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Hobby Boss 1/48 U.S. M4A3 (76)W - Finished - base update - 02/06/15


PlaStix

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These relative cheap M4 kits from Hobby Boss ( and Trumpeter 1/72) are not to precise molded, but with some care, you can build good kits out of them.

While HB and Trumpeter are the same company, here is an idea about the tracks.

Along with my Sherman, a Trumpeter StuG III 1/72 is advacing through the finishing line, these days. It was started in last fall, so nothing for this groub build. The tracks are easy to glue on with super glue but are way to long.May you should have an eye about this.

Good work so far !

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Hi Bernd. Hope you are well. Thank you for the tip about the tracks. And I can see what you mean about the mouldings - there is a fair bit to clean up.

Progress has been bit limited this morning, but progress is progress. First off I did some assembly of the lower hull parts, most of which had to have seams and bits of flash removed. This work included correcting the angle of the hull side final drive housings. If you assemble them as per the kit they sit at this angle:

17081838976_b35a53e5d4_c.jpg

Whereas, apparently, they should look like this:

17106039722_c75aa1d4bb_c.jpg

To get them to sit at this angle it's just a matter of cutting off the pin on the back:

16485360284_bc27b4ebae_c.jpg

With the parts I wanted assembled the hull looked like this with some filling started:

17107801615_e36392b7ca_c.jpg

17106901481_fd41c94de3_c.jpg

I also started some painting but ran out of time to get any photos taken.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards,

Six

Edited by PlaStix
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Great start. I don't know how I miss that.

Is it no 3 now?

Cheers

Thank you Pawel. (Don't let on but it's now number 5!!!) In my defence I'm thoroughly enjoying all of them!!

You're not kidding with a 'Group' build !! ;) Loving every one though :)

Mmmmmmm...........yep! And thank you!

I've managed to get a few more things done on this today. I've got some washes and dry-brushing done on the parts I'd painted yesterday:

17117786752_e639808f64_c.jpg

I've also painted the tires on the 12 main wheels:

16931529168_4159ebc2fb_c.jpg

I've done some assembly on the upper hull - hatches, engine cover, etc:

16931525528_46d625a686_c.jpg

Again, this took longer than anticipated because of all the cleaning up of flash and seams that needed to be done. Not a big issue and it's certainly not spoiling the fun with this build!

And I've also been getting some dry-brushing and washes on the tracks:

16931520828_a29421cdd2_c.jpg

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards,

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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Well done so far, these kits need some more TLC but you are on a good way ! The suspension look great !

Good luck with the upper hull.

:thumbsup:

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Hi Bernd. TLC is what's definitely required but, like we've both said before, the detail for the price is very good and it is a fun build so far!

Kind regards,

Stix

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So happy modelling with this one, if i expand my 1/48 tank collection a HB M4 is included.

Your Sherman is coming really nicely along, this will be a stunner like your 1/48 cat !

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Hi Bernd - thank you for your kind comments. I'm looking forward to the weekend when I hope I can get the running gear completed.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Thank you Bernd. I'm certainly looking forward to following your latest Sherman build.

I had quite a productive kit building session this morning.

Managed to get all the running gear parts ready for attaching to the sides of the hull:

16978807927_da015dec76_c.jpg

...........and then fixed in place:

16566041743_aaf1ec05f6_c.jpg

17185629661_de9f0c5d6c_c.jpg

After I'd finished a couple more washes on the tracks I did a bit of a test fitting and decided these would be better being glued together (with CA glue) off the tank and then carefully placed over the running gear. I've also attached most of the smaller plastic parts onto the upper hull. The upper hull is only lodged in place.

17184573222_decc849e7b_c.jpg

16563792724_6f63567fef_c.jpg

17185625211_345255cf5c_c.jpg

17184568852_a193d87d87_c.jpg

17184567302_65a6fbdbdd_c.jpg

17160287796_472b6c4b63_c.jpg

At this point I've left the tracks so they can be removed if needs be.

Next it will be time for fun with PE.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Looking good, Stix. The tracks look perfect and well painted, love the weathered effect.

