Hi Chas,

I'll see what I can do, don't know how close up my camera will go on such a small item. It's the same item as the separate kit item, so quality is the excellent, the difference is the PE for the ammo box holder and the straight pole stand.

Cheers, more later when I get it mounted and plummed in.

Al

The carrier's looking good Al !!!
I like the look that you've achieved, sort of a "popping a wheelie" stance .
From what my Dad's told me about his experience with carriers, it sounds like one had to make sure that they were stowed properly or at least equally balanced.
Otherwise they had a tendency to tip over sideways or flip on uneven ground with those narrow tracks.
Cheers

jjumbo

I was just thinking that myself John! They look rather ungainly and off balance, to me more because of this style of suspension methinks...
Al, first I've ducked my head in here. She looks beaut mate and is getting the 'Al' treatment, being busybusybusy
Love the resin set; there looks to be so much on offer. Most all pics I've seen of these carriers show them well weighed down with gear, and yours is definitely no exception...hehe
Those resin tracks initially looked to be but you seem to have thee knack. An effective antipersonell weapon would be scale toothpicks
Brad

Morning John,

Yes, I imagine these might be easy to flip over, but there were usually well loaded down. Maybe that explains why these chaps are doing a balancing act on this one



or this one



There was an SOP for mounting and dismounting the carriers and all the extra weight they loaded up gave them that nose up effect.

Al

Morning Brad,

Didn't see your post earlier, I was replying to John. Thanks for dropping in, yip, there is a lot of detail in the conversion, not all oif which I need to use as I've left out the radio on this one and the deep wading attachments are not necessary either. You get options on the lights to depending if you want a Canadian built one or a British built one and having used some bulk stiowage on the rear some of those fitting are not necessary either, I switched the rifles fior SMLE as this one will be in Italy.

I would think you got a bit of a rocky ride in these , still they were possibly one of the most widely used vehicles throughout the war, hate by some but loved by many.

Chad,

Some updates on the gun. I think I have a builders error here. Looking at the MG ammo box this morning I believe I have attached it the wrong way as there is a sligh rise in the ammo belt at one end, which is obviously the feed into the gun lol, lol. How the H.ll I didn't notice that when I was attaching the PE I don't know. I have added 4 rds leding to the breech to fix this blindmans error Hopefully when they are painted in they will be OK.

Still have to decide whether or not to fit the sight in the gun lock position and feed the plumbing up the pole and along the barrel.

Life











Al

Really nice work. Really nice.

Hi Bill,

Many thanks for dropping in and for the kind comments.

Al

Hey Brad,
My Dad tells me that it was also SOP in his regiment to assign an observer to each carrier, when traveling over rough terrain or narrow roads, who's sole job was to keep an eye on the carrier ahead and make sure that their tracks and their connecting pins stayed in place.
Additionally, the observer would warn them by radio if he thought their load was shifting and they were in danger of flipping.
Dad says that with all the spare ammo, mortar rounds and additional kit that got crammed into and onto these things, it was very easy to tip a carrier over with disastrous and/or deadly results.
It's probably one of the reasons why the larger Windsor and T16 versions were designed with an extra wheels and made a bit wider.

http://www.mapleleafup.org/vehicles/carriers/t16.html

Al, your carrier is shaping up great, looking forward to the finished product.
Cheers

jjumbo

Hi John,

Say Hi to your Dad, that's good useful first hand information. Got the basic camo coat on this evening but not much else. Still need to make a choic of lights but it should look a bit more finished by the next set of pics.

Cheers

Al

Started to add a little camo and soem decals

Al

hi Alan!

looking better and better,do you have any figures ready to go with this little gem?

Hi Stufer,

Thanks. no figures yet, just a couple of ideas.

Al

Great painting and wear.

Where is the MG? Are you sorting out the ammo issue?

Chas

Alan looks great !

i really like the camo

what did you use to paint the stowage?

did you hand paint the vehicle?

Hi Chas and James,

Thanks for droping in.

Chas,

MGs not fixed as I have more kit to add to the rear and still need to sort out the lights and some side stowage so it will be the last item to get attached. Much easier to hold the carrier. Ammo issue is sorted, well more or less

James,

Yip, it's all hand painted, stowage is just a range of appropriate colours blended in with a few washes. Still a lot of small detail to do, but I should get the build finished this weekend if I am lucky and then can finish off the weathering.

Stuck in a search for 64 decals on brown, I have a set somewhere but can't quite find them

Cheers

Al

thanks Al

yerr i cant wait to see it finished

Hi James,

Thnaks for dropping in some updates later today or tomorrow.

Al

Hi Guys,

One of those days yesterday, somethings went OK others not. Got the lights fitted to the front, re-positioned the MG slightly further up the engine housing as I noticed I had it in the wrong place, Successfully re-moved the PE form the MG Box and then went on to break the end off the box .

Added the 64 decal on a painted backgouund which I'm please with and sorted out the remaining small stores less some ammo boxes I want to add. There is some silvering on the fromt decal which needs attended to and lots of small itmes/details to finish off. I'll put a tarp over the shovel handle on the front as it is a bit warpped and if necessary an oily rag over the dmaged end of the ammo box once I get it painted and re attached.

One step closer but still a lot to do, personal kit items to add, helmets and water bottles maybe some webbing.

Al

Superb work Alan looks superb great work I cant wait to see it finished

Hi James,

Thanks, glad you're enjoying the build.

BTW: Did you get my PM? If you PM me you're Email address I'll send the Grant stuff along.

Al

yea sorry i miss read it il Pm you my address

do you have any pictures of it in service?

Hi James,

For in servcie pictures try IWM site, my second home

or just google M3 Grant.

Al

second home I've seen the Grant

Ive been there a few times my history teacher is always there you'l probably know him

It's really starting to look the part now Alan. The stowage really makes it come alive.

Hi Pat,

Many thank for looking in, appreciated.

Well I think I have reached a point where I can say the build is done!! Apart from some dust or mud, haven't decided which yet and a few personal items of kit to add, this should be about done.

If you spot anything wrong, now would be a good time to let me know



















Al