I have been away from modeling for several years and never even heard of Tasca until I found this forum. Being a shermanholic, I decided to give one of the Tasca kits a try.

I have always liked the Sherman on the cover of Squadrons Sherman in action book. I started to build that Sherman many moons ago, But ended up scraping the project on account of fit issues and other inaccuracies with the resin hull I was using.

The new Tasca kit looks like it will fit the bill very nicely. My goal is to replicate that M4A1 as close as possible.

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I think you're going to like this

Hey John
A nice choice of tank!
There are plenty of us here to help you out along the way.
As you mentioned you'd like to replicate the featured tank as close as possible, I think it'd be prudent to tell you that the Tasca kit needs to have it's rivets removed on the lower hull to realise the more common welded version, and the bottom edge of the rear tub (under the engine access doors) should have a smooth rounded finish, not the angled plate as in the kit. The rest looks quite straight forward.
If you need an archive pic of this tank give us a yell
Brad

Brad,

Thanks for the help! I know about the welded hull syndrome on the tasca kit. I haven’t decided yet whether to buy the formations lower hull, or modify the kit hull. More than likely I will modify the kit hull since it won’t be seen that well once the vehicle it fixed to a base.

My Squadron book is packed away some where deep in the attic, so if you have any archive pics of this tank, I would be more than happy to see it.

Thanks, John

Well, I couldn’t help myself. Last night I open some bags and started cutting plastic. I always start with fitting the lower and upper hull on any tank I build, so I started with assembly of the lower hull. The fit on the lower hull pieces is excellent. I then assembled the transmission housing so I could dry fit it to the hull.

Next came the removal of the rivets to replicate a welded hull. I decided to use the kit parts verses Formations lower hull due to the fact that this area won’t be seen very well. I do believe I will give Formation a try on the next one.

Now I have to figure out how I am going to recontour the lower edge of the rear plate. I may start cleaning up some road wheels while I ponder this task.

To couture the lower rear plate, I glued a strip of styrene on the angled portion and then shaped it with a file. I brushed on a guide coat of gray paint. This will help me see imperfections when I do the final sanding.

The rear tow lugs (parts E7) had to have the weld bead filed off on 3 sided to fit the new contour. I glued them in place and created new weld beads around them.

I also dug my Squadron book from the attic and found the picture of the real tank on page 22 to study the hedge row cutter. It differs slightly from that of the artwork on the cover. I dug in my pile of styrene strips and got a good start on the cutter.

Great start!

I'm working on the Tasca Mid for the Sherman Campaign, and I cannot believe how wonderful the parts fit together... the lower hull was a SNAP to build.

I'll be watching this one closely!

I know you dont wan´t to hear it,but:



The transmission cover from Tasca is wrong for that featured Sherman.

Tasca represents the middle version, you need the late version,which is more sharper in the front.

Formations Models sells a replacement.

Evgenij,

You are correct. I will need to get a replacement from formations.

Thanks, John

I ordered the sharp nose transmission from Formations. While I’m waiting on it to arrive I added torch cut edges and weld beads to the hedge choppers. I left the I beams a little long so I can trim and fit to the cover latter.

This was a fun little project for this tank. Hedge choppers where engineered by the men in the field and were very crudely made, so one doesn’t need to be real precise with it.

I figured I hadn’t posted in a while, so I will give you a run down of what’s going on with the build.

I’m still waiting on the new transmission housing from formations. This has me held up as I would like to get the lower and upper hulls combined before I get too involved in detailing.

I have mainly spent my time researching the markings and placement. I have spent countless hours searching on line for more photos of 7th AD 31st TB vehicles. But am unable to find anything.

I did manage to get a little work done on the turret. Tasca’s cast turret and hull are a little on the smooth side. I replicated the cast texture on the turret by using the liquid glue technique. Instead of using a brush to stipple the surface, I use a piece of thin cardboard (model box) and float it over the surface in varying directions. Once dry, I lightly buff it with 000 steel wool.





Enjoy!!

Holy cow! that has to be one of the most realistic cast-texturing techniques ive seen! can you show us pics of a step by step?

I built this kit about a year ago. Tasca shermans cant be beat!

Hi Jon and Thanks!!


I could do a step by step, but I work 2nd shift and would need my wife to take the pictures. I won’t see her awake again for another week. Plus, I just finished texturing the upper hull, so I would have to find a demo piece.

