fatfingers Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 (edited) How do chaps. After my abysmal showing in the PzIV GB I'm determined to finish one for this Now that I have a comfy chair in which to model I thought that it was time to bring some more heavy armour to the field. After a significant amount of procrastination and thought I decided to go with this to help deal with any Tigers or Panthers that decide might show up! I'll be modelling the kit as a tank from 144th RAC (East Lancs) Firstly because I have the decals and secondly and most importantly I like tanks with big colourful numbers on the turret! Also going to use some AFV Club T62 tracks. You may also notice in the sprue shots below some ready made up running gear. I'll be using these to save time on the build if that's OK with the GB Hosts? I reckon it's under the 25% rule As per usual with me I totally ignored the build sequence and made my own way through the instructions and the results are below. Kit is typical late 90's Dragon. Goes together reasonably well despite the spurious instructions! Also ordered an RB Models 17pdr today as I don't like cleaning up barrel seams. Next up will be sorting the turret ready for the RB barrel to be fitted when it arrives and will past more updates as things progress. Regards, Steve 🇬🇧 Edited August 13, 2019 by fatfingers 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Nice looking project Steve, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Looking good so far! Mike. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 That's such a great kit. I like the two figures that come with it. Probably my favourite box art ever too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Firefly sounds good @fatfingers 1 hour ago, fatfingers said: You may also notice in the sprue shots below some ready made up running gear. I'll be using these to save time on the build if that's OK with the GB Hosts? I reckon it's under the 25% rule I can't see a problem with these, carry on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 56 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said: Firefly sounds good @fatfingers I can't see a problem with these, carry on. Thank you kind sir! Regards Steve 🇬🇧 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Good to see some more armour builds and British Shermans are always welcome! Good start to the build so far. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Definitely one for me to follow! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 How do chaps. Many thanks for the comments. Had a pleasent hour in the shed tonight and managed to get a bit more done. Will upload the pics later this week, but basically I've done the following... Added wire handles to the hull hatch covers. Assembled the basic turret shell and started to sort the join seam out. Fitted the front headlight guards. Dug out some better rear idler wheels as the ones in the kit have hollow backs. Assembled the track sprockets. As I say, not a great deal but every little helps! More to follow, Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted June 23, 2019 Author Share Posted June 23, 2019 How do chaps, Been slowly plugging away at the Sherman over the past few evenings and finally got round to uploading the pics.... The rear idler wheel is hollow on the back and I thought this would never do... So I had a rummage amongst my 'small' collection of Sherman spares... And came up with these which have rear inserts... Also added some more details to the hull and wire handles to the hatches... Tools on... The box on the back is made up of two smaller resin boxes that I glued together and filled in the joint. The ref pic i'm working from shows the actual tank had what looks like an ammo box attached to the rear where the track bar would be. As I didn't have a box big enough I decided to knock one up. Turret halves together and started work on the joint... It was at this point I realised that the actual tank i'm going to represent didn't have the pistol port! Too late to remove so will just have to go with it! The 17pdr barrel I ordered arrived on Tuesday. The only one I could find is intended for the Tamiya Archer kit but I reasoned that i could make it fit, which I did with a bit of fettling and copious amounts of superglue! As you can see it's longer to allow for the fitting of the Archer kit breech. So this is where i'm up to at the minute with things. Hopefully will get some more shed time this afternoon now that I've done cleaning the car! (which I rather enjoy doing) More to follow soon, Regards, Steve 🇬🇧 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 Nice progress there Steve, lots of fine detail. That barrel does make the Firefly look more menacing than the 75mm Shermans 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted June 23, 2019 Share Posted June 23, 2019 Great work so far, I definitely need a Firefly in my collection. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 25, 2019 Share Posted June 25, 2019 Excellent progress Steve. You are making a rather good job of what looks to be a rather good kit. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 How do chaps. Been quite a while since my last update but I've not been idle...... Got the hatches on the turret. Then decided that I should populate them with a couple of figures from the Mini Art British tank crew set and went with the bottom two. Also added a bit of stowage from Value Gear. Also put one of the figures that came with the kit together too. He's a fair bit 'taller' than the Mini Art figures so I reasoned he must be a Guardsman! Time for paint. Primed with Mr Hobby Aqueous Matt Black. Model was then coated with Mig SCC15 British Olive Drab. First time I've used this and it sprayed beautifully thinned with a little Mr Color Self Levelling Thinner. Does look a bit too green though. I imagine that it will calm down a bit once weathered or I might respray with either AK Real Color SCC15 or mix it up from Tamiya using the mix suggested by Mike Starmer. Not decided yet. The figure uniforms