Sherman V DD

[bigfoot]

4 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

And it looks good too. Nice work. It's shaping up really well BF.

 

John.

Thanks John. Hoping to get decals done on it over weekend and maybe detail painting.

 

11 minutes ago, Steben said:

I really love SCC15 and I think you nailed it.

(Not sure though whether 75mm DD tanks were in SCC15)

Cheers Steben.  I’m really happy with the colour and as I’ve got lots of Brit vehicles to paint I’m going to mix up a huge batch of it for future builds. 

My understanding is the M4A4 conversions to DDs were done in the U.K. unlike the M4A1 conversions so would have been painted SCC15 after the work was done. That’s what I’m sticking to!

[bigfoot]

Got a bit further with the painting, got most of the basic detail painting done and decals applied. The star decals set has quite thick carrier film so after numerous applications of micro set and sol and a light sanding I’ve got rid of most of the visible edge. Hopefully the rest will disappear after a varnish coat. Also the register on some of the decals is a bit out, noticeably with the 27AB badge and the 1 on the turret numbers (which I’ve over painted to sort). Got some silvering on the turret star that I’m trying to sort.

 

Got to decide on the next steps for the weathering now.  
 

 

 

 

I’ve been working on the tracks as well using panda tracks T-62 ones. One run complete but I’ve counted and I’m going to be 8 links short on the second run so I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do about that 🤬

 

[Geo1966]

What about a tarp hanging over the side of the hull to hide the missing tracks?

 

George

[Kingsman]

The V DD MkIs would almost certainly have been fully repainted in SCC15.  Likewise the later III DD MkIIs used at the Rhine and Walcheren.

 

The M4A1 Sherman II DDs passed over by the US to cover the UK DD shortfall (no III DDs were ready in time) were built as DDs in the US and would have been and remained OD.

[bigfoot]

2 hours ago, Geo1966 said:

What about a tarp hanging over the side of the hull to hide the missing tracks?

 

George

Thanks George, an option but I think it might look a bit odd and wouldn’t fully hide it without actually draping it over the tracks. I’ve just realised I’ve got some old dragon Indy tracks that assemble the same way as the pandas so I might be able to fit them together, will have to check later.

[NIK122]

Great build. Sorry if I'm being dim but what scale is this? 

[echen]

2 minutes ago, bigfoot said:

I’ve got some old dragon Indy tracks that assemble the same way as the pandas so I might be able to fit them together

And then some mud?

[bigfoot]

33 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

The V DD MkIs would almost certainly have been fully repainted in SCC15.  Likewise the later III DD MkIIs used at the Rhine and Walcheren.

 

The M4A1 Sherman II DDs passed over by the US to cover the UK DD shortfall (no III DDs were ready in time) were built as DDs in the US and would have been and remained OD.

Thanks DA. I was hoping resicast may do a Sherman III DD at some point. I didn’t realise that DD’s were used at walcheren. I know they weren’t used at westkapelle, were they used at flushing?

4 minutes ago, echen said:

And then some mud?

Thanks, depends how it looks!

[bigfoot]

5 minutes ago, NIK122 said:

Great build. Sorry if I'm being dim but what scale is this? 

Thanks chap. It’s 1/35, very old resicast kit.

[Bullbasket]

It's looking great BF. I imagine that the number 41 was a bit of a pain get it to sit flat. I'm surprised that there weren't enogh track links, as I usually end up with a couple spare. Have you thought about emailing Panda and asking for some extras?

 

John.

[Kingsman]

3 hours ago, bigfoot said:

I didn’t realise that DD’s were used at walcheren. I know they weren’t used at westkapelle, were they used at flushing?

My mistake.  Op Vitality at South Beveland, not Op Infatuate at Walcheren.  Staffordshire Yeomanry DDs and Buffaloes of 1st Assault Brigade RE landed near Hoedekenskerke.

[bigfoot]

3 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

It's looking great BF. I imagine that the number 41 was a bit of a pain get it to sit flat. I'm surprised that there weren't enogh track links, as I usually end up with a couple spare. Have you thought about emailing Panda and asking for some extras?

 

John.

Cheers John. I had considered emailing them. I did get them second hand (unopened). I’ll see how the dragon links fit otherwise that might be plan B.

[Longbow]

Well it’s looking fantastic !!

Im guessing the short links were due to the extended hull on the V ?

[bigfoot]

12 hours ago, Longbow said:

Well it’s looking fantastic !!

Im guessing the short links were due to the extended hull on the V ?

Thanks, it’s coming along slowly. I don’t think so, the instructions tell you how many to use for a V hull so I’d assume there would be enough to do it.

[bigfoot]

I’ve got back on the horse with this one having entered it into the end of year KUTA group build. I’d stalled over the thought of the pin wash over all the tiny details but I cracked through it in a few sessions at the desk. I used AK dark brown wash for green vehicles and Ali though it looked good when wet it all but disappeared once dry. I think it might have expired as I found it quite grainy having not used it in a few years.

 

once done I started on the oil dot filter and seeing the results from this has really boosted my mojo. The turret and left hull side have been done in the picture below. It’s really added depth and life to the green finish I feel. I’ve got a few hours at the bench tonight so hoping to get some good progress in.

 

[Longbow]

Looking very nice !!

[vytautas]

Looks really good!

 

Vytautas

[bigfoot]

1 hour ago, Longbow said:

Looking very nice !!

Thanks Longbow

12 minutes ago, vytautas said:

Looks really good!

