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Takom M3 Lee late


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Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one. I fancy having a go at one of these at some point in the future so will be taking notes! :popcorn: Good start.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Soeren

 

Yes if I don't cross it out I forget steps and then it's usually too late to go back. I even circle things I have to

install later after painting. Very rarely do I follow the instructions step by step in order, my way is better.....yah right, not always.

 

Plastix

 

After a month and a half without cutting plastic I've got this terrible itch to do something and this little guy

sort of grows on you.  So ugly only a mother could love but what the heck some dirt grime and grease and it 

should look half decent.  So far it's a typical Takom kit, just falls together and the link & length tracks are a relief.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

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1 hour ago, Soeren said:

Nice. But I see, you are one of those "cross-out" guys too ;)

You should see my instruction sheets after I'm finished.......:D.....scribblings everywhere.......

 

Looking forward to seeing this to the end.....Just watched a documentary on Youtube that covered these....not favoured by the Brits when we had them in North Africa....something about getting a rivet or two in ear after a hit......:huh:

 

Nice looking build Lloyd :yes:, sounds like a nice quality kit.

 

Simon.

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Thanks Red

 

Yes so far it's been pretty easy.  Looking at the suspension now and there's a fair few parts but it should be a rather easy build I think.

Then the tracks.  I'm fairly fed up with individual multi piece links a la Rye Field and Meng so these link and length babies are welcome.

 

This is a strange tank though.  Wonder why there is a 30 cal machine gun in a separate turret when there's a 50 cal machine gun mounted coaxially and

why have a 37mm and a 75mm gun so you need 4 different kinds of ammo for everything???  Why make a sponson mounted gun with no traverse when you are putting on a turret

and gun anyway?  Engineers, designers and end users didn't talk to each other in those days either I suppose.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

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7 hours ago, BlackMax12 said:

This is a strange tank though.  Wonder why there is a 30 cal machine gun in a separate turret when there's a 50 cal machine gun mounted coaxially and

why have a 37mm and a 75mm gun so you need 4 different kinds of ammo for everything???  Why make a sponson mounted gun with no traverse when you are putting on a turret and gun anyway? 

Apparently there may be explanation for this. One I've seen the program about those tanks and that roughly what they said there (I may by wrong and if so please correct me).

The coaxial MG was used to get into the target before fire the gun as there was not so much them to waste and more expensive then MG rounds. In this particular tank the 75mm gun fires only high explosive shells, used against bunkers and fortifications, etc. The turret gun 37mm was actually anti-tank gun with armour piercing shells and that's why was mounted in the turret. Even if this make a little bit of sense, it still strange construction.

 

I am waiting for another nice build. Any "ambitious" colour scheme or standard Olive Drab?

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8 hours ago, BlackMax12 said:

Thanks Red

 

Yes so far it's been pretty easy.  Looking at the suspension now and there's a fair few parts but it should be a rather easy build I think.

Then the tracks.  I'm fairly fed up with individual multi piece links a la Rye Field and Meng so these link and length babies are welcome.

 

This is a strange tank though.  Wonder why there is a 30 cal machine gun in a separate turret when there's a 50 cal machine gun mounted coaxially and

why have a 37mm and a 75mm gun so you need 4 different kinds of ammo for everything???  Why make a sponson mounted gun with no traverse when you are putting on a turret

and gun anyway?  Engineers, designers and end users didn't talk to each other in those days either I suppose.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

I'm pulling on very murky knowledge here, but I think the M3 tank was essentially a stop-gap until the M4 was put into production. So, they mounted a 75 in the body to give it that capability, as they were yet to develop a turret that could hold the gun (?)

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Kris and Sairou

 

Your explanations make sense but it's still a strange looking animal.

 

Kris, nothing too exotic on the paint job, probably a beat up Olive Drabish but not too dark

to hide those rivets.  Then again maybe a captured unit in German white wash with lots of mud and gunk.

Haven't decided, there's still quite a bunch of fiddly little stuff to add and another track to build.

 

Here is the wee little ferocious beastie as of this morning.  One track in place, going to be fun to paint, actually I think I'll have to break it

to get it off for painting.  I'll leave the other side un-joined at the bottom, hindsight is 20/20. 

 

The superstructure roof is just sitting so there's a fair gap on the right side that will close up with some glue. 

The bogies are a bit finicky and they flop around for movable suspension but the tracks aren't indy links so

that's sort of a waste and makes the solid track harder to install.
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8 hours ago, Kris B said:

Apparently there may be explanation for this. One I've seen the program about those tanks and that roughly what they said there (I may by wrong and if so please correct me).

The coaxial MG was used to get into the target before fire the gun as there was not so much them to waste and more expensive then MG rounds. In this particular tank the 75mm gun fires only high explosive shells, used against bunkers and fortifications, etc. The turret gun 37mm was actually anti-tank gun with armour piercing shells and that's why was mounted in the turret. Even if this make a little bit of sense, it still strange construction.

 

7 hours ago, Sairou said:
16 hours ago, BlackMax12 said:

 

I'm pulling on very murky knowledge here, but I think the M3 tank was essentially a stop-gap until the M4 was put into production. So, they mounted a 75 in the body to give it that capability, as they were yet to develop a turret that could hold the gun (?)

I believe both answers are correct for the M3. 

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Got the second track installed and the rear fenders.  

 

Probably about it for today as the Missus was up all night talking to the big white telephone, must have a flu bug and of course I was up too

holding her hand and cleaning up after her.  Haven't done that for years and can't say I miss it.  Just hope the bug skips me though.

 

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Thanks Richard

 

Yes she's feeling some better, the throwing up part is over. We both slept most

of the day as last night was pretty rough and extremely long........

 

I have to finish off the rear end with the mufflers, etc then the machine gun turret, some hatches and the lights.  I managed to get the tracks

off without breaking them as I had left the sprockets loose, that was a good idea.

 

Sometime tomorrow when I can return to building I'll finish assembly and at least get some black primer on it, I hope.

 

Take care,

 

Lloyd

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Wow, you're really motoring with this build.:thumbsup2: 

 

I've developed a bit of a soft spot for the M3s since building the Academy Grant; I still have the Takom M31 on my hit list.

 

I am told that those Lees that were lent/leased to the Soviets, acquired the rather sombre nickname 'coffins for 7 brothers'... The British called them 'Iron cathedrals' .

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