Bonhoff Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) Hi all, Can put it off no longer, here's my attempt at a Unimodel Sherman. This was obtained from the Southwell Show last year by my mate Ed, who, given the brief that I needed a small scale Sherman, found this for me. I thanked him before I looked in the box... Jeez! Fortunately @Sgt.Squarehead has seen fit to build some UM Shermans too and has already given a few pointers that'll make my build a lot easier - I'll only pass comment on my build where it varies from the M4A1s that the good Sarge is constructing. Construction has commenced - will post more later. KRs IanJ Edited May 8, 2018 by Bonhoff Warning added to title 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted January 22, 2018 Author Share Posted January 22, 2018 (edited) So, construction... So far, it's been fiddly but not too terrible. The transmission casing is a little bit odd - In order to do the flanges with the bolt heads, UM decided to make this in five pieces, some trimming is required but really the plastic is too thick to allow the flanges to protrude as much as you'd hope. Then there's the final drive housings - This kit has a step and a second row of bolts where the hull side meets the housing, whereas all my references (Admittedly I only have my Haynes Manual and the interweb) show a single row of bolts and no step. Is this correct? Or is this a blooper by UM that causes people to froth at the mouth and claim the kit is unbuildable? - TBH if it's a mistake I think it'll be mostly hidden by the drive sprocket and/or mud. It will on this one at least. The back of the upper hull is a separate piece that'll need some filler. Some ejector pin marks to fill on each side - Think this photo shows the final drive conundrum quite nicely. The suspension units - not as terrifying as first thought. As Sarge says, drill out the wheels to accept the axles, I did mine while the wheels were still attached to the sprues so they couldn't go pinging off out of my fingers. Managed to lose a volute spring when it pinged off heading for my lap, I instinctively closed my legs to catch it but only succeeded in squashing my man vegetables... No spares so the rearmost bogie will only have the one spring, hoping it won't be too apparent. The locating holes where the bogies join to the hull will need drilling out. The instructions would have you install skirts to the hull but I read somewhere that most Fireflys didn't have them - Fortunately there are alternative parts on the sprues, marked as unused in the instructions, that can be used to fill the sponsons and forego the skirts. One of the marking options is for a tank labelled "Allakeeper" - Some googling came up with a more likely name of "Allakeefek." Photos show this one to have skirts to the rear 2/3rds and nothing to the front if you fancy that marking scheme. The hull - the upper glacis plate containing the two hatches is a separate part which'll need some filler around the edges, as will the various sink marks that have been filled with correction fluid and/or Mr.Surfacer as seen in the photos. That's as far as I've got at the moment. KRs IanJ Edited January 22, 2018 by Bonhoff Speling mistaks 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 On 22/01/2018 at 12:46 AM, Bonhoff said: Managed to lose a volute spring when it pinged off heading for my lap, I instinctively closed my legs to catch it but only succeeded in squashing my man vegetables... No spares so the rearmost bogie will only have the one spring, hoping it won't be too apparent. Wedge a vaguely conical bit of sprue in there.....Nobody would ever know the difference, silly bloody parts. Weird that they don't provide the parts to block out the sponsons on this kit.....They do on the M4A1s that I'm building. If you would prefer to use Heller sprockets on your build, I'd be happy to send you a set (Plain or fancy? ), I can also (probably, still need to check the types I have) offer matching tracks but Heller don't do the M4A4 so their M4 & M4A2 tracks won't be quite long enough for your 'Stretch-Sherman' hull, you'll have to patch them (I'd send three for this purpose). It would make me very happy were you to accept this offer as I really want to use Heller (& Dragon) parts on my own builds, but said I wouldn't if others were building UM kits (& I'm regretting it a bit TBH). For discussion purposes only.....And also to allow me to discover that you need fancy sprockets and T-62 track). Off to check some boxes. PS - I can send you some sand-skirts too (or pretty much any other bit of a Sherman TBH), if you need them, they're for an M4A1 (Italeri - See @MadNurseGaz build), so again they'll be a bit short, but you need to chop them anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Thanks Sarge, The kit comes with skirts as well as the parts to infill the sponsons, which for some bizarre reason aren't utilised as an option in the instructions... Some trimming of the skirts would match the subject above - the sprockets on Allakeefek are very different to those included in the kit - Thanks for the offer but I'll have a look around to see if I can find a Vc to match what I have in the kit first. KRs IanJ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 The offer stands, any parts you need just ask, I'm well stocked for spares** and I won't feel so bad about upgrading my own kits if I help you to do the same. **Pretty much the only thing I can't help with is 'duck-bill' tracks, but I can advise how to scratch a representation of those that works in 1/72 (should you have a burning desire to drive yourself barking mad). