M4A3E8 'FACE OFF' **FINISHED! PHOTOS P.3**

[Badder]

23 hours ago, Etienne said:

Hello Badder,

 

excellent work, this Sherman turned into a very nice battle-hardened beast !!

 

What is the provenance of the wooden ammo boxes stored on the back panel ?

 

Cheers, E

Hi Etienne,

Thank you for liking my Sherman.

The ammo boxes came with the Tamiya US Tank Crew set. The kit comes with crates for the .50cal and the bow MG. There's 6 figures: Commander, gunner, driver, bow gunner, a figure carrying a crate of ammo, and one doing some 'maintenance' on the running gear. The commander figure is supposed to be sat on the turret reading a map, but I just built his upper half and stuck him in the hatch.

 

I'm going to adjust one of the figures slightly, as I have an idea for adding a bit of humour to the scene.

 

Thanks again for your comments,

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

Just now, Jasper dog said:

Fantastic,  you've turned out another masterpiece, so much attention to detail. Loving the worn winterfinish, plenty of mud and general well used appearance. Looking forward to the finished dio, always think figures and even just a simple base really finishes a model off nicely.

 

Cheers Darryl 

Thanks Darryl,

I've not produced a 'masterpiece' before, so it's nice of you to say! It's probably my best effort yet though!

I am looking forward to the diorama. I have some infantry figures that might go nicely in it.

 

Rearguards

Badder

[Badder]

I've made up a couple of buckets, replacing Tamiya's plastic handles with ones made from fuse wire.

I quite fancied that one bucket was used as a container for whitewash during the application of the winter camo.

 

The second bucket has seen various uses, but it's going to feature in a humorous little scene.....

 

Neither bucket has seen even one dab of acrylic or enamel paint. Both were brush painted soley with Daler and Rowney FW Acrylic Inks.

After seeing @AndyRM101's spectacular entry to the M4-M3 STGB, and reading that he'd considered making an enamelled bucket, I thought I'd do what he ultimately didn't.

So both buckets were painted with 'Antelope Brown' (Whoever named it that was typically idiotic as it's more green than brown) Unusually, this dried gloss. I don't know if that is down to bad mixing by me, or what. But anyway it saved me the job of applying varnish! The ink didn't go on evenly (due I suspect to the releasing agent being present on the bare plastic) I had to apply several coats then, but this gave a nice patina on the buckets. White ink was dribbled into the whitewash bucket and then 'scooped out' using a brush, the white being dragged up and out of the bucket, and dribbling down the sides. A gentle going over with a wet brush finished off the effect.

 

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by Badder

[Jasper dog]

On 03/04/2018 at 09:20, Badder said:

There was a discussion about this removal of markings by the crew, who feared that the enemy would use the markings as guides to targeting. Certainly, the driver and gunner wouldn't want an enemy round to strike the white stars on the side panels, and nor would the commander and gunner want a round hitting the black stars on the turret......

But I would argue that IF the enemy were close enough to take aim and fire at an allied vehicle's markings, they were close enough to aim at any point they liked, and actually, in the case of the 'up-armoured' Sherman in the photos, I think the crew would PREFER the enemy aimed at and hit the black stars or the frontal white star, as these areas are the thickest!

As luck would have it I've been listening to the book D-day through German eyes p2 and in one of the chapters i seam to recall the gunner in a "concrete panzer" (engine less panzer iii encased in concrete as a static defence) mentioned "I aimed straight at the star" in this case on a Sherman. I suppose it could provided a useful aiming point. 

Hope this sheds a little light as opposed to opening a can of worms or prodding something I'd rather not!

 

I'm off to hid behind something just in case.

 

Cheers Darryl 

[Badder]

Just now, Jasper dog said:

As luck would have it I've been listening to the book D-day through German eyes p2 and in one of the chapters i seam to recall the gunner in a "concrete panzer" (engine less panzer iii encased in concrete as a static defence) mentioned "I aimed straight at the star" in this case on a Sherman. I suppose it could provided a useful aiming point. 

Hope this sheds a little light as opposed to opening a can of worms or prodding something I'd rather not!

 

I'm off to hid behind something just in case.

