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1/35 Firefly


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A few months ago, my wife gave me a copy of James Holland's Brothers in Arms, which is a history of the Sherwood Rangers in WWII, primarily their journey from Normandy to Germany - D-Day to VE-Day.


9781787634442-uk.jpg

 

 

For this build, I propose to make an Asuka 1/35 scale Firefly Ic, inspired by images in the book.

The box
000.jpg

 

I'll need track for this - lots of tracks.

Plastic, other AM stuff, and another book
001.jpg

 

AM stuff includes a DEF Models gun barrel, Eureka tow-rope and some decals - the decals include some Sherwood Rangers' DD tanks as they appeared on D-Day.


I'm not sure if I'll use any decals.  Photos rarely show markings; not sure if this was because markings weren't used, or the censors were remarkably efficient.

 

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1 hour ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Excellent choice, both of book and build! Surely the subject will be “Akilla”?

best,

M.

Thanks.
re Akilla, unfortunately no.  Akilla was a Vc (flat, welded front), where my build will be a Ic (cast front).
440px-thumbnail.jpg


 

If I have the nerve, I'll use this image of a C squadron Firefly as my inspiration
img_57-2.jpg?itok=OICfiIW9

 

That would mean yet more tracks (unless I can work with Asuka's rubber bands - need to check) - are those Churchill tracks on the LHS front, or Pz III/IV tracks?

 

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, bigfoot said:

Nice subject and a good selection of AM stuff to pimp it out!

Thanks.
Asuka have been generous with extras too, think there are two of these in the box ;)

Kettle.jpg

 

Clearly, meant for a British crew ...

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3 hours ago, Longbow said:

Im too up on Churchill tracks, but I’d say probably. 

Thanks, Churchill it is then.  OK, I've ordered some Churchill tracks (and some figures) .... have to get a Churchill kit at some stage, to use the rest of the links.

 

 

3 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

 

That might be the original Tank Top! The kettle is brilliant!

 


Thanks, but, if you go ahead with your Centred (cutaway) Lee, that will be a real showstopper.

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1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

It’s a really nice build I can’t think of any to warn you about.

Thanks Ozzy
The basic kit looks very approachable.  Assembling the tracks (with and without duckbills) will be the real test here.

Finding suitable crew will be an interesting problem ...

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Hi Robert. Welcome to the GB. Great to have you here and with what sounds to be a great idea for a project. The Asuka kits are rather lovely. I've not built this one, but the two I've done were lovely builds. I'm looking forward to following your progress. 

Kind regards, 

Stix

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Thanks Stix, the Asuka plastic looks good.

Can we start now?

 


Yes? .. OK, some sprue shots, just to get in the mood ...

002.jpg

 

003.jpg

 

004.jpg

 

Included tracks, decals, and PE

 

011.jpg

 

Instructions

012.jpg

Yes, step one is ... glue the tracks - Asuka tell us twice, in case we don't get the message.

 

 

I might not have got the message ... Bronco Tracks - these type T48 arrived this morning.

014.jpg

 

And, as a cure for sanity ... some duckbills

018.jpg

 

 

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1 hour ago, Robert Stuart said:

Can we start now?

You certainly can Robert! I don't envy you with those tracks mind!! :hypnotised: I think that's your three months gone just there! :winkgrin:

Kind regards,

Stix

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Started - on the lower hull.

 

Much of this ...

003.jpg

 

.... together with a couple of other sprues, becomes this

 

020.jpg

 

The transmission cover is dry fitted here (pretty sure could be fitted now, but).

 

The detail in this kit is impressive.  I don't know if Tasca / Asuka ever made an interior version, but with many major components moulded separately, there would be scope for super detailing.

022.jpg

 

That transmission cover.

 

 

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Hi Robert. Great to see you are underway and the lower hull looks to have gone together well. And yes, these Asuka kits are very nicely detailed.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

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Going to have to keep an eye on your build, hopefully you'll be able to warn of any pitfalls lurking!

You've a nice selection of extras too,  interested to see how the Bronco tracks work out, apparently Panda do nice M4 tracks too.

 

Really looking forward to starting now!

 

Good luck

Darryl 

 

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Thanks Daryl, looks as though we'll watch each other ...

 

  

33 minutes ago, Jasper dog said:

apparently Panda do nice M4 tracks too

If you can find them - I've tried looking for Panda tracks, but never found them.

 

Thank-you too Wayne @diablo rsv

From reading around, think the RyeField kits took over from Taska/Askuta as top Sherman kits - I'll be interested to see your build, having had a go at some RyeFiled Tigers.

 

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1 hour ago, Robert Stuart said:

Thanks Daryl, looks as though we'll watch each other ...

Steady Robert or people will talk! :winkgrin:

 

I remember John @Bullbasket was always a huge advocate of them, often suspected he was on the payroll!

 

I've built a couple of RFM kits (Pzr III and Tiger) and been really impressed with them, the Pzr III inparticular so hopefully the Firefly will be every bit as good.

 

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On 3/13/2022 at 10:19 PM, Robert Stuart said:

my wife gave me a copy of James Holland's Brothers in Arms, which is a history of the Sherwood Rangers in WWII,

 

Hi Robert,

 

I am just catching up with everyone's builds. I'll be starting mine shortly (M4A3E8).

 

I have the Audible version of James' book playing in the background. Al Murray's narration. Listening to an audible book related to what I am modelling is what I like to do. I am enjoying it a great deal. Another, author promoting the current thinking on the merits of the 75 mm gunned M4 of the time. Described nicely in the book. Also, the limitations on the Firefly. A read providing great inspiration for modelling these subjects as you mention.

 

I'll follow your build with great interest. 

 

Ray

 

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Thanks Ray.  Hope your Easy 8 build goes well.


This build ... the hull is now closed up, with some added some details.

 

024.jpg

Have to decide which air filters to use.
Gluing the wheels and bogies will wait until I start painting.

Also started are the tracks
025.jpg

 

These will be for the 'appliqué' armour on the turret or hull front.
The Sherman pads are in runs of nine pads (10 links), which makes for easy counting over the running gear, and is OK for the turret, but could be too long for hull fronts.

 

I'm using this image as inspiration, hence the two Churchill links from AFV Club.
img_57-2.jpg?itok=OICfiIW9
 

 

Assembling Bronco's track pads to their pins was proving much harder than I recall from my previous experience.
I worked out that it would be easier to do the inner pad first, and glue the outer last.
Knowing this, I designed and printed an assembly jig (the white thing in the photo) - this was 3D printed, though a suitable lump of wood would have done.023_Sherman_Track_jig_v1.jpg
Track Assembly jig.

 

Much easier now (says he ...)

 

 

 

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