Hello Bob,
I am late about the book on Tarawa, I bought alot of books (100+) at once from 6 different places and I have not gotten them. I also cannot find the invoices but the books arrive tomorrow. I will find that book and post the title and writer then.
About the campaign, I remember the show Victory at Sea and there was a SBD landing on a Carrier during the Midway Campaign. The SBD was all shot up and I was thinking about do it as a DIO. The problem is, My copy does not have that landing on it. The local PBS shows VaS every so often, I might be able to tape a copy and send it to you so the Dio is allowed. Is that OK? I am sure that others have seen the show, But I may not be able to get a Photo of it.
I am also thinking about doing another Dio about the Japanese Aircraft and some ground vehicles. I have not found a Photo yet, But I am still looking.
Do you know it the campaign has been approved? Never mind, I found it.
Cheers,
Bruce

Yes sir! two thumbs up!!.. I´m in with a M4A2 Sherman of the 4th Marine div. in saipan.. My main references are the photo series from a DVD from the US Marines in the marianas campaign that I posted before.

The only concern is the wading trunk that Dragon doesn´t include in any of their models so I will have to make it from scracht or buy the resin one from the tank workshop, if someone of you guys have a diagram or a scheme with the measures of such wadign trunk I´d be very appreciated..

Good Luck to everyone in this campaign, eh!..

Gabo.

Bob I found this Marine M3 of the 7th. Division on Samoa.


Robert

Hey Gabriel, Italeri had wading stacks included in one of their shermans kits. It was titles M4 sherman on the box art, search up italeri sherman, maybe you can find one off ebay or someone here could help out.

An amphibian would make an excellent choice. I believe that is an LVT2 on Saipan, colorful and weather-beaten. LuckyModel has the LVT(A)2 kit on sale and I have plenty of references. Thank you, Bob.

-Doug

Academy has wading trunks for their M4A2. I'd like a set with an M4A1 so I could do one from Kwajalein.

Wow a lot of work going on already, nice to see.

Robert, that drawing is what someone thought it should be. You are in luck however because this is the actual tank as seen on Bougainville, at least that’s what Steven Zaloga stated in the reference book “Tank Battles of the Pacific War” Here is the photo;

Great book and highly recommended. Notice the placement of markings between the two?

Calvin, great subject and glad to see you made up your choice. I really like the details that can be found concerning them. I’m leaning more towards Guam at the moment, just digging through my stash to see if I have everything I need.

Bruce, references like that should be fine if we can get a confirmation from someone else who has seen that specific video. I have a number of them and if you need I can scan them for what you need. Also we know they were there and have to assume some were shot up, it might just come down to excepting the fact that it was probable, we can determine a number of details from other photos and can also assume that a combination was possible. And yes the campaign was approved.

Gabriel, as Calvin noted and I have a couple of those if you need one, let me know because I’ll have to dig it out.

Doug, I thought you might like that one, good luck with those colors, one I defiantly want to see how you do it, of course assuming you are doing that specific LVT. If not it's a great reference photo anyway.

Russ, it’s pretty easy to do a scratch if you have the right photos of how it was attached. I’ll look through my references to see if I can find some for the M4A1 if you want.

Thanks guys and let me know if I can help,
Bob


By the way I was clearing out photos from my main site so if you need any of those let me know. I'll be placing all photos in the correct file now and will maintain them untill the end of the Campaign.

Thanks Bob for the photo, it shows that I need to put on some saddle tanks and jerry cans along with rounding off the read deck. Is the square red and white no. 3 or vise versa? I will try to hand paint the markings. HA Still waiting for my 2 books on the pacific armor (M3A1) until then this is my entry photo and drawing:



I think this is going to be a great campign and it has not even started yet. Glad to see some people that I know also.

Bob I have a Tank Workshop composite hull that I am thinking on building also, I have Squadrons M4 Walkaround that has a drawing on the subject. Do you have any other data or photos that I might use for this version?

Robert

Hi Robert,
I believe the decals that come with the model are the correct ones. If you don’t have them I’m pretty sure I do. Let me know if you need them.
Composite hull is strictly US Army; the exact tank will determine what is needed. For example if it is high bustle turret or not, and if it had the pistol port or not. If you have something in mind let me know and I’ll look it up.
Since I posted last I’ve narrowed my choices down to Guam, Makin and Iwo Jima. Now I just have to check my stash to see what I can do without having to do an order.
I’m also a little concerned about our ribbons, we might not be able to use more than one and I might have to go back and redesign a single one for the campaign.
Never ends,
Bob

Academy M3a1 stuart has the correct decals for "painintheas...paragus " its a pretty good kit, but some reviewers pointed out small details that are incorrect, it wouldnt really matter since much of it wont be seen.

Ok Bob I will try this again:

In Squadron #5701 Walk Around M4 Sherman on page 76 figure #4 shows an M4 composite hull of B Company, 44th. Tank Battalion in the Phillippines in February 1945.
Figure #3 shows a US Marine Corps M4A2 of the 3rd. Tank Battalion on Iwo Jima. Below are the items that I have to play with to accomplish either one maybe.



