Australian M3 (Buna 1942) - 1/35 MiniArt + Mods

[Ray_W]

I will be building an Australian M3 Stuart in action during the Buna Campaign End 1942. Many great photos with Stuarts in action in the Australian War Memorial site: 

 

 

 

Also on the Anzac Steel site:

 

http://anzacsteel.hobbyvista.com/Armoured Vehicles/m3inactionph_1.htm

 

Great subject for a diorama, although I will not commit to that in the GB with the time constraints. I'll try to at least get the vehicle finished.

 

The base kit will be the 1/35 MiniArt full interior kit:

 

 

With some FC Model Trend 3-D Resin for the Aussie mods:

 

 

Quite a jammed together selection of parts. Some tricky separation coming up:

 

 

Also the Star Decals when I finalise the chosen subject:

 

 

Should see a start very soon.

 

Ray

[modelling minion]

Welcome to the GB Ray.

I have been looking forward to this since you mentioned it in the chat as ANZAC armour in the Pacific doesn't get the attention that it deserves. You have a nice set of extra goodies too, as you say they are very tightly packed on the printed section.

[PlaStix]

Hi Ray. Great to have you here with what sounds like a great project. Nice extra goodies too!

Kind regards.

Stix

[PlaStix]

On 26/09/2024 at 06:36, Ray_W said:

Should see a start very soon.

Hi Ray. 

I hope you are well. I'm just checking to see if you have had chance to get started on your build yet?

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ray_W]

13 hours ago, PlaStix said:

I hope you are well. I'm just checking to see if you have had chance to get started on your build yet?

 

Hi Stix, 

 

Thanks for checking in on me. I'm very well, no issues other than my time. I have been back in Australia for the past weeks and only returned to Europe yesterday. I am committed to finishing this project within the time and we will see a start this week. I am adding some figures for a diorama setting, but, as mentioned previously, first is to get the vehicle finished and have some images in the gallery. 

 

 

 

Very pleased that the water carrier has a separate head with slouch hat.

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

[PlaStix]

Hi Ray. I'm glad you are okay and I hope you do manage to find some time to make a start this week. Those figure look very good too!

Kind regards

[modelling minion]

The figures look great Ray, and I think the slouch hat is a must!

[Ray_W]

24 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Ray. I'm glad you are okay and I hope you do manage to find some time to make a start this week. Those figure look very good too!

 

Will start cutting and gluing plastic tonight. Kit's on the bench. There is certainly some detail in this kit!!

[Ray_W]

I did make a start.  Luckily I am following behind the @Stef N. build of the same kit so I can pick up a few tips. Thanks Stef!

 

The high volume of parts means a big evening seems to produce a small outcome.

 

 

The important point though is it is enjoyable modelling and a good opportunity to learn more about the Stuart. 

 

I have held off gluing the drive shaft cover in place to do a little more research on the floor colour. MiniArt call out US Olive Drab, some paint it white and I had seen a comment it was a parkerised coating which would make it a dark grey suitably worn to polished metal in appropriate places. I am leaning towards the latter:

 

 

 

 

But with wear and tear, dirt, and repaints who knows and buried deep inside it will not be something to get hung up on. 

 

Ditto for the use of the PE seat belts provided. My initial plan was to fit them and hang them out of sight. I really could not see crew using them in combat unless the vehicle was moving at high speed. The jury is still out on this one. 

 

I really appreciate the detail and options model companies now provide. However, I wish that when they give us an option they also provide an explanation. We're all not M3 Stuart experts. For example, a simple one is the engine floor panel. 

 

 

Umm ... I went for B14 as it provides a nice catch tray for oil. Possibly a latter mod or is the flat plate the latter mod eliminating unnecessary process steps.   I often think, they've done the research, tell us why so? I like Eduard discussion of their decision process.

 

 

Anyway, I can't be too critical as my Aussie M3 with so many mods is fraught with danger. I think getting it somewhat close will be a victory. 

 

Ray 

 

 

[Ray_W]

Sorry guys, ready to make a new post and then realised I had not submitted the last post. Now done above.

 

I spent another evening cutting and gluing parts. Not much to show. I'll get a few more sub-assembles together before doing so.

 

One thing I realised is that the Australian Buna M3's had the Driver and Assistant's vision slots replaced with the later "protectoscopes", visible in this image of "Cabby" - my most likely subject.

 

 

 

My MiniArt kit only provides the early vision ports.

 

 

I was hoping FC Model Trend provided these in their Aussie mod kit. They do not. I thought I might be able to raid the Academy/Airfix Honey kit that I have in the stash with, hopefully, both versions on the sprue. They do not - just the same early slot visor. Tamiya do provide it for their late model M3, also in the stash, but it's not worth trashing a kit for the part.

 

 

Not a bad guide though for a little modification/addition to the MiniArt part. I expect that will be the order of the day unless there is a reasonably priced available aftermarket part available, which I am not aware of.

 

Internally I do not need to go to this detail ...

 

 

But something representing this can be cobbled together.

  

 

These images are from "TM 9-726 Light Tank M3". A worthwhile document to look up for your M3 build.

 

Another addition was to order the ET model PE grousers as fitted to "Cabby".

 

 

I'll keep plodding away.

 

Ray

[Stef N.]

