Trumpeter Easy8s . . .
I’ve got the Sherman builds to the point where they’ll probably wait for stowage before progressing much further, we’ll before paint anyway. I’ve got the lift rings to cut off and replace and some of the small details can be added although MGs, open hatches etc will be left off until most of the paint is done.
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More 20mm project ’46 stuff, this time an M51 Sherman in British service. Made with the Cpl Overby M51 late resin conversion set which is made to use with Dragon 1/72nd HVSS Sherman suspension and detail parts. Three of them provide overwatch/long range fire support in our Type 1 ’46 british armoured squadron. Finished in brush painted GW acrylics with the green being a custom blend of Catachan Green and Desert Yellow. Crew figs are from AB Miniatures.
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A few wip shots ……….
Completed the test Sherman off last night, not too bad for a wargaming tank I think. Just gotta finish the other two and then they can go up for sale ……….
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Decals all on and detailing finished. Applied the decals over a localised brush coat of Humbrol satin varnish and set with a couple of applications of Solvaset. Finished off the details, gave the spare tracks a little more love and it’s now beginning to look like a Sherman me thinks … now it’s out with the Queeg(Tm) weathering powders to finish off the hull and tracks.
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Almost finshed the “test” Sherman. Added tow rope, mg and faffed about detailling the stowed packs with extra straps as an experiment (copied the idea from Pat Johnsons Pershing) – purely for cause it looks cool. Decals next, a few additional details that I forgot – tow hook, extra spare track holder, turret periscope brush guard, then it’s the track and lower hull weathering and it’ll be all done ….
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A little more progress, at the stage with the Shermans of deciding on final camo and weathering. Went a bit further on a test vehicle adding disruptive black and starting the basic fading. The other projects, Dragon 1/72nd Jagdpanzers and Tamiya 1/48th Stugs are alos at the camo selection stage …..
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Another set of oldies, Dragon Sherman IIIs and Esci Bishops. I’m contemplating blashpemhy and thinkng and Desert gaming when the Perry’s 28mm Desert range of figs’ comes out and using Tamiya 1/48th vehicles. So this desert goodness is just a little something to get my interest up ….
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Basecoated the Shermans this morning with my mix of GW Catachen Green and Vellejo Olive Drab. Post shading, drybrushing and lightening to come next ….. they’re starting to look like a unit at last though.
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A bonus piccie of the German SP’s on the workbench at the moment ……
Undercoat/key coat on. Nothing special just a light spray coat from a Tamiya can, just something for the basecoat to key on. The fact its not completely smooth handily adds a little texture to the armour as well. It also works well having an enamel base as everything from now on will be acyrilcs. US Olive drab is one of teh few things that I don’t use only GW acylics on as my OD is a mix of Vallejo Olive Drab and GW Catachan Green ……
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Well I’m calling these done and ready for paint. Added the stowage today so now there’s only a few small details left and they’ll be added after most of the painting and handling is finished, aerials, MGs, ropes and straps on the stowage and tow cables and hooks ………
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Had to order some varnish today before I could finish some Napoleonics I’ve been working on, so as the day was a bit of a bust I did a little more assembly on the Shermans. Pretty much finished now except for the PE periscope amd light brush guards.
Also picked up a second hand Tamiya M10 to go with them today at the local LHS while I was ordering the varnish, very cheap $10 !!!!! The box was opened and some parts loose so heres hoping everything important is there …..
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A bit more wip progress on the late 1/48th Shermans. Assembling them as a batch helped a little as the bogey assembling and hull joints got a little better with each one. I can’t say the same about the turret mantlet fit though, not easily noticable unless you know what to look for but that sort of thing pisses me off as I know it should/could have been better.
These will sit to one side for a while as I’m waiting for 2 more stowage sets to arrive and I also have to order some crew figures. There should be a nice bit of variation in them as unit though, as there’s three different bogey wheel types used and two different turret/gun combinations across the two hull types. The stowage sets for them are all different too …..
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So here’s the 1/48th stuff from the recent delivery. The Tiger2 and Cromwell are for my brother and I while the Hobbyboss Shermans are to make to put up for sale.
And so as I haven’t made any Hobbyboss Shermans yet I decided to put together a “tester”. Now I know from all the web discussion the kit has (and Hobbyboss Shermans in general) accuracy issues, the shape of the upper hull- width and profile, turret shape, gun and gun mantlet etc but I don’t intended to correct any. Generally I build OOB except for minor additions and stowage, for several reasons. Firstly most of my stuff is destained for wargamers, who, while a great looking model is still important, rivit counting isn’t so much of an issue. And I’ve seen many people slavishly change small details only for the final result to become obscured or let down by the final paint. I tend to personally favour aiming for an overall look with my modelling and I get that with a clean build and (hopefully) a good finish. Btw I have a lot of respect for any modeller who chases ultimate accuracy, it’s not for me, it’s a horses for courses thing.
Soo it’s an OOB for me on this one. The kit has some benefits, it’s inexpensive, readily available and the detail is good. The kit includes a little PE fret for light guards which is always welcome, and under hull the sponson is closed. Thankfully as this feature is one of the biggest let downs of most many Tamiya 1/48th kits.
To be fair though there are some issues to look out for. There is a bit of flash to be cleaned up. The plastic is quite hard/brittle and care must be used removing slender parts and then when cleaning them up, a lot of care. The location pins on some parts are vague so the aligment must be watched. In particular the under hull sponsons combined with the upper hull and nose joint, and the gun mounting, require some fiddling with filing and dry runs to get the alignments right. Even then I still managed to cock up the transmission cover/upper hull joint a little.
Then there are the flexible band tracks. Getting the length right and hiding the join takes care and planning. I ripped into this to find out how to do it first and I think I have it ok. On the next hull I’ll take some piccies to show how I do it.
Anyway, here’s how she looks so far ……
A group of Tamiya 1/48th Shermans and an M10 with a basic (not accuarate but ok for the gaming table) Achilles conversion, nothing fancy simply a brass 17pdt Barrel. The group was completed for a friend some time ago … an oldie but still a goodie.
Musings from the warp 