Let’s see if I can describe it.

Go get something out of the parts box to practice on.

The supplies you will need are,

Liquid cement
Small flat point brush
A small piece of thin cardboard about the same width and length as your fore finger. I use a piece from a model box.
And lastly, 000 steel wool.



Work in a small area, apply a pool of cement with the small brush. You can stipple lightly while the plastic is getting soft. Once the plastic is soft, take the cardboard and place onto the soft plastic. Use your finger to press the cardboard into the plastic. Now float it around twisting randomly as you move around the wet area.

Once you have it looking the way you want, repeat that step next to the area you just finished until you have completed the entire surface.

That’s what great about using liquid cement as you can work in small areas and blend the next area into it.

Once the cement has dried, buff down the glossy surface with 000 steel wool until you achieve a dull finish.

I have to agree John, that is a beaut finish you have achieved.
Don't forget your drainholes in the air vets etc.
Brad

Awesome work John, keep it coming.

G

I got the Formations cast nose in the mail today. The quality is excellent, and it fit like a glove! Just some very light…..and I mean very light clean up on the mating surfaces. All that was needed was a couple of very light passes with a file to clean up a little flash.

So now I’m in the process of fitting parts to the hull and prepping for any seams that will need to be filled.

Here are some more pics of the cast texture to look at until I can update this post again.

I have been stalled on this project due to shift changes at work and trying to get used to sleeping during the day now. Plus the wife decided I needed to clean and reorganize my work area.

I’m currently working on the bogies. To me, this is the most time consuming and most boring part of any build. Especially on the Tasca bogies. Twice as many parts as what I am used to. I spent several hours cleaning mold lines off of the road wheels and other parts.

I have one bogie assembled and was a challenge to hold all the loose parts together. Once the glue dries, I will fill the seams and add the track skids.

Good work so far, Mister . The texture looks good.

very nice, i like your technique on the cast texture. I was playing with using mr. surfacer on my tasca build... i'll try your technique on my next

I was never much of a sherman guy, but the tasca kit has turned me. I only plan on building tascas though.

John,

Glad to see you're cracking on again. With the bogies, didn't you see the note in the instructions about growing extra fingers to hold all the parts?

How are those Formations spacers? I use the kit-supplied foam, but I have to say I'm not sure how long it'll last before it degrades...

Tom

Hi Aaron, I know the Tascas kits will spoil ya!

Tom, I didn't like the idea of having to cut all the spacers, so I bought the formations spaces. They are the way to go in my book.


Last night was my night off and had to force myself to stay up all night, so I got some build time in. I made a template for the 4 holes on the front of the bogies so I could keep them all spaced out the same.

4 of the 6 bogies completed!

Really nice work. The Tasca Shermans are fantastic. I have finished the Tasca M4A1 with the initial suspension and it went together superbly. Also building Academys M4A2 Soviet army, Academys M4A2 Marines, Dragons M4A2 Tarawa (nice kit) and Dragons M4A1 early version. The last one has been re-released but dates back to the late 90's and compared to their new Tarawa Sherman and the Tasca ones, it is pretty poor. I'll also be buying Tascas Sherman Jumbo soon. I'm not a Shermanholic. Honest. I prefer T-34's!!!!! I'm building about 8 of those1

Stevie.

I made the liquid glue tecnique to replicate casting sufaces but actually I stippled the glue on the plastic parts with an old stiff brush

Your "cardboard method" seeams more effective and most controllable.

I'll surely try it on my next build


In my opinion this tip description could be a good subject for a "build story" issue

Thanks a lot for the advices

cheers

For those of you that have been following this build and wondering if I’m ever going to post again. The answer is yes, but let me tell you what’s going on.

I did the research for the Archer transfers,

http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35345.html

And while researching them, All the pictures of the M4A1 small hatch Sherman’s I found had the early final drive housing on them, meaning that the Tasca kit is correct in that department. I installed the late sharp nose final drive from Formations.

Thanks to this larger picture, The final drive can clearly be seen.





It’s too late to correct this now, so the only thing to do is start over with the hull. I have acquired another kit and will rebuild the hull from that kit.

In the meantime, I have developed a sever case of AMS and have been working on models for a few of the campaigns that are currently running.

This is one project that I don’t want to rush, so subscribe to this thread and I will post updates when I get my mojo back.


Big John