_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
Hosted by Darren Baker
M 551 Desert Storm
mazyen
Visit this Community
Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: June 21, 2007
KitMaker: 112 posts
Armorama: 79 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 09:49 AM UTC
Greetings fr Tanzania,
With some help fr this forum, esp Frenchy, here r the pics of my completed ODS M551. Tamiya turret was used to replace the small Academy's one & the vinyl tracks r crap.





Cheers
Lee
afv_rob
Visit this Community
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: October 09, 2005
KitMaker: 2,556 posts
Armorama: 2,199 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 05, 2010 - 10:52 PM UTC
A very nice looking model! The paint job looks very good and spot on. Its such a shame though that no company has yet produced a decent accurate Sheridan kit.

My only negative comment would be that the tracks look a little odd just stuck down on the middle wheel. If you are able to i'd suggest sticking them down on both the next wheels along as well.
AikinutNY
Visit this Community
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 21, 2003
KitMaker: 683 posts
Armorama: 630 posts
Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 - 01:26 AM UTC
Looks good! I used to service the weapon system in the mid seventies and now wish I had kept some of my service manuals and taken more pictures!
Frenchy
Visit this Community
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 - 02:27 AM UTC
Nice work ! But I believe your model really deserves better tracks, like those made by Friul.

Frenchy
m75
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: July 20, 2002
KitMaker: 666 posts
Armorama: 661 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 04:45 AM UTC
I used the fruil tracks on mine,and was well worth he investment.
mazyen
Visit this Community
Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: June 21, 2007
KitMaker: 112 posts
Armorama: 79 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 09:46 PM UTC
Thanks for the feed kind feedbacks. Where can I get a set of tracks as my regular sources do not sell any for M551 anymore.
Frenchy
Visit this Community
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 02:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Where can I get a set of tracks as my regular sources do not sell any for M551 anymore.


HLJ or Sprue Brothers (among others) have Friul M551 tracks in stock :

http://www.hlj.com/product/FRL50870

http://www.spruebrothers.com/Nexternal/135-friulmodel-track-link-set---m551-sheridan-200-links-atl-87.htm

HTH

Frenchy
TankSGT
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: July 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 946 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 03:50 AM UTC
As a school trained Sheridan crewman and driver for 8 months before we got 60s I can tell you that proper track tension an an M551 should have no track touching the road wheels. The sag should be about an inch or so off the center wheel. It was checked with a canteen cup over the center wheel, looking over the sprocket to the idler you should just see the edge of the cup, which was placed on its side, not standing up. If I remember correctly anyway. I may still have the TM some where. If the track touched the wheels you would throw it for sure on a tight turn. I almost rolled an M551 but thats another story.

Tom
GunTruck
Visit this Community
California, United States
Joined: December 01, 2001
KitMaker: 5,885 posts
Armorama: 3,799 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 10:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

As a school trained Sheridan crewman and driver for 8 months before we got 60s I can tell you that proper track tension an an M551 should have no track touching the road wheels. The sag should be about an inch or so off the center wheel. It was checked with a canteen cup over the center wheel, looking over the sprocket to the idler you should just see the edge of the cup, which was placed on its side, not standing up. If I remember correctly anyway. I may still have the TM some where. If the track touched the wheels you would throw it for sure on a tight turn. I almost rolled an M551 but thats another story.


I read/got the same information from the TM too Tom. I used Fruils on my Jaguar Sheridan - and when I originally fitted them, I was able to set the tension and get the sag looking correct (even had a little 1:35 scale canteen cup to stand in) - but within a month or two the upper track run dipped down to touch the road wheels.

This is the first time I've ever wondered if Fruil track runs actually stretch. Maybe this has happened to other modelers...
TonyDz
Visit this Community
United States
Joined: December 13, 2009
KitMaker: 420 posts
Armorama: 419 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 10:42 AM UTC

Quoted Text

This is the first time I've ever wondered if Fruil track runs actually stretch. Maybe this has happened to other modelers...


Yes and no. It has more to do with what you pin them with. If you use the supplied wire they will stretch. If you pin them with larger guage brass wire or sewing pins, no they will not.
TankSGT
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: July 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 946 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 09, 2010 - 05:43 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

As a school trained Sheridan crewman and driver for 8 months before we got 60s I can tell you that proper track tension an an M551 should have no track touching the road wheels. The sag should be about an inch or so off the center wheel. It was checked with a canteen cup over the center wheel, looking over the sprocket to the idler you should just see the edge of the cup, which was placed on its side, not standing up. If I remember correctly anyway. I may still have the TM some where. If the track touched the wheels you would throw it for sure on a tight turn. I almost rolled an M551 but thats another story.


I read/got the same information from the TM too Tom. I used Fruils on my Jaguar Sheridan - and when I originally fitted them, I was able to set the tension and get the sag looking correct (even had a little 1:35 scale canteen cup to stand in) - but within a month or two the upper track run dipped down to touch the road wheels.

This is the first time I've ever wondered if Fruil track runs actually stretch. Maybe this has happened to other modelers...

Well the real ones stretch too how many miles did you put on it after you finished

Tom
mazyen
Visit this Community
Singapore / 新加坡
Joined: June 21, 2007
KitMaker: 112 posts
Armorama: 79 posts
Posted: Friday, September 24, 2010 - 04:02 AM UTC
Here r a few pics after I've sorted out the tracks.




These were tied down with black treads to the 2nd & middle wheel. That's the best I can make of these crappy vinyl tracks since I ain't gonna part with approx USD 40(includes postage) on the metal tracks. Thanks for the feed back again.
Cheers
Lee
TankSGT
Visit this Community
New Jersey, United States
Joined: July 25, 2006
KitMaker: 1,139 posts
Armorama: 946 posts
Posted: Friday, September 24, 2010 - 06:33 AM UTC
A++ on the tracks knowing what you had to work with. I built the one I crewed in Germany years ago and used metal chicken shields around the TC looks like 2 inch armor plate. Funny how we had sheilds on the 551 and 113 and have now had to relearn the lesson and add them on to every vehicle again.

Tom
Removed by original poster on 09/24/10 - 18:02:19 (GMT).
Petition2God
Visit this Community
Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
Armorama: 1,294 posts
Posted: Friday, September 24, 2010 - 07:42 AM UTC
T Lee,
Great job knowing what you had to work with as a base model! Tracks look much more realistic. If I were you though, I would fill in those pads with some epoxy putty. Just a suggestion. I wanted to get the Academy kit and scratch build a lot of junk but dreading it.
 _GOTOTOP