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 Just catching up IAN, looking good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted January 29, 2018 Author Share Posted January 29, 2018 Etched brass track guides - No real drama thanks to the former/mould included in the parts, about 5 mins and a dab or two of CA and it's installed on the bogie. As Sarge pointed out, the mould runners for the drive sprocket are attached to the front face of the sprocket - A pain but easily sorted, just cut the sprue quite a long way back to avoid damaging the sprocket teeth and then gradually nibble away at the runners until you're left with the sprocket. Alternative infills to sponsons now attached as I'm going down the skirtless route, the frontmost parts of the skirts are in the kit. I'm now wondering about a sprue in the box which isn't listed in the instructions - It includes chassis sides, base and lots of extra bits and pieces duplicated elsewhere - numbered 370B so would appear to be from UM's early M4 kit. Still, lots of extra spares. Laters IanJ 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 There seem to be zillions of sprues in these boxes don't there! You are doing a cracking job there, I am very impressed with your sprockets, that must have taken a great deal of care and patience.....Sad to confess I've bottled it and will be going the Heller route on my running gear, I've already got all the spares I need including the tracks, so it seems daft not to use them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 Nice job on the bogies Ian, I like the idea of etch track guides. I would like to see that option in 1/35. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted February 20, 2018 Author Share Posted February 20, 2018 6 bogies completed and attached to the hull, chassis set up on a piece of glass to level up the bogies and a piece of track used to line the wheels through. Can you spot the deliberate mistake? By putting the sponson bases on earlier than the instructions stated, I'm going to have to thread all the link and length gubbins between the track guides and the sponsons Ian is an idiot, don't be like Ian... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Nice job so far Ian, I get myself in pickles like that most of the time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 So - Didn't make the cut. Hardly surprising, it's one of those kits that gradually saps your enthusiasm. For instance, link and length tracks, not bad in themselves but if you're going to design a kit then at least make sure the instructions are correct - You're better off making up your own way of doing the tracks in this instance. I managed to remove the sponson plates without too much damage before I started the tracks. And you'll also be spitting feathers when you discover that you're one link short to complete the track run - Don't panic, as the Firefly has a slightly longer wheelbase there are some single links on the Firefly specific sprue to make up the discrepancy. Here's the one side completed. Then there's some more of the etched brass to deal with.... I mean, c'mon! Really! You expect these tiny etch frames to adhere to the spare track treads? And for all of those treads to make it onto the tank without pinging off? I've never told a kit to before... I'll continue with it, but couldn't recommend it to anyone else. Congrats to all those who completed their builds before the deadline. IanJ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme H Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Ian a great pity you didn't make it, and one thing I know with absolute certainty I will not be getting any of these UM kits, they seem to be quite a challenge going by what you and Sarge have had to do. I thought the Heller kit was little bit hard, nothing compared to these beasties, hope you can get it finished sometime in the future, maybe we need a mid year KUTA GB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweener Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 6 minutes ago, Graeme H said: Ian a great pity you didn't make it, and one thing I know with absolute certainty I will not be getting any of these UM kits, they seem to be quite a challenge going by what you and Sarge have had to do. I thought the Heller kit was little bit hard, nothing compared to these beasties, hope you can get it finished sometime in the future, maybe we need a mid year KUTA GB I've been working on the UM SU-12-1 for some time, on and off. Well fitting to my surprise, but I won't act like I even begin to understand how the bed actually mates to the chassis-seems like all UM kits go wrong somewhere. Definitely wise of you to learn from observation! