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I love Kit 1/35 M3 Grant Medium Tank


diases

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Hi Guys.

While getting the Miniart Lee, I saw this kit had just been released. I thought I'd share some Photo's, as I've found little info on it.

I'm putting it here although I'm not certain if I'll build it for the GB, as that will depend on work, and my progress on the Jumbo.

 

Box Art

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Nice and clear

 

Instructions

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Pretty clear 

 

Schemes

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Three options in the box

 

Sprues

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Although the part count is 640+, most of those parts are tracks

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Photo Etch:

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Nice that you get PE side skirts included

 

As previously stated, I've seen little about it, but looks nice.

If anyone wants better photos of anything, I'll try to get them

 

Cheers

Paul

 

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Hi Paul. Well it would obviously be great if you could make it in this GB but, whether you do or not, it does look like a nice kit.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Jumbo's going well, and my next work trip looks like it might be only 1 week long (although rostered for 3).

So, I think I'll start it.  Dunno how far I'll get, but I'll give it a good try.

 

Cheers

Paul

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The Grant II was perhaps an odd choice for a kit as it represented only about a quarter of Grant production and even that was uninintentional. Baldwin were instructed by US Ordnance to cease petrol M3/M3A2 production in favour of the diesel M3A3/M3A5 for the remaining few months of scheduled production.  That left them effectively unable to complete their Grant contract and the British Purchasing Commission reluctantly agreed to take 464 diesels - 83 of which turned out to be welded rather than riveted.  By the time these were built in June-Aug 42 Sherman production was already underway and deliveries on their way to N Africa.

 

In a perverse twist Baldwin then only built 12 diesel M4A2 Shermans before being told to concentrate on radial petrol M4s: same engine as the M3 series.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Guys, well back from work trip. 4 days of subsea operations, then maintenance for 2 weeks. God I hate maintenance on old kit, everything you touch is rusty, seized, or damaged in someway.

Pays the bills though.

So after a days recovery, a visit to the mother in laws had to be endured. Took the kit and a minimal (sanders, snips, scrapper, and some extra thin) tool set, with me, so I could at least make it a bit more bearable.

Here are the results:

 

Lower Hull.

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Nice one piece hull with a few bits glued to it.

Front section is a nice fit with no problems. The bolted Fillets will need a smear of filler as there is a noticeable small gap, but unless you were looking for it, paint would probably fill it anyway

Rear plate is another good fit with no problems.

 

Upper Hull.

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It's a one piece affair, with just the side armour plates added.

The Instructions tell you to make up the side doors before attaching the plates, but as everything is installed from the outside, I left them for later.

 

Bogies.

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Straight forward, although a little fiddly, getting the wheel units into position while aligning everything. But the method used makes everything moveable.

Worse bit was the small fillets either side of the return rollers. The locating slot means they tend to move off vertical, but patience while waiting for the glue to dry does the trick.

 

Turret.

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Simples, 2 piece construction, slight gap under the Gun will require filling.

There are no Internal details provided for the turret, so unless you have a figure to place in the cupola, everything will be closed up.

 

Engine deck.

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This whole section looks a alignment nightmare.

First pic is straight forward, Outer panel, 2 doors, PE grills and 4 filler caps so far.

Second pic is more complicated, as the locating brackets glue into the end plates then the horizontal plate (with the PE) locates into them.

I used the main plate to get the angles right, then waited for the glue to cure before touching. I think I have it correct, but there is plenty more to add before I'll be certain.

 

So thats were I'm at.

Problems so far. 

Paint schemes are not labelled as to what they are. Bit of research shows Option A (which I'm going to attempt), is from Bovington as a VIII army tank.

There are few few internal details, just the hatches really.

Tracks look to be a bit awkward. I think I'll have to make sections with slow setting glue, then mould around the running gear. Hopefully I can then remove to paint.

Any hints here gratefully received.

 

Overall, the kits been nice so far, but still plenty to do, as I've done bits and pieces and jumped from section to section.

Now I'm settled I can get round to actually finish bits.

 

Cheers for looking

Paul  

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6 hours ago, diases said:

Mmmmm.. tried different device and amorous log in, but still show for me.

Anyone else having problems?  

 

Cheers

Paul

I can see them, Apple iPhone 10x with IOS 15.4.1 and cellular connection. 

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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42 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

For the tracks I suggest get hold of a set of Miniart or Bronco WE210 workables.  Miniart are cheaper and easier to find. 

 

I have built a set of MiniArt WE-210 tracks and attempted a set of Bronco WE-210 tracks. I prefer the MiniArt as they are a bit simpler ( 4 bits per track link vs 5 ).  To be fair, the Bronco tracks are quite nice but I think my problem was getting the end connectors one and securely glued in place - I found this part just a bit too fiddly. 

 

Easier to find is relative.  Non of my local shops had them, the handful of Canadian online shops I buy from had them - I had to order from outside Canada ( Sprue Brothers in the USA in fact ) which took several weeks to arrive and at near double the cost than if available from a local shop. 