 

Vytautas

Thanks V, glad you’re liking.

[Kingsman]

I'm not sure how grubby and worn they would have got before The Big Day.  While there had to be training dips there was concern about damage to the skirts so I imagine it would have been the minimum necessary.  The US went so far as to build twice the number they needed, anticipating training attrition which did not turn out to be the case.  Which is how they were able to provide 2 regiments' worth of DDs to the UK.  Once ashore of course they would weather like any other.

 

I've just managed to get hold of the companion M4A1 Sherman II DD with lowered screen for a good price, although I don't believe there are any parts common to this kit.

[bigfoot]

Cheers @Das Abteilung. I’m not intending this to be banged up, it’s going to be set probably a couple of weeks post D day so dust and some light scratches. 
 

I’ve got the Sherman II and V DD with skirts to build as well so using this one as a test bed. The newer Resicast versions (of which my II is) are very nice, big improvement over these older kits.

[Kingsman]

11 hours ago, bigfoot said:

The newer Resicast versions (of which my II is) are very nice, big improvement over these older kits.

I don't actually know how old mine is.  Less than a year I think.  I got it from my boss, who gave me first refusal at £50 before he put it on eBay. Needless to say, I took him up on that offer.........  He bought it for a commission build that fell through.  I remember him telling me about it earlier in the year. 

 

I looked to see if I could transplant the DD parts onto a plastic M4A1 kit as I'm not a huge fan of complete resin kits, but that isn't possible.  I don't like the Resicast "easy click" one-piece lower bogie plus roadwheel castings so I might replace them with some Dragon parts, and I will be using Bronco plastic T54 tracks.  The resin indy links will go as hull armour on a IC Firefly project: effectively a straight swap for the Bronco set.

 

I got hold of the right Star decals (he had the V DD ones by mistake) and I rather like the one with the green and white check back to the screen, although challenging to paint as folded.  As I lived in the East Midlands for a few years and served with the Sherwood Foresters RE TA Sqn (575) the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry seems an obvious marking choice as one of the 2 regiments who had the II DDs. 

 

As the Star DD decals only apply to the Resicast kits I am perhaps surprised that they didn't do a deal with Star to include the decals in the kits.

[Jasper dog]

Completely missed this earlier, great build, not to mention way out of my comfort zone.

The light weathering looks great, good luck with pushing through!

 

Atb

Darryl 

[Bullbasket]

I'd say that your weathering is spot on for one of these. I've only just noticed that the headlamp brush guards are different on this tank. Was that the case on all DD's?

 

John.

[bigfoot]

22 hours ago, Jasper dog said:

Completely missed this earlier, great build, not to mention way out of my comfort zone.

The light weathering looks great, good luck with pushing through!

 

Atb

Darryl 

Was way out of my comfort zone to start with two, that’s why I had such a long hiatus on it during the build. Took a lot of work to get the hull sorted and all the teeny PE bits for the fittings.

 

17 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

I'd say that your weathering is spot on for one of these. I've only just noticed that the headlamp brush guards are different on this tank. Was that the case on all DD's?

 

John.

cheers John. The DDs all had the headlights raised to see over the screen when in place so the brush guards had to be adjusted as well to cover them. It was a standard fitting on all V DDs I believe, all photos I’ve found of V’s that show the guards (which are few) are of this type. Sherman II’s appear to have the standards shape but extended. Although just reviewing the photos I’ve missed the cross braces on the guards, will need to add those on.

 

[Kingsman]

The one in the photo above is relatively early, about mid-production from the features.  Still has padded lifting rings. the narrow M34 mantlet and what look like the middle pattern bogie skids.  So that would make it about Feb-Mar 43: A4 production ended by Dec 43 when Chrysler switched to the M4 Composite.  DD's were clearly not all conversions of new or even remanufactured tanks (this one isn't one of the 1,600-odd remanufactured M4A4s supplied in 1944). I see that Resicast have used the later unpadded lifting rings on the glacis and padded ones at the rear, which is certainly not impossible but is much less usual as old stock was used up and new supplied.

 

Bovington's Sherman III DDII is likewise early-43 production, from Pullman Standard but almost certainly not converted until after D Day.  The A2 diesel conversion was far more problematic because of the low exhaust location and deeper upper rear hull, which is why none were available in time for D Day and US DDs were supplied.  There were no more A1 or A4 conversions after D Day: all were A2 Sherman IIIs and most, if not all, were the improved DDII standard with things like turret-mounted screen braces and several other improvements as a result of the D Day experience.  The DDs used on the Scheldt and the Rhine were all III DDs if anyone is thinking of that: a DD with an LVT would be impressive.  No-one currently produces a IIIDD, but I suppose that Resicast might yet.  Not only is the Bovington DD the only DD anywhere with an original - if patched and scruffy - skirt, it is also one of only 3 known surviving Pullman Shermans of any type.

 

I've yet to see a DD with the applique armour patches.  They might have interfered with the DD fittings if these could not be adjusted on fitting.  Also they plus the wider M34A1 mantlet probably added about half a tonne in weight.  The V DD floated with higher freeboard than the II and III DDs because of the longer and more buoyant hull.  The remanufactured and therefore almost zero-life A4s supplied would all have had the patches fitted, and in any case were probably too late for the DD programme.  Factory to UK shipping time was at least 3 months for US-supplied vehicles, but could be longer.

Edited December 7, 2021 by Das Abteilung
correction