Italeri - M4A1.
Tamiya - M3 Grant.
Trakz - Sherman Late Production High Bustle Turret.
AVF - T49 Tracls.
Tank Work Shop - Composite M4 Hull.
Tank Work Shop - T-23 Turret.
Tank Work Shop - Welded Sherman Hull.
Formations - Late Single Piece Cast Double Brake Sherman Transmission.
Formations - Wedlded Spoked Sherman Wheels w / Idlers and Spare.
Formations - Air Cleaners for Radial Engined Sherman.
Formations - Late High Bustle 75mm Sherman Turret w / Vision Cupola.
Formations - 76mm Sherman Gun Barrels (2 styles)

M3A1 project:
Tamiya M3 Stuart.
Formations M3 Stuart Turret.

I will modify / scratch the needed parts for the tank to be the correct version. If you want to sell those decals for #3 Painintheass just let me know what you would take for them.

Ahh now the fun starts
Robert

Just as a Reminder, everyone go to the Campaign Page and click on the Enlist Button to be Officially added in the Campaign

Robert,
Looks like you’re going all out for this one. Both look like you have enough to get a great start.
PM me your address and I’ll get those in the mail to you.
Bob

Rob, how much of the tank will be from the original manf? Lots of work ahead of you.

Hi Guys, Count me in. This will be my first campaign and I'm really looking forward to it. I have a picture of a Sherman(Lucky Legs) and some Marines on Boughanville that I received from my wife last Christmas. This is one of my favorite pictures and will be fun to model.....Vince

@ Bob: this is my favorite subject, WWII and the Picific Theatre. The M3 Stuart and M4 Sherman just tickle my interest to over flowing. Thanks for the offer of help with my build.
@Mikey: I have (2) kits to choose from for the bottom hull, suppension, bogies, idler wheels, drive sprocket, and transmission housing. ITALERI's M4A1 and TAMIYA's M3 Grant. As indicated in my thread above with all of the parts I mentioned Squadron's M4 Walk Around on page 76 displaying (2) different M4's. An M4 Composite and an M4A2, all I need to do now is research to find out if what I have in materials in the photos above will give the basis to accomplish the M4 build for the campaign.

As for the M3A1 Stuart everything is under control.
1. Tamiya kit: for basic tank.
2. AFV T16: tracks.
3.Trackz / Formations Turret: cannot remember which one it is the parts have been sitting in the spares box for awhile.
4. Plastistruct: to modify the square rear deck into the rounded type.

Robert

A warning about the Tamiya tank and AFV Club tracks: you will have to radically thin the return roller mounts. The AFV Club track teeth are higher than theTamiya teeth so the AFV Club tracks end up sitting on top of the return roller mounts making the track float over them. You might be better off using an Academy Stuart as a base. Not mentioned in the AFV Club instructions!

I jumped the gun on the ribbons. Armorama is not set up to accommodate awarding different ribbons for a single campaign. Hopefully someday it will. So I had to choose one of the Ribbons to use for the final campaign award;

Vince, Welcome aboard, Lucky Legs is a great choice.
Robert,
I don’t have that walk around so I’m not sure what you may need. If you choose a specific location I can dig up photos for suggestions, which will help in determining what you may need for parts. Gary gives a great suggestion for the Stuart.
My choices are down to Guam and Iwo Jima, Makin required too many parts I didn’t have.
Bob

@ Gary: Budget states that I will be doing a lot of work with what I have, but that is the fun of it. Thanks for the info.
@ Bob: Can I legally scan the page and post it here?

BTW: nice ribbon.

Robert

Yes but you have to provide all the details, Book, who wrote it, who the photo might belong to, that type of thing and that it is presented for discussion purposes. I guess if they really want to be picky they can request that it be removed,
(I was always curious how someone could claim copy write on a photo belonging to the US Government)
Bob


Notes;
Calvin do you need those Roi-Namur photos of the M5A1's?

Everyone remember to enlist on the Campaign Page

Bob this is not a photo but a drawing, so that might, wait a minute I will send it to you by PM.


Robert

Well Bob I am not able to install the drawing on the PM, it will have to either be on a tread post or by regular email.

Robert

Your choice Robert, my suggestion just post it and give the credit to whom it belongs.
Bob

Robert i see alot of goodies there, mind sharing the wealth nah just kidding, i cant wait to see you get started on the sherman though, i was going to do lucky legs in a dio with DMLs guadalcanal marines next to her on bougainville eventually.

Calvin I will need the composite hull and acc. but if there is something that you need we could trade for something. PM me.

@Bob: I will post the drawing when I get home.


Robert

I believe I’m going to go with Guam for this Campaign.
US Army 706th TB M4 Composite “Dark Eyes”

Dragon M4 Composite Hull
With some spare parts and some scratch built items.
Only thing I need will be from Archer. Just generic lettering and numbers so I can make the markings

USMC 3rd TB M4A2 “Adamzapple”

M4A2 Tarawa Dragon kit
Tank Workshop 55 gal Waders
AND some scratch building of specific parts

Type 97 9th Tank Regiment


Tamiya Type 97 dug into a revetment
I have some PE for this one.
All on a specially designed diorama base that I haven’t figure out yet.

Now that should keep me busy along with my Sisters diorama I’m building and the PBY I’m building for another Campaign along with a review I’ll hopefully be doing.
YES, and so little time………

Bob