Edit:

Sorry the original photos had to be removed to make way for new stuff.

Al

Greetings all,

These are my first completed Sherman tanks. They are suppoosed to represent 2 Sherman Mk 1 tanks of No 3 Tp, 3 Sqn, 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, in action in NWE summer 1944. The second vehicle was built first and is a recycled job from an earlier American build. They are probably at the stage where they are as good as they are going to get for now.




Both are the basic Tamiya kit with the Accurate Armour conversion. decals were from Bison and some handed painted stuff. Figures are Tamiya too.

I've yet to add a co-dvr/mg gunner, that can wait until the final setting is set but I've more reading to do on the history of the unit before I finally decide. Same detail re the Rounds for the Sqn Sign.

All constructive comments most welcome, the story behind these two is a long and sometimes funny one.

Cheers

Al

Excellent Alan. The only criticism I can see is maybe the tie-down ropes are a little thick? Or maybe it's that they should be drawn tighter?

Vinnie

Hi Vinnie,

Thanks for that. Your right the ropes do look a bit slack, perhaps old fumble fingers didn't pull them tight enough!! They do also look a bit thick,(scratches head), I'll check and see if I used the wrong one, that wouldn't surprise me LOL, LOL.. If not I'll get something a bit thinner, but I was sure I had used the thinner of the two, maybe not ha ha.

Cheers

Al

Hi Ken,

I pretty certain I'm OK with the tracks. This type were rubber with steel chevrons. I got a link the other day which I'll post and check again.

http://www.usarmymodels.com/ARTICLES/Tracks/trackusagefiftharmy3.html

Hmmmmmm, shows rubber but I'm sure I read in the post I picked it up from there were a combination of both because of the shortage of rubber. If I'm wrong someone will tell me.

See above re the ropes, I have two sizes I normally use, but I may have picked up the larger, I'll check but if not I can get something a bit thinner.

Thanks for you feedback, much appreciated.

Cheers

Al

Hi Ken,

Here's a link to the post I was talking about.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/77939&page=1

I thought they could be composite ones, but if I've picked that up wrong I'll have to get the paint brush and the grey paint out!!

Cheers and will await further comments.

Al

It looks to me that the tracks you have are the rubber chevrons with the thick v shape. The steel chevrons are not as wide and actually have horizontal ends like -v- instead of a thick v

I like the Shermans very much. There are two small things that pop to my mind.

1) I cannot see how the equipment on the side of the turrets are attached. There doesn't appear to be any rails of hooks that are obvious to the viewer.

2) Maybe it was a unit thing but you have the equipment layout very similar on both tanks. The spare wheel on the one side, the big roll on the other side. If it was a unit standard then fine. If not then I prefer my multiple tanks to have a bit more randomess of the equipment.

Edit update - Thanks for all the feedback guys. Have sorted the tracks. re: ropes, I've used the thin type I've used before ,but have now toned it down and hoepfully that will solve the problem.

Cheers

Al


Hi Alan,

Yip, looks like I'll have to get the paint pot out for the tracks. I don't know how I mixed that up, I remember reading the post and then thinking no I'm fine as is!!! LOL, LOL

Re kit layout, to best of my knowledge units often had similar load patters, what fitted one, fitted another - the wheels were a different approach. I saw footage of British Tanks advancing through Normandy on the 'World at War' sometime ago. All the tanks looked almost exactly the same as they passed the camera.

Re: hooks, hidden behind the loads LOL, LOL.

Thanks for the feedback.

Cheers

Al

Gday Alan
They really look the part!
One thing on the tracks. I think that if you apply a dust rather than mud look to the rubber blocks around each 'V' it would blend a little better with your existing dirt around the bogey housings...
Oh, and hate to say it, but the pistol port on tank # 31 is upside down... Hope you can change it safely!!
I won't harp on the need for them to 'blend' into the turret, either... Something for the future Shermans? :-)
Cheers
Brad

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the feedback. Well spotted Sir, the 31 was my first ever tank build about 8 years ago as an American one. Then it got displyed, boxed and forgotten about for 5 years until til I revisited it towards the end of last year. It should be reasonably easy to switch the port to the correct position.

That's what I like about this forum - fresh eyes, I've been working at these off and on for about a year and never noticed that before.

Cheers mate, and thanks for the pointer about the dust.

Cheers

Al

Well, for a pair of action-seeing tanks, as the weathering seems to indicate, both tanks have the markins very visible. It looks as if they have been put there after weathering! Nevertheless, they are both good Sherman specimens!
Cheers and happy modelling!
Prato

Greetings all,

Thanks for all you observations. Have removed most of the pictures to make some gallery space.

If the sun shines later in the week I'll post a few more with the fixes you recommended.

Again thanks for all the feedback - excellent.

Cheers

Al