Bob, thanks for the photos! I only have one of them in my files, so they definitely help! I've been reading several sources that do have some conflicting information. It seems that Colorado was held out of the action on D-day from the hit(s) taken soon after landing, and on D+2 Colorado moved down Red 3 to a position where it took out a steel pillbox that had kept the Marines pinned on the beach. This was close to the Burns-Phillips wharf. After that it seems that Colorado saw limited action in support of the three companies that flanked the bombproof near Red 3. That's the point that I want to model. So, I've been trying to determine what wear and tear occurred in the first two days. It's all very interesting.

Thanks again for the help!

Michael

Photos around Red 3 Bombproof;
Red 3

Bob

Awesome!!! Thank you, Bob!

Michael

Michael,
I notice it seems as if they are closer together but this puts it in perspective;



You notice in the color photo of the Steel Pillbox that the back is collapsed in as you can see better in photo 2
From what I was reading the progress went with the 3 things that were holding them up
1. Knocked out Covered MG pit with mortar fire (Not exactly sure where this was)
2. Took Bonnyman’s Hill
3. Knocked out Steel Pillbox
Research is the part I like the most; never know what you’ll figure out. I always thought they were closer together.
Bob

Bob
It's finally finished







Hope you like it
All comments and suggestions are welcomed

Tom

Tom, Very nice looks great. Do you have a over head photo showing the whole thing? What figures did you use?

Sal
My son took the photos and left, no over head shot
The figures are made up from my spare part box.My wife calls me Dr Frankenstein because of all the body parts I use to get a curtain pose

Thanks

Tom

Tom, it looks great. You should do a build log for your figures to show how you cobble them together.

Tom, really a nice job on the dio. You and Bob can give me pointers, I would appreciate your help in doing a dio.

Bob Rippy

yes,very very good job Thomas !
I agree with Russ, You should post pictures of each figures and also progress pictures !
Best,
Julien

Russ
Bigrip
Julian
Thanks for the kind remarks about my diorama. I don't have a digital camera,so I have to wait for my son to take the pictures but If you have any questions fell free to ask me and I'll try to answer them
Thanks

Tom

WOW, great job Thomas!
I really like how you constructed the guys at the wall helping each other, excellent paint job. Really came together well. I also would love to see an overall shot, and a couple of close-ups, grab that kid and get those pics.

Really great, and this actually makes you the official 2nd completer of the Campaign!
So far the completion status
1st. David Carlson CALLSIGN: TheDiggs, USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (DE 413)
2nd. Thomas F. Sweeney, CALLSIGN: tsweeney, Diorama "Red Beach 1 Betio"
Close to finishing;
Sal CALLSIGN: ltb073, LVT 4 Saipan, to finish Weathering and Post photos in Gallery
Grant Voakes, CALLSIGN: GVoakes, to finish just pick one of the models submitted in the gallery and select the reference for it.
Really great diorama Thomas Congrats,
Bob

Jan,
Look what I just found while looking through My Iwo Jima pics;


Bob

I was able to play at the work bench last night and made some saddle tanks for my M3. At the moment I am attaching hand holds to the turret. Looked in the spare parts box to see what can be used for hold down straps, still looking. So now more sanding when the Green Putty dries.




WOW! there are some really amazing builds here.

Bob Rippy

Bob, you are a gem. I've brought the pictures of Destroyer into iPhoto and been manipulating them. Blown up, sharpened and in general tweaked. Even still the quality of the originals just doesn't lend to too much improvement. Besides the dozer blade, the plate added above the second road wheel must obviously be a field modification as it lookes larger than those on most "dry storage" Shermans. In my enlargements I can also see its not welded on perfectly square. Unless your reference says that it is Destroyer a few of other things come to mind.

1. If they painted over the name then you'd think that there'd be more contrast in the area where it used to be.

2. The number "54" looks larger and closer to the pistol port than in the other picture you posted.

3. The name on the gun barrel looks to be further towards the end of the gun tube on the dozer and appears to have six letters as opposed to the five in "Donna."



