Hi all,

I wanted to show my latest WIP project.
It is a "old" dragon Sherman which I wanted to give an upgrade with PE, Alu barrel, suspension and some scratch building.



here are some of the extra update sets I've bought.







And my first work on the PE, as you can see. I've tried to make my own weld.





next up was the turret. I've add my own texture to it, because there wasn't any on the kit. Also I've scratch the two strips on the site of the turret.











Then I've add a small layer of paint to see how the texture is gonna look like when it is covert with paint. I think it turned out very good.











Comments, advise are welcome

Greetzzz Martin

Great work Martin, I have this kit myself but after building the new Thunderbolt VII I had relegated it to the bottom of the pile. Your build shows that it is salvageable with a lot of work. I look forward to seeing the suspension go on.

PS you should have made this a blog so we could keep track of the build.

Hi Martin,

Very nice work on detailing the kit. It should look the business when you get it done.

Al

Excellent work, no doubt. Very fine detail. I just wonder if it's worth all the effort when the turret is so badly misshapen to begin with. It looks more like an E2 Jumbo turret than the T23 turret. I did some mods to the same old kit but used the turret from the DML M4A2 Soviet to replace this one.

Rob

Nice to see you don't need to buy the latest kit to get a good looking HVSS Sherman. Look forward to seeing the finished model.
Scott

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. This week the ABER fenders has arrived, so I've made some progress on the Sherman. I also added the AFV Club suspention and the tracks.





















Note for the last photo: The fenders aren't fix yet, and I'm not sure about the periscope protector.
I could replace them, what do you thing?

Greets Martin

This looks very nice Martin. But i told you that also on the Benelux forum. I realy like that you show it, on the Big Armorama also, that everyone sees your building skills.

Best Regards, Manuelke

Thanks Manuel,

I hope other people will give there reaction/comment as well.

Really, nobody?

Woot,

I've been able find the right color for my sherman so here it is









Thnx for watching, comments are welcome

Build looks great.

I would replace that photo-etch chain though. There are some real nice and small link chains available out there. PE chain just doesnt belong on a really nice build like yours.

Be sure to show pics of the weather job.

Again, nice build.

Great looking work so far! One extremely minor nitpick -- the rectangular slabs on the rear engine decks that were used to prop open the engine grille? They are perpendicular to the ground on the actual. It seems yours are perpendicular to the slant of the engine deck. Should be an easy fix...

HTH

Gratz for the replies. (woot finally I got some )

I applied the star decals.







Greets Martin

Next is a black wash and the painting of the weels and MG's











The 50 cal which turned out great







Martin

Hi MArtin,

Great piece of detailing work you've done here. Very impressive.

Look forward to the finished product.

Cheers

Al

You've really pulled this kit out of the "dog pound"! Excellent work!

Well my "old" pictures are back online.

So I continue my progress here.

The pictures from the 2nd topic












And here are the new ones with the tracks

I've painted de track with redbrown/panzergrey/silver [5:4:1]










Thanks for watching

- Another one bites the dust -

























:)

Greets Martin

Plz people comment my sherman, If you don't like it you may say it.

Nice work Martin, you should enter it in the next model of the month competition. I like what you've done with such an old kit. An interesting choice to leave the tools of and no stowage. Usually we see Shermans piled high with stowage. I would add a light dusting to the upper surfaces too but then I like my tanks dirty.

Hey Martin
Has scrubbed up good mate
What's going to happen with the headlights? It appears they have been overlooked, and I noticed the rear right taillight is missing also...
Like what you have done with the rest though
Cheers
Brad

Thanks for you replies.

@ Exer, I'm thinking of putting some gear on the back of the tank, and the tools lose with the gear. I've also put some dust on the turret.

@ Honeycut, I totally right the, I forgot about the headlights. I've fixed it. And the tail light is MIA See it as combat damage

Martin

I've got a small question.

I've added the braces on the turret, but I can't find any pictures of real shermans with those.
It was a field modification, or wasn't

Does someone have any reference on the braces?

Martin

Couple of thoughts--overall, great build going. However, I haven't seen any photos of uparmored Shermans with a full set of big white stars. Have you found a photo of a 14th Armored Division tank with the full, regulation markings? By the final six months of the war, stars were usually painted out except for the air recognition star on the roof (except for brand new tanks rushed right into service without any modifications). The star was deemed by tank crews to be an "aiming point" for German gunners (not necessarily for long range antitank guns, but why make things easy for the Panzerfaust-armed infantry?).
As for the headlights, generally when the second armor plate was welded onto the glacis, no attempt was made to make the headlight sockets line up, so the headlights were not functional (according to Phil Dyer's article in Military Modelling Magazine a few years ago). You would be fine if you removed the headlights altogether. Otherwise, they should be drilled out and either add an MV Products lens and reflector, or use a dome shaped Dremel bit in a pin vise to create a hollow, "broken" headlight housing.

Love the Sherman. Will have to remember that paint ratio for the tracks. Did you use pigments for the weathering? Looks really effective. Even the .50 cal handles look great up close.