were painted with GW Steel Legion Drab for the 'giant' and Khemri Brown for the tankers to add a bit of variation to the figures. Webbing was pained in Vallejo Hemp and then washed with GW Thraka Green wash. Unifoms were also washed with GW Agrax Earthshade. Faces etc was painted with Kadian Fleshtone and washed with Riekland Fleshshade and highlighted with a bit of Kislev Flesh. Can't remember what colour the helmets were painted but it was Vallejo. Uniforms were also given a bit of a drybrush with lightened versions of the base colour. The uniforms on the Mini Art figures are nicely moulded but the facial features look a bit off to me. The Dragon figure however is really nicely done all round. Finished figures just need matting down a bit and they'll be done. Hopefully get some more done tomorrow as I've been t the Yorkshire Wartime Experience today. Had a great day and came home thick with dust and stinking of diesel! Regards, Steve 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Looks like great progress there Steve.. I only heard of Value Gear recently, how do you find it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 7, 2019 Author Share Posted July 7, 2019 1 hour ago, Robert Stuart said: Looks like great progress there Steve.. I only heard of Value Gear recently, how do you find it? Thanks Robert. I really like the Value Gear stuff mainly due to it having no whacking great blocks to chop off. Has some nice detail that looks dood when painted up. First came across it a few years back at the Huddersfield Show and been using it ever since. Huge variety available for both 35th and 48th scale. Tend to get mine from Fields Of Glory Models web site or if im at a show and see it i will stock up. Regards Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 11, 2019 Author Share Posted July 11, 2019 How do chaps, Not a huge amount done on the Sherman as I've mainly been concentrating on the Jeep. One thing i have done however is give it a re-spray. Really wasn't happy with the Mig SCC15 Olive Drab. Was way too green for my liking. Given a respray with AK Real Color SCC15 and I think it looks much better. Detail painting and then gloss coat for the decals and weathering to come next. Also need to sort the tracks out too. Comments and criticisms welcome. Regards, Steve 🇬🇧 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Lloyd Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 Hey mate, sorry I have come late. A few words of warning on this kit: the AFV Club track kit might not give you enough extra links to make a full run for the Sherman V. The sprockets on this model are set too high, with the result that there is not enough clearance between the top of the sprocket and the horizontal part of the hull for the link to fit. At least this was my experience when trying to build this kit for a Market-Garden diorama. I suggest make a paper or foil band so you have a template of the track length required. Leave off the drive sprocket to check for any issues: it might be useful to drill in a new axle a little lower, but beyond a couple of millimetres it will look odd. I hope this info proves useful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 14, 2019 Author Share Posted July 14, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, Peter Lloyd said: I hope this info proves useful. Certainly does and thanks for the heads up 👍... The AFV Club track i have is for the 'long chassis' but i will watch out for the problems you encountered. If worst comes to the worst i could revert to using the indie links that came with the kit 🤔 Just a small update on this. Whilst I was sorting the tyres on the Jeep I decided to get the rubbers done on this one too... This was done with a fine brush. The paint I used was AK Rubber and Tyres. Will get back to this proper once the jeep is done. Regards Steve Edited July 14, 2019 by fatfingers 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 (edited) How do chaps, Now that the Jeep is finished and in the gallery its time to get back to the Vc. Spent the last few days painting the stowage and details. All of the stowage was painted with various Vallejo greens and browns and washed with either GW Agrax Earthshade, Anthonian Camo Shade or a bit of both. The tool handles were painted with Vallejo Wood and given several washes with GW Agrax Earthshade. Really pleased with how they turned out. Will let the pics tell the story Last job was to gloss up ready for the decals. The gloss coat is Tamiya X22 thinned with Self Levelling Thinners. First time I've used this method and am pleased with the shiny result Hopefully get the decals on over the weekend. Regards, Steve 🇬🇧 Edited July 26, 2019 by fatfingers Forgot to add a pic! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 This is comming along well Steve. As you say, your tool handles look very good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted July 26, 2019 Share Posted July 26, 2019 Nice work! I really like your wood results. I'm about to paint some wood for my Lysander. I normally use a lacquer base and oil for the wood grain, but the oil paint takes so long to dry. I'll see if GW Agrax Earthshade is available from my LHS. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 11 hours ago, dnl42 said: Nice work! I really like your wood results. I'm about to paint some wood for my Lysander. I normally use a lacquer base and oil for the wood grain, but the oil paint takes so long to dry. I'll see if GW Agrax Earthshade is available from my LHS. Thanks! Agrax Earthshade is brilliant stuff with a multitude of uses. Best of all it dries really quickly if applied in small amounts. 12 hours ago, Robert Stuart said: This is comming along well Steve. As you say, your tool handles look very good. Thanks Robert. Regards, Steve 🇬🇧 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Wonderful work on the Firefly. 👍🏻 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Nice bit of detail painting steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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