Hi Guys,

I was going to save this for the Sherman Campaign but I feel a need to get a start made. Some pics of the spures:























The DML replecement hull and tracks. I may change the track type but I would like to do one with duckbills, I shal check out the lastest Tasca Offerings.





Al

Al,

Those sprue shots bring back memories! (My kit is in storage at the moment...)

As for duckbills, I thought the indy link track in my DML early M4A1 had them on a sprue - possibly with the plain pads that also came in my kit. Can't verify it at the moment, since it too is in storage. I believe there is a set of DS tracks with duckbills, and Academy do a set too. (Sold with one of their kits, or in that five-pack track set available only from Moduni in Germany. I used them on another Italeri Sherman build, and they are a tad loose.)

Tom

Hi Tom,

Final track choice is yet to be decided but I though duckbills would fit very well with this vehicle. I should have both T41 and T62s that I could add the duckbills to although I think I have a picture of one with T49 steel cleat type tracks, but I'll check as I get things underway.

There are good track set options coming out form Tasca.

Cheers

Al

Al,

The pic in Forty's book (with UK T-number) rides on T49 three-bar cleat tracks, but I think the US versions I've seen in pics generally ran on rubber pads. Duckbills would look great, but remember to widen the boom-lifting pulley on the drive sprocket to clear them! (That has to be the oddest engineering solution to the whole boom-raising problem - surely a rope pulled by the crew would have been simpler?...) Doesn't Panda Plastics do various sets of indy-links with duckbills? I keep meaning to get some just to have a look.

Tom

Hi Tom,

Good point on the pulley, thanks. Panda Plastics make great tracks.

Al

Al,

Are Panda tracks available through anyone here in the UK?

Tom

PS: You could really push the boat out and add spacers for the grousers seen on the inboard side of some tracks...

Hi Tom,

Not that I am aware of, I've always ordered mine direct from Panda Plastics

http://www.shermantracks.com/

Not sure if there is a PE set for this one, I shall have to study the reference pictures I have and the diagrams.

Cheers

Al

Right,

Well the saw is out. The first thing I can see is that the platform height appears to be wrong. The kit gives a step up platform. There is no step. The crew platform, the rear of the floor, appears to sit flush with the top of the hull sides. The Gunners Platform rests on top of the winch plate covers and appears to overspill onto the crew platform by about 4/6 inches (best guess). The gunners platform also appeasr to have a couple of inches gap either side.

The winch plate covers, which don't exist in the kit, sit flush with the hull sides and the crew platform.

The whole lot seems supported by a large I type frame which is what I'll make to support the new struchure. I shall also thin the Gunners platform on the underside as the plates don't look that thick in the real thing.

There will be a bit of trial and error here I suspect.

I have a good reference for the stowage on the right hand side, and the kit parts will need altered. For some reason there is no clear picture of the left hand side stowage but it appears to be 16 x 4 drawer high affair, best I an tell so work required there.

Cheers

Al

Al,

I did a great deal of research into the internals of the M32 last year, and contributed to some of the discussions on a really detailed build over at the Track-Link site. I can't lay my hands on the info just yet (it is spread between boxes I cannot reach and files on a remote storage device) but when I can I'll forward you what I know. If I recall correctly the LHS is indeed a big tool chest, but there are other things there too.

It will probably be a couple of weeks before I can get at the info (I need to be cut from this cast first, so I can climb the stairs!), if you can wait for it...

The Italeri floor is an abomination best binned. The real floor stood over stowage bins at the rear, and only extended forward to the back edge of the gunner's platform. The gunner's platform stood about a foot taller than the floor on a girder framework, and was made up of the plates covering the winch. (Italeri moulded the two floors as one piece, when there should be an open gap between them revealing the winch if viewed from the rear of the tank...) There were bins either side of the winch under the raised gunner's platform, with the left-hand one accessed from above with all sorts stowed in it, and the right-hand one accessed from the front holding .30cal boxes for the hull gunner. And all this raised up to clear the prop shaft!

Hope this helps,

Tom

Edit: Just found the link to James Welcher's build. Here's what you need!
http://www.track-link.net/forum/site_blogs/11508

and:
http://www.track-link.net/forum/site_blogs/9626
(Not sure why he left the trunking for the removed aux generator in...)

Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks, a great looking build by James, I might just put mine back in the box.

Al

Al,

Please tell me you're joking! I'd hate to have scared you off, especially as my own build won't be to James' standards...

Tom

Hi Tom,

The thought crossed my mind . A slight re-think is required. I have a Tacsa M4A1 I could use, but I'd prefer to use the Italieria kit parts where possible. I'd been thinking about an interior as it would set the paramaters for what comes on top more accurately so the CMK kit might well be the way to go and it should be fun as I haven't built a Sherman interior yet unless you count the M3 Grant.

