M4A3 Classy Peg in 1/48

[Enzo the Magnificent]

My second build for the GB is the Hobby Boss 1/48 M4A3,

 

As with my other build in this GB (the Tamiya 1/48 M4 Early Production), this will be built pretty must straight from the box, just adding crew and stowage.  I'm aware of some inaccuracies in this kit, notably in the placement of hatches.  I'm not going to let that worry me and will simply enjoy the build.

 

This might seem to progress quickly.  It's an illusion.  I actually started the model at the beginning of the GB.  I'm just catching up documenting it. 

 

As always, here is the boxtop, showing "Classy Peg" of the 43rd Infantry Division, in Luzon, Phillipines in 1945.

 

 

There are a lot of sprues with a confusing number of parts, not all of which will be used for the build.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The first job is to build the suspension units.

 

These are shown below on grey on the left, with the Tamiya equivalents on the right in olive.

 

The Hobby Boss components comprise nine parts.  There are alternatives for the road wheels, suspension housings and return rollers. It seems that Hobby Boss are trying to be all things to all people.  The instructions recommend the use of the solid dished wheels, which is what I used.  I only found out later that this vehicle actually had solid spoked wheels, which are also provided in the kit.  Ah well...

 

[Robert Stuart]

1 minute ago, Enzo Matrix said:

I only found out later that this behicle actually had solid spoked wheels, which are also provided in the kit.  Ah well...

Sherman chassis! 

 

Going to watch this one.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

5 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

Sherman chassis! 

Tell me about it...      

 

The hull and turret build up quickly.   The hull in this kit is a plastic moulding.  I prefer a bit of weight in the hull, whoich the diecast part of the Tamiya kit provides.  As you can see I put a fair amount of ballast in the Hobby Boss hull.

 

 

The parts are all clipped together to get a sense of the model itself

 

 

and posed next to its companion on the workbench, the Tamiya M4

 

 

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

As mentioned in my other build thread, I puzzled over what colou to use for Olive Drab.  In the end I choose Lifecolor UA219 US Army Olive Drab.  However, a photo I found of this vehicle showed some darker areas on the rear of the hull.  These were drybrushed in with Tamiya XF-62

 

[Ozzy]

Not seen one of these built before Enzo, your colour looks good to me.

[Hewy]

That's a nice paint job enzo

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Next stage is to build up the running gear

 

 

And then assemble it all together.

 

 

 

I was a little disappointed with the tracks.  They are the traditional vinyl type, but the Hobby Boss instructions claim that they can be glued with ordinary modelling glue and painted with ordinary paints.  They can't...     I had to basically weld the ends together with superglue and use a very hot cellulose primer.  The ordinary primer flaked off as soon as I bent the tracks.  In the end I got them painted with Vallejo Panzer Aces Track Primer.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Stickers on! 

 

[Ozzy]

In spite of the track problems, she's looking very nice Enzo.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Tracks look great to me.....Nice save. 

 

None of the allegedly 'glueable with poly-cement' band-tracks work terribly well if you use them that way.....However if you build the track run first using CA, then prime them in situ, they are a doddle to use (kinda ironic really).