 

Cheers Darryl 

There's absolutely no doubt that Axis gunners aimed at the stars, or other such markings, on all kinds of vehicles, just as allied forces aimed at the 'Balkencreuz' crosses on German vehicles. Often these markings were placed centrally on a vehicle's front and sides and turret-sides. But I would argue that if a gunner was aiming at a vehicle from the side, or front (or indeed rear) he'd aim at the centre of the vehicle anyway. Sure, centrally placed markings were a 'help' to gunners, but as I said, if the gunners could see the markings then they could see the vehicle and just as easily choose any other spot to target. For example, they might aim at the cabin of a truck, ignoring any markings on the side of the vehicle.

If gunners always aimed at the markings on vehicles, it would be a good idea for the 'prey' to place their markings on the areas with the thickest armour. So, if I were the commander of the Sherman above, I'd leave the black stars on the turret and the white star on the glacis and think 'Okay Mr German gunner, you've got me in your sights, you're going to fire at me no matter what... but please do me a favour and aim at those stars!'

 

That's my thinking anyway.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

I'm hanging both the buckets here for now, until I've got the little scene sorted for the enamelled green bucket.

 

 

And in between trying to make rolled up tarps for the rear deck or turret ralis, I made and hung a helmet on one of those rails. The chin strap was made from a thin sliver of copper leaf. Metal from a beer can or thick tin foil would have done just as well.

 

There is actually a small dent in the rear of the helmet... I got a bit overzealous when cleaning the gate mark off and sanded into the helmet itself. I've not bothered to hide the dent and have instead highlighted it with a darker pin wash and some rubbing back of the dark green. Either it was dented whilst being worn... doing its job, or it was damaged in situ, possibly by small arms fire or shrapnel.

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

 

[FrancisGL]

Very cool those little details that I like so much, the helmet with its chinstrap, and the cubes (with challenges of different substances that contained ... lol) 

Cheers Badder 

[Badder]

Just now, FrancisGL said:

Very cool those little details that I like so much, the helmet with its chinstrap, and the cubes (with challenges of different substances that contained ... lol) 

Cheers Badder 

Hi Francis, I'm having to 'translate' but by 'cubes' I think you mean 'buckets'?

It is fun adding these little details. Thank you for liking them!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

[FrancisGL]

34 minutes ago, Badder said:

Hi Francis, I'm having to 'translate' but by 'cubes' I think you mean 'buckets'?

It is fun adding these little details. Thank you for liking them!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

Yep, sorry for the  confusion, but now that I think about it, with so much snow and ice around , those "buckects" could probably contain "cubes (ice)" for some celebration ... lol 

Cheers Badder 

[Badder]

I've been making up some bed rolls for hanging on the turret rails. I'm using some some 'Superlight Air-Drying Clay' from Hobbycraft. It's called clay, but it's more like putty which dries to a sponge-like substance.

I roll the stuff out as flat as I can, then cut it into rectangles before rolling it up. Then I tie it up with polyester thread. I've tried ceating creases in it using pressure from a scalpel blade, but the creases slowly fade away, the 'clay' springing back slowly.

 

Again I've used just acrylic inks.... an undercoat of Antelope Brown mixed with white, then neat Antelope Brown washes to finish.

 

The ink isn't fully dry here and so the finish is still glossy.

 

 

I will do a bit more work with the painting and with varnishes and decide whether to use all or any of these efforts, or try again.

 

TFL

Badder

 

Yeah, Vettel!!!!

[Badder]

Finally, finally, FINALLY, managed to make a tow cable that I'm happy with.

I ended up buying a brake cable from a Bicycle shop, not perfect, too many threads in the twist, and not 'gnarly' enough, but better than anything I'd tried to make myself.

 

I cut the cable to length, then crimped some copper leaf around each end, letting them overhang by a few mm. A little tip for those who might use brake cable: Cutting with a saw or pliers causes the wires to splay. Instead, I soldered the ends to hold them together then used a Dremel type tool and grinding stone to cut the cable to length.

The 'eyes' were made from fuse wire, bent into loops.

 

I used the Dremel again to grind the two 'legs' of the eyes to half thickness, then pinched the legs together and inserted them into the ends of the copper tubes.

 

Thin CA was plenty enough to fix the copper tubes to the cable and the eyes into the tubes.

 

Finally, a grind stone was used to clean and tidy up.