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 On 02/04/2018 at 1:32 AM, Bonhoff said: Hardly surprising, it's one of those kits that gradually saps your enthusiasm. Very well put indeed fella.....I just couldn't face working on mine a couple of times (usually after I'd just discovered I needed to add/change something that would have been much easier to do earlier) and I have a plethora of spare Sherman parts on hand to make life easier. So while I'm sad that you didn't finish, I do completely understand, these UM kits really are a pig to build at times.....If you do want to finish yours off (you've done a great job getting it this far, so it would be a shame to abandon it), don't worry about missing track links, or any other spare parts, the full power of my spares-box is still there for you! PS - The UM etched light-guards are awful, all of 'em! I've never had hassles fitting etched guards before (I've built loads of them) but the silly UM bendy-brass defeated me utterly.....I'd strongly recommend you consider a Sherman booster set from DTM (particularly useful for you as it's aimed at British subjects): http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/sherman-enhancements-172-311-p.asp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 On 02/04/2018 at 2:39 AM, Tweener said: I've been working on the UM SU-12-1 for some time, on and off. Are you aware of the issues with UM's vinyl tyres? They will eat your model! Strongly recommend resin replacements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweener Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 21 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said: Are you aware of the issues with UM's vinyl tyres? They will eat your model! Strongly recommend resin replacements. I've heard they aren't great, but never anything like that? How exactly do they eat the kit? By shrinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 The plasticiser constantly leeches out, given chance it attacks the plastic parts making them go gooey (stick some of the tyre sprue in a ziploc with some of the kit sprue, leave it for a couple of months, then take a look) but even isolated it's just nasty stuff. Here's a BA-6M, built about a decade ago, that has survived because I put a massive 'barrier' of paint between the hubs and the tyres.....Thus the plasticiser has been limited to the tyres which (despite being coated with W&N matt just like everything else) remain shiny and sticky to the touch to this day, here's a pic: It seems my 'barrier' is beginning to give way and the spare wheels are starting to deform, it's worse on the other side TBH.....The model stuck to my mat in the time it took to photograph it! Note also how the plasticiser has turned the dry pigment on the tyres around the hubs into a nasty brown goo.....It should look the same as the pigment on the hubs themselves! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 So, underpinnings completed. Don't follow the instructions with regards to the links on the tracks otherwise you'll have to do some remedial work. The instructions will have you place 7 individual links around the front sprocket, you only need 5. I arranged mine as follows - 5 on front sprocket (which you shouldn't have glued to the axle on the hull at this point to allow you to rotate it to the right orientation) then one of the long track strips on top over the rollers, then 1 strip of 5 links attached to 5 individual links should get you to the idler wheel, this wheel then has 5 single links wrapped round it and another 5 link strip down to the rear bogie, then I think it was 2 single links, the other long strip and then 1 or 2 single links should take you to the front of the forward bogie. A final strip of 5 should then mean you meet the start of the track at the sprocket. Bear in mind that the Vc has a stretched chassis so requires more links than a standard Sherman but the important thing to note is 5 links on the sprocket. And this is where I am now... Ready to start placing all the tools, lights etc on it - Shame the instructions are a bit vague about where a lot of the stuff goes, assuming I can get it off the sprues intact. KR's IanJ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Nice going Ian, thanks for sticking with it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Small parts madness.... Case in point, not so much the etched brush guard but the rear light - Frankly ridiculous, left a chunk of it on the sprue then had no end of trouble even picking it up to glue it... Got the track links on the glacis plate sorted, easier to put the links on the tank then the etched retainers on afterwards. Primer doesn't look so bad from normal viewing distances. Overall view - Getting there but will be glad when it's finished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted April 16, 2018 Author Share Posted April 16, 2018 Looks a lot better under Tamiya rattle can primer... KR's IanJ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 16, 2018 Share Posted April 16, 2018 Perciverance definitely pays off Ian, she's looking good in grey she'll look fantastic green. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonhoff Posted April 23, 2018 Author Share Posted April 23, 2018 Now green - Equal amounts of Vallejo "Olive Grey" and "Russian Uniform" KR's IanJ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 That looks a nice colour Ian, I have use Tamiya's NATO green in the past. It's a bit bright but tones down nicely one weathered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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