Author Topic: Eduard M4A1 Sherman  (Read 47272 times)

Offline No.1

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2014, 07:04:29 AM »
So good :-ok

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2014, 11:35:13 PM »
I can't stress enough how fun this kit has been so far! Next will be some clear gloss and then the few decals this one will require.

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #17 on: November 22, 2014, 04:25:32 PM »
Another gem in this kit is the commander's .50 machine gun. The detail is simply unbelievable, with three barrels to choose from and numerous other optional parts. The basic gun I've built has eleven plastic parts and the ammo can and its holder are made up of four more.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanPainting005_zps5db57d9a.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanPainted004_zps6e160d4f.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

Offline No.1

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #18 on: November 22, 2014, 04:58:14 PM »
Look like real  :-obey

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #19 on: November 22, 2014, 07:23:14 PM »
Tasca also offered the .50 as a separate kit with tripod mount and many other accessories. It is simply a great little weapon to build. The ammunition belt actually threads into the receiver opening just like a real fifty.

Here are a few photos of the final paint scheme, a 1st Armored Division machine from the Italian campaign:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanPainted003_zps439ac099.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanPainted001_zps1bb9c072.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanPainted002_zps3d86e579.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

Offline No.1

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #20 on: November 22, 2014, 07:26:54 PM »
Look great mate, do you have any plans to add some dirt, dust and fade of color?

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #21 on: November 22, 2014, 08:36:27 PM »
Yes, No.1, this will get a good coating of Italian mud and dirt. However, I've decided to lightly weather it first for the review process. After I've finished with the out-of-box build I have some extra accessories and such to add. So......this will be a two-stage process! ;)

Offline No.1

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #22 on: November 22, 2014, 08:38:45 PM »
Two stage is good idea, just go ahead!!!

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #23 on: November 22, 2014, 08:48:56 PM »
My dad said that the tank crews carried so much extra gear and "junk" on the hulls of their Shermans that it was hard to get to the engine compartment for servicing! He also said that most crews would remove their stuff only if they were going to lose the tank to the maintenance battalion for a long time......otherwise one man would usually hang around to see that dad's crew didn't steal anything!!! Funny thing was that the tank crew usually had stolen most of the stuff themselves....

Offline modellius

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #24 on: November 23, 2014, 12:07:30 PM »
looks great

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #25 on: November 23, 2014, 03:10:02 PM »
Thanks!

Last night I took on the painting of the tracks. Eduard provides the same track that came in the original Tasca base kit. These are two pieces per side of a modern rubber/vinyl/plastic hybrid of some type that are so well molded. Only three tiny pour stubs need cleaning on each section of track and these were placed on the inside where they would be hard to see at any rate. First two segments were glued together (I used CA) and allowed to dry. Next step was to mask off the end plates where glue will go when completing each run of track. Then it was time for paint, first Metalizer for the guide fingers and outer link connectors. Next was a dusting of rust, trying not to get any on the inside of the guides or on the rubber track pads. Once that was dry another light dusting of road dirt color, mostly tan and grey mixed by eyeball, went on over both inside and outside of the tracks. The final step of this process was gluing the end segments together to get a completed assembly.

Prior to installing the tracks I also dusted on a similar coating of road dust/dirt to the sprockets, hull, suspension and wheels to match the weathering of the tracks. To actually add the tracks is quite simple and ingenious. Just remove the drive sprocket and idler wheel and install the track to the road wheel/bogie assemblies. I used a tool to get the guide fingers to snuggle down properly on the top guides of the three suspension assemblies at this time. Then I slid the track forward far enough to fit the sprocket on the final drive and seated the track to the sprocket teeth. Final step was to slide the track rearward while maintaining good fit on sprocket and bogies and slide the rear idler wheel into the track. The manufacturer designed the tank with an eccentric rear axle (not unlike how the real one works) that allows the builder to properly tension the track. With the axle set up to give a loose fit I simply stretched the track and idler back and slid the idler onto its axle. This gave me a somewhat loose fitting track so the eccentric axle was turned with a pair of needlenose pliers to tension the track properly.

A note on Sherman track installation (from info my dad told me years ago, backed up by photos)--the standard for Sherman tracks was to keep them fairly tight when possible. Not too many photos show loose, drooping track runs on operational Shermans. Burned out machines with collapsed suspension are another thing!

Offline draken35

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #26 on: November 23, 2014, 05:48:10 PM »
Nice work Scott, and thank you for your explanations for the tracks!

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #27 on: November 23, 2014, 06:30:34 PM »
I should have taken photos of the painting process......... I haven't ever painted tracks before and this was a new experiment, following some helpful websites I studied. When the mud is added later most of this work will be covered up!  :-think

Offline Second Air Force

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #28 on: November 26, 2014, 12:16:23 AM »
Here are two photos of the finished machine. Everything you see here came from the Eduard box with the exception of the tow cable. The kit comes with both cable ends beautifully molded and the modeler then sources the cable itself. I'll get more photos when time allows, and then the real weathering can begin:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanCompleted001_zps91ece44b.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/ShermanCompleted002_zpsd5b5aedf.jpg
Eduard M4A1 Sherman

Offline No.1

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Re: Eduard M4A1 Sherman
« Reply #29 on: November 26, 2014, 06:17:06 AM »
Excellent finish  :-razz :-clap For all those interesting in this kit, here is where they could get it:

http://www.eduard.com/store/Eduard/Plastic-kits/Profipack/AFV/M4A1-Sherman-1-35.html