 

And now onto the bed rolls. These were tied to the turret rail using polyester thread. I tied the bottom one on first, on a long 'rope' then tied the top one on top of that in such a way that the crew could remove both bed rolls by undoing just a pair of knots.

 

A little bit of tidyning up needs to be done. I may apply a matt varnish to the bed rolls....

 

TFL

Badder

Edited April 11, 2018 by Badder

[FrancisGL]

When you have the matt varnish, it will be the final touch for a very cool detail ...

Cheers Badder 

[KAYELL]

Love this

The worn winter camo coupled with the wet'mud' and filth coupled with the contrast of the stowage really brings this to life.

Great job

 

As for the aerial woes, for what its worth, the method I use is to drill into the aerial holder so that you can just push the aerial in and fix or not with white glue. I use this method when transporting my models to shows using shoeboxes to carry them in, with the aerial removed they become about 3 inches shorter and fit easier.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[Badder]

Just now, KAYELL said:

Love this

The worn winter camo coupled with the wet'mud' and filth coupled with the contrast of the stowage really brings this to life.

Great job

 

As for the aerial woes, for what its worth, the method I use is to drill into the aerial holder so that you can just push the aerial in and fix or not with white glue. I use this method when transporting my models to shows using shoeboxes to carry them in, with the aerial removed they become about 3 inches shorter and fit easier.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

Thanks Keith, 

It's all the little extras that I love doing - especially the stuff that's not bought 'as is' stratight off the LHS shelf, or tinternet. Having said that, I will have to get some US Army kit bags/back packs and some other bits and pieces for when it's in the diorama.

 

As for the aerials, previously I've used carbon fibre stems from pole floats (I'm a 'retired' match angler) and although I don't have to transport my models, the carbon aerials can take quite a wallop, flexible, but strong.

This time I experimented using a guitar string, the idea being that I could bend it to mimic the real things.

I do drill into the aerial mounts and fix the aerials in place, but on this occasion I had problems drilling. I confess that a cheap old drill bit snapped off and was left protruding in the mount. Rather than risk damage I left it where it was and slipped thin gauge plastic tubing over it, then slid the aeriall into that. (again the tubing came from my pole float odds ad ends) It means that the aerial is now mounted much like the real things, upright, but it can flop and wobble about it hit.

 

Rearguards

Badder

 

[Hewy]

Improving on an already impressive model i see badder, cracking extra details there. Plenty to catch the eye

Glynn 

[Badder]

Just now, Hewy said:

Improving on an already impressive model i see badder, cracking extra details there. Plenty to catch the eye

Glynn 

Cheers Glynn,

I've slowed right down now there's no deadline to meet! I still have some little 'additional mudguard plates' to add between the factory ones and the added armour plate which hangs over the front of the transmission cover, plus some more stowage for the turret rails, and some more bed rolls......and the figures.... of course.

 

Hope you are well,

I'm feeling well and with this nice weather off out to find some well preserved fossil ammonites in the local mud spring! (My avatar is just one of dozens that I've found)

 

Rearguards

Badder

[Hewy]

21 hours ago, Badder said:

Cheers Glynn,

I've slowed right down now there's no deadline to meet! I still have some little 'additional mudguard plates' to add between the factory ones and the added armour plate which hangs over the front of the transmission cover, plus some more stowage for the turret rails, and some more bed rolls......and the figures.... of course.

 

Hope you are well,

I'm feeling well and with this nice weather off out to find some well preserved fossil ammonites in the local mud spring! (My avatar is just one of dozens that I've found)

 

Rearguards

Badder

 Yes the sherman is becoming well fettled,  Cheers badder I'm fine, sunshine certainly makes a nice change , The family and myself visit lyme regis every year and  always fit in a day of  fossil hunting  with our brick hammers, i hope you have a good day

[Badder]

Just now, Hewy said:

 Yes the sherman is becoming well fettled,  Cheers badder I'm fine, sunshine certainly makes a nice change , The family and myself visit lyme regis every year and  always fit in a day of  fossil hunting  with our brick hammers, i hope you have a good day

Sadly, I had a bad turn not long after posting, and didn't feel well enough to go. Ho hum. The site is only a ten minute drive away, so it was no big loss. The drive to Lyme Regis is a much greater proposition, but we do go 2 or 3 times a year. I prefer to scour the mud slides where the waves drag ammonites onto the foreshore. You have to be there at high tide though and work your way down as the tide retreats. Later than that and you'll find everyone else has mopped them all up!

