Hey D., I threw my M4 Calliope into the dust bin / trash can / file 13, or what ever you call it. I had the chassis assembled and the tubes installed on the turret then I knocked it off of the bookshelf when I took down the Hasagawa P3 box to get it ready for the "Anti-Shipping campaign, and especially after my neices dog used it for a play mate

I will watch your build to see how you progress with that trackie-thingie thing.

Bob

Great work guys ...This campaign isn't half over and there are some great builds ...If it keeps up I might just have to build another before it's over...

Hey Bob, you need to get your P3 over the water, it' supposed to be Anti-Shipping and NOT Anti-Tank

I'm enjoying the build so far, there's a few spots that need attention before I get to throwing the paint at it, then it's on to the Calliope assembly

A question for those more learned that I (that means everybody here !) . . . I have a few spare track links in the kit that are meant for the side of the turret, but the Calliope stops that. I thought I might make up some racks from strip stock and stow them on either side of the hull but a quick web image search didn't bring any pics I could use. Does anybody have any pics, or any comments on me doing that ??

Cheers, D

Smee again, the annoying armour noob. I had a bit more of a play today and came up with this from a few scraps . . . .



to carry a few spare cans . . .



Now this is where I am thinking of stowing the spare tracks . . .



but the instructions seem to tell me to just glue them in place. Should I mount them in frames like the ones on the front of the tank, or how would they have been held in place here ?

Thanks in advance, D

Hi Damian,

I can't say I've seen anything on side mounted spare tracks like that.

For M4A3's, it's normally on the turret, or in racks on the back....

Perhaps someone else can share some insight

Oddball, Turk, and Moriarity are happy to finally be in this "Mother beautiful tank".

Here they are celebrating







Keep up the great work and posts - I think this Campaign has already has a record in the number of hits for a Campaign and we're only a third of the way

Cheers,

Paul

Hey Paul, Oddball says . . . . .



Your figures are superb mate !!

How were the tracks supported on the side of the Turret ? Perhaps I can replicate that on the side of the hull. This is NOT going to be a historically correct Sherman, but an intro to armor modelling for me, so I want to experiment a bit and try a few different techniques of building and weathering that don't fit with Wingy-Thingys.

Thanks for your help, D

Damian, welcome to the dark side! We have cookies! (yeah, a genuine Banksy, I went to London recently).
Did this step before you only a coupla months and let me tell you: it's nice! No sanding and repriming and sanding again deep into the night, no throwing on a paint coat on an f-15 only to discover the mother-friggin backbone seem is rearing it's ugly tail..... Just FUN! And I'll be happy to see another Wingnut (haha) crashing the party with nice clean tank builds!

Craig, I must say, your italy paint job is just wonderful. Didn't get the tones: is it dark yellow and OD? Just marvellous!

Here's my finished Jumbo:



Shot the pics in bright sunlight, I wanted the mud to look kind of frozen and the tank bathed in harsh sunlight on a cold winter day in France.
More to come.

Paul, as always your figure painting skill just doesn't cease to stun. Really nice... It shurely will take me years of practice....sheesh...

Here another one:

And two detail shots:



Tasca Cal50. E real gem:



Will put the Jumbo in the gallery, but this is not the last sherm I'll do for this campaign. I was thinking of a Firefly, but there already are some on the way. So maybe a pacific m4a1?

Rebilda....that .50 cal looks incredible. I love the subtle paint job you did on it. Would you mind sharing what paints you used on it?

Thanks!

Brian

Well, thanks, Brian, but the Cal50 is Tasca's doing really. Strictly out of box, nothing added. You even get a small adjustable amo belt - duh!!!!

