV and home made, just need to assemble enough project material to warrant the outlay and useage - Oh yes! but in a clear resin so they'll take time

Something to definitely work on with my Crew

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It's Saturday and just 1 week since this GB began and here is where I have got to:

:thumbsup: **** PAINT! **** :thumbsup:

M26A1 M45

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A medium grey undercoat for both vehicles - pre-mixed by myself (I always do my own) Vallejo Model Air Black/White variation. A top coat will come later (today) after some de-gassing has occurred and with some luck, decals for the M26A1. I heavily thinned the paint down - at least 40% thinner to get a good consistent flow and an even coverage.

An application of US Dark Green with a slightly darkened mix for the undersides (a bit of shading) - more de-gassing before Klear and Decals - that'll be next week now!

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I'm off with the Club to the Milton Keynes Show :photo: tomorrow so, :nono: no more modelling on these vehicles and then :wacko: back to work next week

Edited by Shermaniac
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Hi Gang, It's DECAL TIME!

With being back at work, my time is a bit more limited so everything is bitty at the moment but the weekend bodes near so will have more time.

Here's the 'before' and 'after' and the start of some of the stowage - .30 cal ammo boxes and wooden ration crates and .50cal boxes are nearly done for the other side.

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It's Klear, Decal using Micro Set/Sol then more Klear - this will all be sealed in with a coat of varnish a bit later

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There is still the turret .50cal MG, at least 1 Jerry Can and some Tarps to be done (picked some up at MK Show last Sunday which should do)

The inspiration photo shows some of the stowage but much is obscured, which allows me some 'license' to represent what would/could have been carried.

ALSO, the M45 has just had a coat of good old Green paint - slightly darker as it's an Army Vehicle (USMC Vehicles were a bit more 'green') and this is currently de-gassing upstairs. Markings for the M45 appear sparse, to say the least, but some basic identification will be added. The vehicle, due to its type and purpose, also did not carry very much stowage so will be a fairly 'clean' finish.

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Looking good and very quickly too!

I always thought that putting a white star on the least sloped area of the glacis was asking for trouble!

Nevertheless, they did do it! AND 2 more on the turret sides.

Just like those :cowboy: Sheriffs - gives the bad guy something to aim for! :shocked:

Just found this - would make a crackin' Dio

wartime-slideshow10-large.jpg

OH YES! If you want confirmation of what Green US Army Tanks were in Korea: I found this colour pic of some M46 Pattons on Google

koreanwar002.jpg?w=990&h=651

Edited by Shermaniac
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Gave myself the day off yesterday but have dabbled a bit today -

Progress on the M26A1 build: I have loads of stowage material and masses of pre-formed sets, I realised that what I have won't do! I need to make my own (haven't done this in years) so, after rummaging around for an hour trying to find my Milliput (bought some 20+ years ago) and finding it rock solid, I dug out some Symantec A+B putty which is more than a few years old as well.

The M26A1 is to have a mix of .30 & .50cal ammo boxes and some wooden ration crates

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But as for personal stowage, I had to make my own so, I covered the rear deck and turret with clingfilm so I can ensure a clean fit - and for painting etc.

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2014_05050014.jpg It takes 24hrs to cure :popcorn: so not much to do on the tank.

Now, there's no guarantee that any of the self-made parts will be used - but I had to at least try. Got to dig out a couple of Jerry Cans now to complete the collection.

Other than making a few Tarpaulins and a bit of old rope the vehicle part of the M26A1 project is almost complete.

Now, on to the M45 Howitzer Tank, which has now had it's lovely shade of Green applied. The mantlet cover is now a nice shade of Vallejo Panzer Aces (314) Canvas which I have brushed on, this does need some weathering to enhance the effect but that will come a bit later.

(Apologies for the picture quality, I was a bit keggy handed with the camera vs Light)

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One of my dilemmas with this tank are the markings, from all the 3 pictures I have only 1 has some indication of the markings which is a small white star low on the glacis plate between the towing eyes with indistinct markings left & right of the towing eyes now, I can guess the left as being 8^ 6^ (the ^ being a triangle) 8th Army, 6th Tank Battalion, but the right is obscured and would be Company and Vehicle idents.

Also, I do not have the registration index of the vehicles although I'm still looking through my Hunnicutt on the Pershing - Ampersand, we need a Son of Pershing volume please??? :2c: Now I can fudge the first part relatively easily but ....... the rest?

Edited by Shermaniac
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