Nice work Ray. I completely agree about alternative parts. RFM did the same on their Firefly. Nice alternatives but no explanation. A good photo of the back of the seat. The detailing on the part is a bit wooly but that explains how they should be painted.👍

[Ray_W]

Just now, Stef N. said:

A good photo of the back of the seat. The detailing on the part is a bit wooly but that explains how they should be painted.👍

 

I'll probably do a little more to the seats - stress the seat squab and thicken up the back seat cushions slightly. I do like the rear seat latch visible in the photo allowing you to flip seat forward. But, I keep saying to myself ... careful ... must get a finished image in the Gallery.  

[Milan Mynar]

It is really very detailed kit.

[Ray_W]

2 minutes ago, Milan Mynar said:

It is really very detailed kit.

 

It is the first full interior kit I have worked with. I tend to steer away from them preferring to get to the externals and finish. However, I am really enjoying the experience so it will not be the last. Also, greatly suited to the M3 it being a smaller subject and one where there are plenty of hatches to pose open.

 

Ray  

[Milan Mynar]

3 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

 

It is the first full interior kit I have worked with. I tend to steer away from them preferring to get to the externals and finish. However, I am really enjoying the experience so it will not be the last. Also, greatly suited to the M3 it being a smaller subject and one where there are plenty of hatches to pose open.

 

Ray  

Yes Miniart kits are very detailed and quite easy to build.

[modelling minion]

Great to see your build off to such a fantastic start Ray, very useful research and pictures of the interior. 

[Ray_W]

I’ve been doing more research on the subject.

 

Having looked at many images of the Australian Buna M3s, it appears that the mid horseshoe turret was in use in almost all cases. This rules out most of the Star Decals options, including "Cabby." No doubt MiniArt will release the later turret in future iterations. What to do in the meantime? Find an aftermarket solution or fabricate a replacement turret? Thankfully, the earlier turret was also in use, though it isn’t as often photographed. For example:

 

 

Another good example is the iconic image I've already posted. The serial number on the left sponson appears to be in the 1000 series. Note also the "9" on the rear. 

 

I’m coming to the conclusion that the 1000s remained fitted with the earlier turret. Another example "1554":

 

 

Another advantage is that these 1000s may also have retained the earlier driver visor. 

 

 

Another image:

 

 

 

By the way, I still think the above images are of an Australian M3, even though the commander has a US tanker’s helmet and one of the crew is wearing a US "Daisy Mae," possibly picked up during the close collaboration between US and Australian troops in the New Guinea campaign. Note the added panniers and turret ring. Again, it’s a shame I can’t spot any serial numbers or insignia to better identify the tank.

 

Bottom line, my need for mods has diminished, and I can use the kit’s turret, octagonal cupola, and the early visors as supplied.

 

Star Decals do provide one 1000 series option – "1209" "Berceuse." I’m still hunting for photographic evidence of this vehicle. It’s now the most likely subject candidate.

 

 

Ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[modelling minion]

Your research always impresses me Ray and this Stuart is no exception. I am glad that you have found a suitable vehicle on the decal sheet. 

[Ray_W]

2 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Your research always impresses me

 

But, it is a little bit of a curse and certainly slows my builds. Case in point:

 

I separated the FC 3D printed components to check that they actually fit the MiniArt kit. I was particularly interested in the turret protector ring that the Australians fitted. I made up the turret to a stage where I could check the fit. (Aside: I really like the detail in this kit!!)

 

 

I then researched the turret ring to get its position right and discovered the full-ring as FC supply seemed to be the usual for the horse shoe turret.

 

 

But, the octagonal turrets were usually fitted with a partial ring that was clear at the gun platen.

 

 

The images of the bogged octagonal turret M3 in my previous post, shows no turret protector ring at the front, but it is very visible for the remainder of the turret when viewed from above.

 

There is a nice image of a line-up of Australian M3's, on exercise before travelling to New Guinea, showing the variation. Same squadron with different protector rings dependent on the turret type.

 

 

So it seems a modification is needed. I expect the resin part should form the basis of this simple mod. 

 

Point made ... slight delay.

 

Ray

 

[modelling minion]

You have also made the point on how your research pays off in accuracy and I imagine it should be a fairly simple fix in the manner of cutting a section out of the ring, though obviously it will take more research to find where the cuts should be!

[Ray_W]

6 hours ago, modelling minion said:

You have also made the point on how your research pays off in accuracy and I imagine it should be a fairly simple fix in the manner of cutting a section out of the ring, though obviously it will take more research to find where the cuts should be!

 

A little more research and I find Mouse House Enterprises provided some years ago the correct lower turret protection ring for the octagonal turret designed for the Academy kit. I will have a go at scratch building this. 

 

 

I'll also post in the WW2 AFV section to see if anyone can share the 1999 Phil Dyer article. 

 

Ray

 

[PlaStix]

Great to see you are underway Ray, and your research is very impressive too! Looking forward to following your progress.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ray_W]

3 hours ago, PlaStix said:

Looking forward to following your progress.

 

And some progress is being made. If you love cutting parts and gluing this is the kit for you. Lovely detail but does involve a considerable time investment. I am trying to work out and build up some logical sub-assemblies for ease of painting and yet bring out the detail.

 

 

That engine is building up to be a beauty. Certainly looking forward to detail painting.

 

Ray

[Stef N.]

You have rushed ahead of me Ray.The engine is a cracker isn't it. 👍😁

[Ray_W]

18 minutes ago, Stef N. said:

The engine is a cracker isn't it. 👍😁

 

Sure is! And a lot more detail still to add as you know.

 

Luckily, I was able to make a good start with some time available over the weekend.