As for paints: it's what i love best. Coming from airplanes I have a knack for making it complicated. So strap in, here comes:

1 (and always!!) the angel's fluid: Tamiya rattle can primer fine. Just short blasts and VERY quick passes, dries instantly and makes for a really smooth surface
2 Vallejo OD (usually Gunze OD, this build was an experiment) in lots of thinnly sprayed patches,squiggles and spots; every patch another new mixture with dark yellow
3 a little of shading and colour modulation by mixing with black
4 clear gloss (ALLWAYS Gunze, though trying out Vallejo)
5 decals
6 clear matte(whatever you like best, still haven't found my loved one, but leaning towards Gunze or Vallejo)
7 filters, homemade (a pinhead-sized amount of oil mixed in a few drops of the appropriate thinnners) green, brown and dark brown; hatches and adjacent panels a different colour
8 pinwash (Vandyke Brown)
9 clear matte (not necessarily)
10 pigments to your liking (very few on the turret, good amount on the upper hull. lots on the lower hull)
11 rainmarks and streaks with a light beige oil colour
12 splashes and more streaks by running a brush with thinners trough the pigments and splashing thinners on
12b more pigments
13 mud on the tracks is a combination of Tamiya acrylics (flat erth and buff) with plaster, railway grass, pigments and sifted dirt
14 enjoy

Thanks Rebilda. Could you also share how you got that great finish on the .50 cal?

Paul such wonderful figure painting mate! You have made the film come alive that little bit more...

Damien, I'd leave the tracklinks off the side hull mate. For the turret they would have been tack welded directly to the turret surface...

Leo, really really nice finishing on your M4A3E2! The subtlety can be seen with the quality of the photography, and the effort you have put in to each step really shows...
Good stuff peoples
Brad

Paul, Animal was great in that movie (one of my favorites) I went to see it when it first came out and did not know any thing about it. Boy was I suprised they had to scrape me off of the floor. Nice figure painting BTW.

@ Rebilda: fantastic Jumbo and the paint job is also great. Thanks for your method of color.

Bob

Thank you all for the kind words. Really means a lot to me being a novice!!

Sorry, Brian, I misunderstood. So, now, the Cal50:

1 Tamiya Primer Grey Fine (the basis of my modeling life...)
2 Vallejo flat black (the only use besides mixing that I have for FB)
3 Mig Pigment 'Gun Metal'' and a little ground up pencil Graphite; all applied with an artist's Paper tip (looks like a pencil but made from paper, they use it so smear and rub drawing coals); really really take your time doing that and always step back and look at it if already enough; nothing looks more stupid than a glistening shiny gun, at least IMHO
4amo crate (some Lifecolor OD), directly on this coat a LIGHT pin wash with VanDyke or Burnt Umber (don't remember, but not important); be shure to trace the crevices really lightly an let the matt OD soak up the wash, repeat when dry if necessary
5 wood handles with Panzer Aces 'Old Wood', light pin wash on that with some reddish brown (Abt. 502 Shaddow brown i think)
6 amo belt: feed chain flat black, again a LITTLE graphite, bullets Vallejo German Grey, Casing Orange Brown (even more childish than shiny gun: copper-metallic-bling-bling on MG amo casing; at least to me)
7 enjoy

Leo, what a fantastic build! Between this and your Pacific Campaign Sherman, I'm a real fan of your work. Thanks for the helpful tips, too!

Gorgeous stuff there!

G

Damn nice figures paul,

Leo, I love you Jumbo, thanks for sharing you method with us.

here is a small update:

I've tried something new. To make a "wet" tank like after a short rain period







Martin

Heres my start to Dragons 105 kit

Great stuff guys!!

Martin: I'm digging the freshly rained on look you have going on there, very cool!

Wayne: Wow, that's one fast start!

Oh Dear Team !!

Look at this from Tasca !!

Jumbo M4A3E2 Sherman

Why Oh why does this happen when ever I get a resin conversion

I've preordered !!

Cheers

Paul

Hi to all!
I want to do a british Sherman MK III,"SHEYK",in Italy,for another Campaign-Blitzkrieg 3-Italy.Can someone help me with some pictures?
Thanks in advance!
Dani

Hey Martin
The rain streks is an interesting attempt! You are much braver than me for attempting it... That said I think you have achieved a pretty good result.
This would also mean the dust would run instreaks also, and would probably look a dark brown until dry later?
This could be a good opportunity to try and have some dust on the numbers, and have the water streaks run though them leaving clear lines?
Brad

Very nice rain finish, Martin. Could you explain your process for this effect. Is it just some painting with a clear gloss varnish?

Love the Jumbo, Leo. Very nice weathering!

Thanks Rebilda.....can't wait to try it out.

Brian