Mke,

I was quite impressed by your scratchwork on the air intake grating. bummer.

My M1 is coming along a LITTLE faster. Italeri M1 Coversion 23AUG10. I too fear that most of the work I've done so far will be covered by the armored side skirts, the road wheels, and the tracks.

And next month's meeting is just two weeks away. I'm kind of surprised how much I'm looking forward to it.

@ Jeff: I still have a hard time believing that M1 is in 1/72 scale! I sympathize with the feelings about covering up all your hard work, though. Sometimes I hate to even start painting - all those multi-colored bits hidden under the base coat!

Two weeks 'til the next meeting - you're right! I better stop goofing off with model building and start working on the news letter pretty soon.

Mike

Mike.
As usual I am in awe of your painstaking detail work and painting. May just make a small comment and observation and say that your wonderfully painted net seems a 'little' to uniform (strips) to me. (Not a big gripe).

Having used many of these old 'soccer' style nets still being issued back in the 60's, we were often having to 'revamp' the scrim as the older nets, especially in WW2 were very spartan (thin) when it came to the strips provided within a new net.
Take a look at this one over an M4.


The added scrim strips were cut from old Burlap/sacking or undyed issued rolls. Then they were painted/dyed different colors and weaved into the netting to help and compliment the lackluster original.

The key was that nothing was issued weaved in a universal straight line but in many twists and turns, almost cartwheel or zig zag style. See (Left side of picture).
Thickness was accomplished by folding when wrapping the net around the vehicle.

Note this one on my Saladin In Malaysia from the 60's. (Shaggy Dog style).


Along with wind, rain, oil, mud, dirt and grime, they were horrible things to unhitch and use as cover.

Most of the time we stowed the ones to be used overhead in a sack or tarp on the vehicle and left the attached ones in place but sadly they had to come off now and then for maintainence or replacement, a right pain.

Even so Mike, your build is a joy and the standard to follow.

See you at the store.

Keith

Thanks for the pics and first-hand observations, Keith!

(I love that Saladin, BTW. A very tempting subject indeed. Next time I'm around the store, I have a few questions about it that you might be gracious enough to answer...)

Yes, that scrimmed netting is d*%#edably difficult to pull-off in scale. I'm generally pleased with the results and was able to get most of the effect that I was trying for. I think I learned a lot about doing it, though, so I have some ideas for next time.

I'll bring the results around the store and let you get a look at it and solicit some thoughts from you on alternates for next time.

Cheers,
Mike

Mike.
Due to the twists and turns of the scrim within the net, it would catch or hang up on anything and everything and then rip! hence the balding effect and longer single strips being evident on the right side of the net covering the Sherman. I believe this is at least two nets (one newer) being utilized.

Accurate Armour are in the final stages of finishing a Saladin and it MAY be out before Christmas (make a nice gift if my wife reads this).

The horrible toy like effort by Tamiya decades ago needs a brain transplant and heart surgery to correct the beast. The turret was a little better on the Australian FSV that Tamiya issued later but this did not help the hull.

The V of the hull was reversed and that meant scratch building the whole lower portion, not that the bins, engine decks and exhaust were in scale anyway!

Firing Line does have one but the wheels are out of scale when viewed from the front or rear.

I will wait for AA's and perhaps model one after my old mount, complete with 2 cans of Tomato and Veggie soup between rear fender and exhaust

Keith.

Take a look at the scrim in this picture. It looks real close to yours.

http://www.stolly.org.uk/ETO/p004595.html

Thanks for the link John! I've found a couple other photos of tightly woven scrimmed nets, but they are definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Next time, though, I will reduce the width and uniformity of the "scrim" strips. I used a scale 2.5" since I understand that the scrim was issued in rolls 2-3" wide. My medical guaze "net" holes are smaller in scale than the prototype net along with the "thicker" string and full-width strips makes the whole lash up look too "tight".

I'll also make sure that I allow at least one "empty" square of net between each scrim piece.

I'm still contemplating how to get that "tatty" look along the edges of the paper tissue "scrim" strips, but have some ideas for that as well.

Mike

Cool Mike,

I know how you feel. The scrim might look a little better all tattered up. Just trying to give you some reference to some neat and tidy scrim work.

I have about a dozen rolls of real scrim in my garage. They are 2 inches wide. I also have some real canvas bow machine gun covers if you need one for reference.................LOL

Hi Mike,

Good work, coming along really well.