The main change will be time as it will take much longer to complete, but then when is buiding ever fast lol, lol.

Then comes the question to winch or not to winch!!

Al

Hi Guys,

Well here we go:

The Italeri lower hull lacks any kind of bolt detail behind the boggies or linking the transmission so I thought I'd start there:



These are the two floor plates I mentioned above. Seems the best solution would be to replace them with PE. Also looking at James's build and having given it some thought I'll add a basic interior as at least that way I have fixed reference points to build the top floors to.



This will be a long one.

Al

The M32 floor is definitely stepped here are a few photos from my build of the IDF 1973 variant and one shot sent to me from a M32 manual.

I messed up a bit uploading the photos,but if you click on the box or search in the gallery under shiryon you will see them.

First image is the completed floor. when the winch is used through the rear turret door the cable goes from the winch through th eopen space (step) between both floor plates.Just a note the interior layout on my m32 is based on the IDF 1970s model. I did however leave out a detail or two on the tool drawers due to needing to rush completion of the interior.



picture 2 are the 3 plates that make up th etwo steps the two small plates a fitted towards the rear at the height sponsons. The second plate sits over the winch directly behind the driver. the center hatch in the flloor of teh upper step is for when using the cable through the dorward turret door.



Picture three shows you the framing over the winch. the plate over teh transmissin is for its protection as the M32 also has a door cut just above teh nose bolts for direct pulling.



Picture is a copy of a manual photo I got while researching. It shows a slightly fifferent floor hatch layout but clearly shows the step and shape of th etop step/floor.


Joshua

Hi Joshua,

Thanks for the references. That's a much clearer picture than the one I have where it appears the gunners platform is resting on the winch panels. Thanks, small step up it is then.

Al

Ah, to winch or not to winch? Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous scratchbuilding, or order the Tamiya Dragon Wagon sprues F & G from Rainbow Ten...

Rather depends how visible your interior is! The James W approach almost demands the upper hull remains loose to show off all that hard work, but if you plan to glue the hull together then what's under the floor plates doesn't get seen from any of the hatches and can be left out or simplified...

Tom

since this is a fairly active topic I have one question. there is a 1" hole to the left of the rear cable door on the turret anyone know what this is for?

Thanks Joshua

Hi Joshua,

Do you have a picture?

Right guys,

A bit more work. I have added the bolt and weld detail to the lower rim of the turret. I found the flat rim wanted to 'melt' when I was doing the work so be careful there.

I have added some bolt detail to the boggies, a bit basic but I wanted to use as many kit parts as possible so I have chosen to try and fix things rather than replace unless reallly necessary.

Al

Hey, Alan...

Nice project!!!

Following this beauty....

I build my M32B1 in American colors, with a ben-hur tool (scratch) trailer...

Joshua,

Can't say as I've ever noticed a hole in the rear turret wall. The examples I've seen don't show any bolts passing through (the most likely use of a 1" diameter hole...) but if you have a picture to show it might help. Internally the turret rear wall was covered in stuff like signal flares and a bazooka, so I doubt it is anything mechanical passing through. Externally there shouldn't be anything big mounted that might foul the winch cable door, but I suspect over time the need for field expedients meant no two M32s were exactly alike - just like snowflakes!

The thing I've never understood is the need for a closeable commander's hatch at the back, but a whopping big unarmoured hole at the front where the MG ring was!

Tom

Hi Marcos,

Very cooly looking build, I like you trailer (not enough og those aorund). I see the standard is very high so I hope mine turns out half decent.

Great work as always.

Al

Hi Guys,

Having been delayed by Easter my CMK Interior set arrived this morning. Whilst it's soaking and I contemplate the additonal work, a few pics of the kit, not all of which will be necessary.











I haven't built a Sherman interior before so this will be interesting allbeit that it will considerably lengthen the build. I also got some Aber floor plate and came across the LionMarc 1/35 Sherman Boggie bolt set that I sent off for as I might as well go the whole hog and I haev a couple of Shermans that are missing them also.

In the meantime back to the Churchill.

Al

A Sherman, I like it, and with a lot of extra detail inside !

Al here are some numbers for the floor plates from my notes on the M32 at yafo in Israel. the fron floor is 126 cm turret ceiling to floor the lower floor is 28 cm down from the upper floor. Unfortunately most of the rest of my measurements are specific to the IDF modified M32. However these other measurements may help especially in making the rear door.

Rear door exterior 18 cm X 67 cm
interior 11 cm X 46 cm
width of rear pully mount 54 cm


I will try and upload some of my photos on my webshots page today . You can already view My Friend Erans photos there. I have two pages which will be re organised into one.

Shiryon page:

http://community.webshots.com/user/shiryon?start=42

totchan page:

http://community.webshots.com/user/totchan

Joshua