On my M4, i put the tracks on and assembled the drive sprocket together with the tracks. The DS tracks were quite stiff, so i choosed that way. I like the thin look of the HB tracks, very nice

Good news is the problem free fit of the hull, looks like a great follow on, after the cats.

Good work !

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Looking good, Stix. The tracks look perfect and well painted, love the weathered effect.

On my M4, i put the tracks on and assembled the drive sprocket together with the tracks. The DS tracks were quite stiff, so i choosed that way. I like the thin look of the HB tracks, very nice

Good news is the problem free fit of the hull, looks like a great follow on, after the cats.

Good work !

Hi Bernd. Thank you - the tracks do seem good although there is a little flash here and there that I found quite tricky to remove and clean up neatly so there's still a little left here and there - I'll disguise these with some mud! The fit of the hull parts does seem good. Hopefully I'll be able to check out your Sherman later?

Coming along nicely Stix. I've not had a lot of spare time lately so watching other builds is a pleasure :)

Hi Nigel. Thank you too. I've been checking in on your Star Trek build and noticed you hadn't been doing anything on it. Hopefully you'll have chance to do some more soon.

Today's kit building session seemed to fly by but I've got a bit done on this and I finished the two figures for my 1/48 Tiger 1 build. I also took some photos of the Tiger with the figures which I will post later in the Gallery.

First job was to attach some of this:

16990313157_f9c706328e_c.jpg

For the money this is a really good kit from Hobby Boss. I know the kit is not 100% accurate and there are some flash and fit issues but you get a lot of nice details and lots of spares.

This is how the light guards looked once attached - front:

17010203700_2a5161df3a_c.jpg

Rear:

17010201330_ac09daefb3_c.jpg

As usual there was a lot of fiddling about with the PE - I'm pretty sure my fingers get bigger and more uncoordinated when I'm trying to work with it!

Finally I got a few thin coats of paint applied to the upper hull:

16577537973_ed71677220_c.jpg

Next week I'll start on the tools and turret.

There's two turrets included with this kit but I'm not sure which is the best to use. I've read one is an early version and the other a later one. There's also some accuracy issues with both which I'm not intending to fix. If anyone can offer some advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Stix

Edited by PlaStix
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Looking good, the little pe fret is a worthy addition ! It looks like a good kit, after all the progress.

Well done !

Have a great start in the coming week.

Best

Bernd

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Thank you Nigel, Wolwe and Pawel.

How you finding pe parts to this kit?

Cheers

They've been fairly straight-forward for the most part. The only tricky one was the front light guard with the cross. The cross bit took some work to get it to fit - it seems too long and the instructions don't really explain how it should fit. Looking at some photos it needs to have a slight curve which helped.

Today I decided, after buckling down and doing some work on my Spitfires project, that I would concentrate on getting the turret built. It was fairly straight forward. There is a bit of flash on some of the parts and the fit isn't great but nothing patience and a bit of filler can't fix:

16643158003_9ddaba1ac5_c.jpg

And a quick test fitting:

17075823070_92c251151c_c.jpg

More tomorrow I hope.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hi Bernd. Thank you. I didn't do much on this one again today - spending more time on my Spitfire project this morning. The only things I did was add a couple more parts on the turret before finishing the filling and sanding.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Today I managed to get some work done on this project including drilling out the ends of the machine guns:

17351121992_4c5c924b79_c.jpg

Painting the turret and gun:

17165230628_7a84616be8_c.jpg

Plus I got some paint on some of the smaller parts:

17353013595_bd48bafb15_c.jpg

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Looking good, nice progress. The turrets looks nice on OD as well the nicely painted tools and weapons. Looking at your drilled out gun barrels, i am in dire need of a smaller drill. Its a nice touch.

Will have a look on your Spitfires.

Have a great Sunday. We have started ( too late, as every year) with the garden, a perfect solution to torpedo the own fine motivity ( hope thats the right word )

Got also something very nice for my stash, will introduce it very soon.

:)

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