Al

Of course, you could get some ready made and just 'rip them' a little from Hudson and Allen Studios.

http://www.hudsonandallen.com/modelingdetails.html.

It was always my observation that the Artilley carried their nets carefully stowed and ready for deployment over and around their guns and were seldum forced to use ones wrapped around the vehicles a luxury seldon available to Tank units.

Keith.

For the 'OFFICIAL size, description, manufacture, garnishing and use of ALL nets check here >

www.http://cartome.org/fm5-20-toc.htm

Scroll down to Chapter 4, 'Hiding and Blending', ,part 20 in particular.

WAR DEPARTMENT FIELD MANUAL (1944)
FM 5-20
CAMOUFLAGE, BASIC PRINCIPLES

'Pictures (in Color) of the weave (Greek Key patterns).

Keith.

Sorry for no up-dates in the last couple of weeks. My workshop space that I use for photography was taken over by other projects.

But, since I last posted,I've added a buff glaze over the cammo net, installed the figures in the turret, and made progress on basing the beastie.

Here are a few overall pics showing the composition of the Operation "Tractible" diorama:











Next up a couple of detail shots...

Here are a couple of detailed photos, again showing the planned composition:









I cover some info on how I got to this point in the next post.

Mike

Like to look so far, keep up the excellent work.

Anthony

The base is constructed using very conventional materials and methods:

The basic terrain elevations are formed using 1/2" thick polystyrene foam sheets, layer-caked together for the contours with hot glue. The edges of the layers are then trimmed using a knife.

The cobble stone roadway is a single layer of small model railroad stones glued down with PVA. The basic terrain is then given a coating of plaster of Paris, to include the sides (but not the bottom or the roadway). After this sets, the sides are sanded flat (using ordinary sand paper and a sanding block - a very messy job).

I then airbrush the plaster areas, black for the sides and earth colors for the rest. I don't worry about over-spray on the sides.

I use Celluclay "Instant Papermache" at about a maximum of 1/8" thick for the final earth contours. This included the spaces between the cobble stones. I pre-color the Cellucaly with acrylic tube paints - here I used Burnt Umber - and add a dollop of PVA to the mix.

The dried Celluclay is then airbrushed more earth colors, followed by various washes made with pigments and water along with some colored inks (mostly greens).

The vegetation is mostly made from various Woodland Scenics, Noch, and Silfor products, all glued down with Woodland Scenics "Scenic Cement." The road sign is plasticard with Woodland Scenics dry transfers for the lettering. The post is balsa wood with Liquitex "Stucco Acrylic Texture" medium. Finally, I touch up the sides by brush painting them black.

(The black edges on the terrain module is just a characteristic of my modeling style. I think it looks good, but others do it differently with excellent results. Anyways, just my "style.")

Still to come: Pigments and final weathering on the tank; mount the tracks; lightly weather and tie-down the 17pd ammo box; glue the terrain module down to the wood plaque; mount the tank to the base; and add some follage cammo to the tank.

Happy modeling,
Mike

Thanks, Anthony. Soon, very soon, the Fort Gerry Horse and the North Novas will again find that intact minor crossing over the Laizon river between Rouvres and Montboint and be on their way to Falaise!

Mike,

The groundwork and vegetation look outstanding!!! Great job!!

Well, for all intents and purposes, I've finished this one. Still a couple of small details to clean-up (like gluing down the spent shells, adding a bit a ground cover to the edges of the figure feet, etc), but except for those things, it's done!

So, in no particular order, here are a few finished photos. (I'll break them up over several posts, rather than put them all in one.)









More to follow...

Finished photos no. 2:











Some details shots next up...

Finished photos no. 3...











And a few more still coming...

Now a few "hero shots" of the crunchies and crew dogs...













That about wrapsit up...

So, Operation Tractable lives on, and once more the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division bounce the Laizon river on their way to Falaise...



Thanks for joining in! It's been fun. I appreciate all the observations, suggestions, and compliments!

Happy modeling,
Mike

Great stuff Mike! The diorama base looks great, the grass is perfectly applied! Overall, the figures and weathering are really what give it personality in my opinion

zaltar

Truly outstanding Mike. I'm a big fan of it! I told you that was the best sherman build I have ever seen!

@ Zeltar and John:

Thanks guys! I'm glad you like it. I had fun on the build, and overall, I'm pleased with the final results.

Still, I might go back and make a few small changes. For sure, the cylindrical connection between the sections on the long antenna is too thick, so in the next few days, I'll pull the antenna off and replace the connection. But, in the main, I think this one is done.

Mike