hi guys, my latest project..academy's sherman tank with 105mm howitzer and M1 dozerblade. one thing i've noticed was the track was too wide and touching the dozerblade arms. so to twist the story...i will use dragon t-80 tracks for the project. assembly was easy a straight forward procedure..but combining the 2 product might have some problem. i just hope i dont mess this up..some progress pictures.....

M1 dozerblade and HVSS wheel assembly...


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-13

upperhull and turret...no problem there...


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-13

close up detail of dozer blade and attachment..


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-13

old dragon t-80 tracks and wheel assembly..


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-13

M1 dozerblade...


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-13

comments and suggestions are welcome...thank you enjoyviewing.

Gday Ed
Coming along nicely mate!
The dragon tracks you are using look to be off the Ark going by the instruction sheet
I have never bought an Academy anything so can't tell you otherwise, but is the turret completely devoid of casting? It looks to be quite smooth in the photographs.
One thing you could do to add a bit of individuality to the turret is to alter the position of the spotlight, as it rotated on both axes. this can be done by slicing the spotlight off the arm, and drilling and inserting a wire 'pin' so it can rotate and be glued into a new position with some strength. You can do the same at the base at the bottom of the vertical arm.
Keep the updates coming
Brad

Hi Ed,

Looks like it is moving along very well. Never studied this version of the Sherman, but I'll be interested to see how it turns out.

As Brad suggests I'd add a bit of texture to the armour, it looks very smooth in the pics

Keep up the good work.

Al.

hi guys you were right..turret is kinda smoothie and look so simple. well i have to give it a dragon treatment. for the mean time..here are some WIP pictures i made last year..just last week.

the sprocket gear looks ok to me..and the track fit perfectly giving the dozer arm some space to move.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

using dragon's side skirt(fender). kit's skirt are a bit wide and thick.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

close-up view of dragon front fender and skirt..no problem putting them all together.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

sleeve to accomodate dragon sprocket wheel.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

front view..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

rear view..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2007-12-26

comments and suggestion are welcome..thanks for viewing.

Happy New Year Ed -

Looks good from here, nice build for sure. Always liked the different versions of a basic tank, will be anxious to see your next updates. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers!

Tim

Looking very good. I got this kit for Christmas, going to be my next project, would you recommend ditching the tracks supplied and getting some after market ones

I really like the way you have done the wheels and tracks , good job.
The only thing that bothers me is the fact that I have never seen a howitzer tank with HVSS and a dozer blade, and I have lots of books on the Sherman , unless it is post WW2 because all mine are WW2 . Would love to be proved wrong .
It does look good though.

John

hi there, i've gotten used to dragon's indi tracks on all my sherman.. thats why i tried them on my academy. i test fitted the vinyl tracks and its too wide for the dozer blade. though i'm planning to fix the blades..a little detail i like to show is the clearance between the tracks and blade.

i think its a post WWII sherman..probably korean. i have a book that might interest you. there are some sherman pics and rare pictures of phils and manila city during the WWII. hope you'll find this on your local bookstore.


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2005-08-17

thanks all more WIP coming up.

Yep , I never seen that book before , would love to look through that one.
All the best.

John.

hi everyone...more progress pictures.

welding beads on dozerblade plates and hydrolic assembly..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-09

resurfaced casting marks on turret..i used mighty bond(CA glue) and screw driver for scalpel..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-09

parts from dragon sherman and other sherman tanks. i got lots on my sparebox.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-09

comments and suggestions are welcome..thanks for viewing.

Looks good, Ed. It is definently a different looking Sherman.

Thanks for sharing

thanks jasper, definitely a different looking sherman..its a korean war vet. and i rarely see pictures of the real one. more progress pictures...

painted and with decals..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24

casting marks done by CA glue..it went well..additional parts from dragon.

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24

headlite grilles with styrene parts. jerry can holder made of strip from discarted PE sprue..

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24

weathering and extra details to follow...

Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-01-24

comments and suggestions are welcome..thanks all.

Ed,

Excellent build. Something of an odd subject, but all in all an excellent build. Very well done.

Hey , that looks great , I love the shape of Shermans , and with the dozer blade it looks good eh .
You got shares in Cannon or what ! ! ! ! ! !

Nice work Ed! I would add more weathering to that blade, but's that just me.

thanks guys, here's the finished model..i guess its done and done already. warming lots of pictures...


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04

and more....


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-04


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05


Shot with Canon DIGITAL IXUS i at 2008-02-05

that's all folks. enjoy viewing..thanks all.

Looking good so far Ed, nice build. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

Cheers!

Tim