 

Feeling better today, so may go to the mud spring later!

 

As for the Sherman, I've rearranged the stowage on the rear deck slightly. I have a Sherman 105mm, which had a large amount of stowage on the back, and I've ripped most of that off to augment THIS Sherman. So, I now have kit bags and helmets to hang on the turret rails, and a drum for engine oil. There are crates of K rations and 75mm shells, but I don't want to overload this Sherman too much and probably won't use those. Now I have what was a fairly good Sherman 105mm which needs repairing. I'm thinking I'm going to do a Francis and winterize it, and then knock it out and use it as a diorama piece!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

Here's just one of the ammonites I found locally. There's two species that can be found. This is one of the rarer ones. The preservation is so good that some float when they emerge from the mud spring, their air chambers still intact after eons. They are all extremely fragile, basically like egg shells packed with squidgy clay And all of them have been pyritized so glitter gold, brass and copper.

 

And another one with the more common species on the left:

 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Badder

[Badder]

 

 

 

The kit bag straps are loose here and need to be tightened down. Also the bags will be gettng a wash and dry-brush.

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

 

[Badder]

 

Ignore the figures. They will be replaced.

 

I will be adding a broom and paintbrush  (both used for whitewash camo) and possibly a ladder, to the stowage and that'll basically be it for this build... unless I've overlooked something.

 

TFL

Badder

[Badder]

I decided to hang the machine gun from the 50cal and so made a strap from a bit of astroturf.

 

You'll also notice that I've dirtied up the turret a fair bit with stains and mud.

 

mak

 

 

I wasn't happy with the newest version of the 'clothes bag' hanging on the glacis, so I experimented with cigarette rolling papers and Hobbycraft's 'Fast drying clay' as a filler. The first attempt worked well until I accidentally glued my fingers to it when applying CA to the paper... and ripped it. (I use thin CA almost like a varnish to fix the paper and stiffen it) A dozen or more further attempts followed, but for a variety of reasons I rejected them all unitl tonight when I finally made one I was happy with. Here I used less CA, and only at the 'neck' and 'bottom'. This meant I could deform the central section more easily and 'mould' it to the details underneath.

 

These details are the tow cable and some 'rag' or old blanket. You might notice that I added some more of this on the right hand side.

 

Here's the thing after a bit of manipulation to create more wrinkles and folds. I glued a circle of cig paper to the bottom, leaving it slightly unattached around the circumference in places. This gave a nice impression of it being a stitched panel rather than just the bottom of a sack. Here it is painted up and dry brushed with acrylic inks.

 

 

As promised: the broom used for whitewashing the tank. I did try using real fibres.... from paint brush bristles to static grass but had trouble fixing it in place. In the end I just used a solid block of plastic and scored into it with a scalpel to create the illusion of bristles.

 

I've not fixed it in place yet as it spans the upper hull and frontal armour and for now I need the option of separating them so as to gain access to the interior.

 

Not shown here, but I also added a couple more kit bags and helmets around the turret rails, and replaced the guitar wire aerial with a carbon fibre one. (BTW I had to replace the aerial mount with a scratch built one which I turned on a 'Dremel'. It's not an exact copy, but close enough.

 

All that's left now is to add the extension plates that were added to the inner sides of the fenders and then I will start on replacing the figures.

 

TFL

Badder

 

[Hairtrigger]

One word awesome.....  That brush is soooooo good.  Love all the detailing you have packed in masterful..

[Badder]

14 hours ago, Hairtrigger said:

One word awesome.....  That brush is soooooo good.  Love all the detailing you have packed in masterful..

Thanks. I've really enjoyed messing about with all of the stowage and those little details. It's made the project last a lot longer than I had imagined, but I'm determined to get everything 'just so' before moving onto another project.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

[Steve27752]

Incredible!

[Badder]

7 hours ago, Steve27752 said:

Incredible!

Well, if you really think so! I thank you! I wouldn't go that far myself, but it is way better than any of my previous models!

 

Glad you like it.

 

BTW, I used to have a Captain Scarlet uniform when I was a nipper. I wonder how much that would be worth now if I had put it away in storage?

 

Rearguards,

Badder