 

cheers, Graham 

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12 hours ago, diases said:

Paint schemes are not labelled as to what they are. Bit of research shows Option A (which I'm going to attempt), is from Bovington as a VIII army tank.

 

That 22 Armd Bde scheme is not appropriate for a Grant II: it's a bit too early.  Grant IIs only appeared in theatre in about Sept 42, just when Shermans were beginning to arrive.  I'm not sure that the manufacturers have got any of the schemes right for a II and don't seem to recognise the difference between a I and a II.  As you say, the first is a direct copy of the Bovington Grant I.  The last is a copy of the Grant II at Duxford, Monty's last command tank.  But that is a museum repaint too.  The middle scheme is also dubious.  That being said you can't go wrong with plain Light Stone or plain Desert Pink, perhaps with black or dark green disruptive painting.  All the identified Grant II pictures I've seen were in one of those combinations.  Of course monochrome can't tell exactly which.  Unit markings were often not carried as vehicles were moved around between units and workshops to replace losses.  There are very few known photos of Grant IIs because rear-end photos are rare and you can't tell from the front.   At least some Grant IIs served with the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, 1, 5 and 6 RTR and 4 County of London Yeomanry.  Some Grant IIs went to Australia, where they seem to have remained in plain Khaki Green 3. 

 

Yes, Grants were factory-painted KG3 - not OD.  They were specified to be finished in that colour and remained so as far as is known.  Something to bear in mind if you're going to show worn paint or missed areas of repainting.  Baldwin were the only Grant builder also building "normal" M3s and it is plausible (but unproven AFAIK) that some or all of the Grant IIs might have been finished in OD instead of KG3 as UK and US production was "harmonised" by that time (although Grants never came under Lend-Lease or US Ordnance specifications).

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No they didn't ever wear Caunter.  Too late for that, which was cancelled in Dec 41.  Grant production only began in Aug 41 and only 10 were in N Africa when Caunter was cancelled.

 

Although allegedly at least 1 Grant wore a scheme with the top half of the turret and top half of the hull (from roughly level with the guns in both cases) in either Silver Grey or Slate from the Caunter pallette.  I say allegedly because interpretation of colour from monochome images is extremely difficult if not impossible as they show only tone.  It might equally have been brown or green.

 

Grant Is wore a greater variety of schemes than Grant IIs: the 2 coloured schemes shown on this kit's instructions would be OK for Grant Is but doubtful for IIs.  The Stone and Brown scheme with the dividing lines was unique to 22 Armd Bde, from a period in 1942 when painting instructions were ambiguous or misunderstood about who had authority to authorise variations.  But many vehicles remained in plain Light Stone or even residual Portland Stone.  So for the first year of the Grant's service there was something of a free-for-all on disruptive painting although Light Stone would be the base colour.  This changed in Dec 42 when this situation was bought under control and Desert Pink became the authorised base colour with Dark Green disruptive painting.  Black, Brown and Slate were authorised alternatives if green was not available.

 

Star and Echelon both offer decal sets for Grants in N Africa in a variety of schemes, although these are not always to be trusted: Star are error-prone.  Mike Starmer's booklet on "Alamein and After, 1942-43" has the official disruptive pattern diagram for Grants. adopted in Dec 42.

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Bit of a update.

Between RL, stupid visa applications for work, and building up actual model, theres been a bit of progress.

 

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upper hull has had bits and pieces added to it.

 

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Turret the same, colour is a work in progress.

 

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Rear engine deck built up.

Not certain about the lower PE bar, but its only friction fitted at the moment.

 

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Fender tops complete, need to sort tracks before fitting.

 

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Hull painted up and Flory Models Sand wash added, will add more weathering as I progress.

 

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First run of tracks started.

I have gone with the Kit parts, as wanted this OOB to showcase Kit as it comes.

They are not to bad to build (single piece pads and 2 connectors). But definatly  not moveable. I'll be glueing to the wheels as the side skirts hides most of the top run anyway.

 

Thats me up to date.

Nice kit so far, nothing to taxing or complicated. still have the PE fender extensions and side skirts to sort with little in the instructions about the folds needed.

But it's progressing

 

Cheers for looking

Paul

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Wasn't going to post again today.

But working through instructions, and lo and behold, upper hull is complete.

Some pic's for those interested.

 

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I have intentionally reduced painting, to show constructed parts/PE, and fit. Only filler is around the Upper turret seam.

 

Next is finish the tracks then Fenders can be fitted

 

Cheers for looking

Paul

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On 4/19/2022 at 9:34 AM, diases said:

I hate maintenance on old kit, everything you touch is rusty, seized, or damaged in someway.

 

Sounds like my morning showers.

 

 

At least your tank looks good, what I can see. (The pictures are very big and slow to load.)

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Cheers Uncle, that was the plan.

Could find little info on the kit, so with mediocre skills it's good to see what its like.

 

I'll have to paint up the tracks before fitting, and the underside of the fenders, then the top can be attached. But I'm going to try airbrushing for the first time.

 

Cheers 

Paul

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