Sgt.Squarehead Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 This is my Airfix 1/76 Sherman built as 'Cecilia', 1st Platoon, C Company, 1st Marine Medium Tank Batallion - Tarawa, 20th November 1943:http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/AllDone_zps9fc556e6.jpgIt takes a fairly significant amount of work to fettle an accurate(ish) M4A2 out of the Jurassic Airfix kit, but it can be done. TBH there are only around half a dozen of the original kit parts left, everything else is scratched or scrounged from the spares-bin.A 1/72 M4A4 Sherman family might be a great idea for a future Airfix product.....The Dragon kit is almost impossible to get and neither Trumpeter or Heller have got round to the M4A4 yet. The M4A4 (& M4A2) were the versions most used by British & Commonwealth forces and the former was the basis for both the Firefly Vc and the Sherman Crab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Nice work Sarge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 1, 2016 Author Share Posted January 1, 2016 Given my various comments regarding this kit elsewhere (and the fact I still had the pictures saved) I thought it might be worth showing a cut-down version of the build process involved my attempt at accurising the Airfix 1/76 'M4A2' Sherman: The Bits: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20001_zpstwry5xrr.jpg~c200 Phase 1 - Hull Basics Sand off all details: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20002_zps0aytcyol.jpg~c200 Cut away dubious early type DV driver/RO section of the hull and replace with spare from UM 1/72 kit (reduced in size slightly by cutting in half and reglueing, filing edges of hatch surrounds etc.): http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20003_zps72rssze4.jpg~c200 The engine deck is completely wrong for a diesel engined M4A2 (it's the radial gasoline engined M4 type) and this must be replaced (resin replacement part courtesy of Stuzzar over at the ATF): http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20004_zps8cjwgolo.jpg~c200 Attempt to blend it all in and hide the butcherey: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20005_zpsfx842vqf.jpg~c200 Not so successful at this end, but stowage can hide many sins: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20006_zpsjurbsno6.jpg~c200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntrocket88 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Brilliant work Sarge! Looks just as good on this site... I am glad you are adding the build photos as without them, it is difficult to appreciate how much work and skill you put into this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Cheers dude.....I actually don't have terribly many Airfix builds to show, simply because of the scale issue. Phase 2 - Turret & TracksThe Airfix turret is undersized and needs replacing, Stuzzar came to the rescue once again with a part made for his own M4A2 conversions:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20008_zpsgbe04teq.jpg~c200Unfortunately Stu's parts were designed for a late-mid production M4A2 in Commonwealth service as a Sherman III, so for my early-mid production USMC some modifications were required to the Mantlet:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20010_zpssxuo2bev.jpg~c200The Airfix bogies are completely useless, so they were replaced, the main parts are from the MB/Revell Firefly, the roadwheels are ESCI/Italeri and the track return skids from Dan Taylor Modelworks:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20009_zpsq9csfkhv.jpg~c200With the bulk of the remedial work done, the model begins to resemble a Sherman:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20011_zpswdincqin.jpg~c200Only one Airfix part was used in the entirety of these steps, I may award a prize to the first poster who can succesfully identify it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Only one Airfix part was used in the entirety of these steps, I may award a prize to the first poster who can succesfully identify it. If the photos were a bit bigger... :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Click on 'em Jonathan.....Will take you to my Flickr where you can see the images full size. PS - Admin, is there any chance of extending the user edit period on post with images? By the time the images are approved the option to edit has expired which means any errors made at the time of posting are effectively permanent (and I can see a few). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Mock Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Aha, got 'em now! I'm guessing the only bits left are the lower chassis sides that the running gear fix onto? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Sorry Jonathan, those bits were added in the previous 'Phase'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Four attempts now at adding my next post.....This forum engine is driving me mad! The drop down menus are a pain in the backside, dragging and dropping pictures into a post results in a formatting nightmare, niothing works properly and then you deny us the opportunity to edit the mess your engine makes of our efforts. Get a grip Admin.....This really isn't good enough! Right, here we go again...... Phase 3 - Running Gear Assembly & Engine Compartment Details (AKA: Where it all started to go wrong)The Airfix track is closest to the T41 or T51 type and thus not suitable for my model which was fitted with T54E1 Chevron type tracks. AFAIK these are best represented in 1/76 by the parts from the MB/Revell Firefly, so that's what I used:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20016_zpsvfxs6hht.jpg~c200?t=1452016131My choice of track also dictated my choice of sprocket (to ensure they would fit), this as it turned out, was a mistake: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20016_zpsvfxs6hht.jpg~c200?t=1452016157 The M4A2 is by definition a welded type hull (almost identical to the M4), fitted with a diesel engine.....Consequently the ventilation arrangements and exhaust system differ from those of an M4. Stuzzar's engine deck part covered the most noticeable aspeect and I scratchbuilt the rest: http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20012_zps0xhn9quo.jpg~c200?t=1452016157 I also scrounged a towing hook from an old ESCI kit, it's a bit overscale, but I can live with it TBH:http://rs1332.pbsrc.com/albums/w602/Sgt_Squarehead/Obsolete%20Sherman%20017_zpszrgbyphr.jpg~c200?t=1452016157 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Admin - I need to edit my posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntrocket88 Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Amazing detailing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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