Thanks for the "mystery" picture and now you got me wondering about scratching a dozer blade.

Cheers,
Jan

I have a question regarding the saddle fuel tanks. Are they metal or rubber? Also were they painted the color of the tank, or a light beige?

Bob Rippy

A little more work on the scratch saddle tanks. Boy is it hard to apply small plasic to plastic . The turret is resin and the pic is of the .30 mount. The top of the mount is resin and comes with the turret, there was no post or bottom bracket. Made the post from sprue and the bottom bracket from sheet plastic and glued in place with Gator Glue. I drilled out the post hole to receive the .30, it probably out of scale but HEY! my fingers are too big and the eye sight is not as good as it use to be. So far I like what has been accomplished, next to set up the airbrush and throw some paint at it.





Bob

Bob,
excellent scratch build on those tanks, I'll dig up some basic info on the drop tanks when I get a chance and will be more specific on the markings if you could remind me if you were doing a Guadalcanal or Bougainville Stuart, you have to forgive me I’m going a bit senile.

Jan,
Just for the sake of the research, think about the angle view of Destroyer, would this account for the differences. Also if they welded a plate on they would paint it, I just think they sacrificed the name, you can see a bit of difference in the colors.

Thanks guys,
Bob

@ Bob: [snip]Bob,
excellent scratch build on those tanks, I'll dig up some basic info on the drop tanks when I get a chance and will be more specific on the markings if you could remind me if you were doing a Guadalcanal or Bougainville Stuart, you have to forgive me I’m going a bit senile.[snip]

Bob I am doing "Pain in the ass" (you were kind enough to send me the decals from your parts box) on Bogunville 3rd Marine Tank Btln. And I know all about senile I have to ask the kids at school what my name is at times . No rush on the information, I am a very slow builder.

Man am I getting forgetful. Sorry Bob just didn't have the chance to go back and look things up.






The instructions are from the Edward M3A1 Exterior pe set. They show some pretty exact detail.

The things hard to see are the fuel tube, not exactly sure where on the tank they are attached but someone mentioned the bottom middle, and the gas caps that are on the Stuart were replaced with a different one that had a connection point for the tube to attach to. What also is not shown is the quick disconnect pull cord that jettisoned the tanks when going into battle. They are self sealing tanks.

Small clips of info;
Tanks in a rubber bladder or made from rigidized rubber. They are soft cornered, seemingly somewhat irregular in shape and have lifting straps on the upper sides that connect to some sort of webbing strap or belt that goes around the tank

Mounted over the sponsons the drums were connected to the vehicle tanks by an automatic fuel transfer coupling and a bullet sealing hose. Pulling a lanyard from within the fighting compartment detached the drums so that they rolled off the vehicle.

Hope this helps somehow.

And I finished painting the tanks, next to do is the markings;


Hoping to see some updates,
Bob

Thanks for the information Bob. I stil need to make the mounting bracket for the fuel tanks and the refilling caps.

Bob

BOB,
Dio looking great, love the paint job on the T-97, do you have a close up? When I get a little more mobile I will have the kid go fetch the Water Buffalo and add some weathering to it and finally finish it up.

Ok, I did some work on the saddle tanks and attached them. So it is over for the gas. Here are some pictures before they are painted.




Bob Rippy

Sal,
Thanks, I just followed the great examples everyone posted;



Hoping everything is still going alright with your ankle!
Looking forward to seeing the LVT 4 also.

Bob,
Great job on the tanks, how did you get that filler cap, looks perfect. Looks like it's coming together,

Thanks for the updates,
Bob

@ Bob: [snip] how did you get that filler cap[snip] I played with the thinnest plastic that I purchased at LHS, cannot remember the thickness. Took my circle template and cut out some round blanks, then glued them onto square pieces that were placed on the tank first. After they were in place for about 20 minutes I gave them a wash of glue a couple of times to soften the edges. Bob nice job the tanks.

@ Sal: How is the ankle?



Bob Rippy