This will be my first Allied tank since returning to modeling. I know that there are some issues with the accuracy of some of the parts, namely the suspension, which is where I am stuck.

I'm looking for some advice on how to build the VSS suspension...not correcting it, but just building it/painting it. I'm thinking that I should paint the roadwheels, then the inner arms, then assemble the pieces, then mask off the wheels and paint the whole thing.

I AM contemplating getting resin replacement parts for accuracy, so for the meantime, I skipped the suspension, and moved on to the interior.

Any advice?

Thanks
Rich

You can just paint the whole lot at once, then hit the tires separately if you want. Put a bit of blue tac on the connecting points so you won't have to scrape afterwords, and you should be good to go.

Put up some pictures. I've thought about getting this kit. Later batches had the corrected suspension.

Kinda depends if you have an airbrush or not ...With an airbrush you can get pretty well everywhere even if you build it up before you paint ..if you are brush painting well I might go with at least the inside and the wheels before hand ...
Hey it ain't that bad of a kit ..sure looks like a lee when you're done..

Rich,

The Academy Lee is a nice kit although as you said it takes a bit of work. I built mine a few years back and had a lot of fun. I added the later exhaust layout with the aircleaners, new stowage boxes and a Formations suspension update, among other things (such as cast effect with Mr Surfacer etc.). The Formations item is no longer in the catalogue AFAIK, but you can get either the Tasca or the Dragon plastic sets. I have the Tasca one and although quite pricey it is a beautiful kit in itself.

Steve Zaloga's article in "Military Modelling" was very helpful if you can get a hand on it (otherwise you can PM me).

As for painting, I airbrushed everything after assembly and painted the road wheels by hand (left them turning).

So, give us some pics, will ya?

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks for the replies all...

I do have an airbrush, but this being my first allied kit, I'm used to spraying the roadwheels black, then masking. (I was hoping there would be an easy button)

I wasn't aware that Tasca and Cyber Hobby made the suspension upgrades, so I checked...of course they are unavailable right now.

How can I tell if I got the "upgraded" suspension from academy?

I'll post pics soon. I just cracked this box the other night, so I'm still cleaning parts...

I am not sure if Academy ever corrected the bogie parts- this is a news to me. One way to find out is to measure the height: correct height in scale should be 10.7mm and the kit bogie is 13mm so 2.3 mm higher.

Another solution to the bogie and suspension problem is to get Academy's M7 Priest kit off of Ebay cheaply b/c M7 kit has TWO different sets of bogie units with the correct height. The kit can be purchased cheaper than the aftermarket suspensions from Tasca.
Here is the review from perth modelling:
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/academy/acd13210.html

Good luck!

I thought the suspension problem had been corrected in the later kits?

The bogies on my kit were not correct, and the parts are stamped 2006. I might be able to acquire the formations bogies, if not, I'll probably go with getting a donor M7 kit.

Still no pictures...

I seem to remember that Academy corrected the suspension for the M7 but then included the old/wrong suspension again in the Grant release (which came after the M7). I don't think Academy is known for updating earlier kits...

I have been wrong before though...

Back on topic: The PMMS review on this kit could be useful for you too Rich.

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks to Dangeroo, and pseudorealityx, I've got some excellent reference material, and the formations suspension upgrade set coming in the mail (and some barrels to boot)

Since the suspension has to wait, after cleaning the wheels up, I turned my attention to the interior. (step 4)

The construction is pretty straight forward, except for two things...

1. The interior floor insert was warped badly. I tried hot water, and that worked some, but there was still a significant amount of warping. After some more hot water, I used C clamps to clamp it to the hull pan, and let it sit overnight.

2. Where the driveshaft housing meets the transmission, it bound, which induced more warp onto the floor tray. Since this won't be seen much after assembly, I used the dremel to gouge out enough plastic on the transmission to get the parts to mate without binding. Here is the interior as of right now:





I'm happy with the level of detail, especially considering that you won't see much of it without a flashlight.

I then turned my attention to the transmission cover. Remember, this is my first US tank...ever. (okay, so the Tamiya M4A3 when I was 10...that doesn't count)

I know most Allied guys will swear by Mr. Surfacer 500 to apply casting texture, but since I don't have any, and considering Hobbytown doesn't carry it, and can't order it, I decided to use what I had available.





Yes, that is Good ole' Squadron Green. I had an almost empty bottle of testors liquid cement (the kind with the big brush in it) and I mixed Green putty into it until it was the consistency of heavy cream. Using the brush in the bottle cap, I applied the slurry in small sections, and as it dried, I stippled the bristles into the goo. I think it came out pretty well.

I know that there are some minor areas that need touched up, but overall what do you think?

Rich

Made some more progress today...

the interior is a painstaking painting project, and I know that most of it won't be seen, but it's good practice.



Also working on reshaping the turret, ala Steve Zalgoa



Rich

I can supply pictures of the Grant if that is any help, a real one not a model.

Here is a link to a walkaround I sent in.

Coming along nicely Rich! The painting of the interior looks great. Not a fan of interiors myself but I built and painted that one too, as it's quite well visible if you leave all the hatches open.

The cast effect looks great too. Keep it up! What markings will you be using?

Cheers!
Stefan

Thanks for the link Darren!

Stefan, I haven't decided on markings yet, but I think I'm going to try to mask and paint the turret stars and stripes, and the Company markings on the 75mm mantlet. The article you sent mentions this process, and I think it should work nicely.

I originally thought I would build it as a training vehicle from Fort Knox KY, which I might still do, but I also like the idea of 2/13 AR in Tunisia.

Rich

Well, it's been a while. the last two weeks in July and the first two in August didn't allow me to get much of anything done. I have the week off of work this week, and besides some day trips with the family, and a wedding this weekend, I should get some quality modeling in.

Suspension "quick fix" from Formations assembled, and OD sprayed:



Interior slowly coming along:

Looking good Rich. Looking really good.

That suspension is looking good.

Too late now, but I guess this would have been too easy.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/135-cyber-hobby-m4-vvss-suspension-early--t41-ds-track-3870-p17557.aspx

Tony,

The REALLY easy way would have been to pick up an Academy M7, but I had an offer from a member for the suspension, and a couple JR barrels, so I couldn't refuse.

Last night I progressed to the 75mm, so hopefully more pictures tonight or tomorrow.

Rich

Looking great Rich! I will be looking forward to seeing more of this one
Anthony

Okay, so the counterweight for the 75mm was a giant P.I.T.A.

It's not machinist perfect, but I'm not a machinist. It's plastruct tube, with styrene on one end, filled with epoxy, drilled out, and the bolt holes done with a pin vise.







Now it needs paint, and on to the turret basket...

Nice work Rich. Very nice.

Slow but steady progress....

The rear hull stowage boxes are far too small for an American Lee. I guess they are sized correctly for a Grant, so I had to deal with that. Instead of trying to calculate angles, and measure and do all sorts of math, I took the kit boxes, and started slapping .040 styrene sheet on them.



The above photo is one not yet attached.

Here is the other side, after some putty, a box lid, and a front hasp.



My wife calls me "Fred Sanford" because I save all kinds of "junk" that I think I can use for modeling later on. The hasp is made from the same material I use to make slings, and tie downs:



I love scotch, scotchy scotch scotch...here it goes down, down into my belly...

That is a good movie...

"Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident. "