Well I couldn't resist starting to start working on my JD Sherman I got from Shane(GeneralSpecific) and started to tackle the turret. I scrapped the turret hatches that came with it and decided to make my own. The commanders hatch will have rotateing vission port. I find that JB Quick(a type of JB Weld) works great on this tank, haven't tried epoxy yet. Here are a few pics of the work so far. As always comments are most welcomed.... Harold

This Sherman is located at the tank museum(open air) in S. Calif in Rosemead. What is the designation of this Sherman? The photo titles say M4A3d and a placard(sign) in front of the tank says 76. Thank you in advance.... Harold

Update:
Work continues. I have now finished the commander's vision port, and it rotates nicely. I have drilled the opening for the commader's external site to be viewed from. I have also added the mg socket to the rear side of the copula. Here are the latest pics...






Here are a few pics of an actual periscope insert for a Sherman tank. A friend gave me this many years ago was still wrapped in it padded cover and in the original carton. I included these pics so all can see what an actual periscope lense looks like




Here is a pic taken through the lense and yes those are my fingers you see in the window

Update I phoned the tank museum and inquired about the Sherman in the pictures and they informed me that the Sherman is an M4A3E8. Also called an Easy Eight. He is also going to e-mail me some pics of the undersides of the commanders copula hatch.
As for the barrel of this tank it is one they made up since the barrel was missing, hence the bit on the end of the barrel

That is a late model M4A3 Sherman with a 75mm gun and VVSS suspension, An Easy 8 had a long barrelled 76mm gun and HVSS suspension. The Sherman in the picture to the left has HVSS suspension. It was the lastmark of Sherman made with the 75mm gun. Hope this helps.

TC

You are correct he gave me the wrong info, He was referring to the Sherman beside the one I was inquiring about will have to call him again.... thanks Harold

Any time, I forgot to add that your turret is coming along quite nicely.

Tom

Thank you Tom

Looking good so far, well done.

Anthony

Good job on the turret. With the amount of research you seem to be doing, should make for a great build.

Nice work friend. Can I borrow some of that spare time you have? Just kiding. Love the project.

Update:
Here is how I made the new barrel for the Sherman. I didn't like the the stock barrel as it was just a piece of tubbing with no taper to it.I took an old open face fishing rod and removed the handle from the rod, and cut it to a length longer than required. The 1st pics I have started the 1st wrap of cotton butchers cord. I tack glue every 20 wraps just incase it slips out of my hand to save re-wrapping the cord. It only will un-wrap back as far as the last tacked spot


Fiber glass fishing rod barrel core now fully wrapped

Next pic I have coated the first wrapping with several coats of Elmer's yellow carpenters glue, sanding between each coat, and started the second wrapping

Second wrapping completed

The second wrapping has had 3 to 4 coats of glue, sanding between coats. The barrel has been cut to length and an insert glued into the barrel core

The next group of pics are of the barrel glued to the mantlet, "ears" added to the mantlet.

The next pics are of the inside of the barrel assembly

Update:
Well I screwed the mantlet assembly to the turret to see how she looks with the main gun on the turret. I then proceeded to scratchbuild the 50cal mount for the turret. For the post I used the left over upper rad hose piece from my DML Jeep. Here are a few pics of the mount with the gun attached on the commander's copula gun mount base

Would this be the correct 50cal cradle mount for this Sherman?

The one I scratchbuilt was copied from a 50cal cradle mount from a Jeep I have here

Update:
I decided to tackle the loader's hatch external details, the counter balance assembly. I used a couple ball point springs and a couple pieces of copper wire. Here is what I came up with.

Update:
I made new hatches for the driver and co driver. The vision periscopes also rotate like the the comander's periscope rotates. I made the guards from heavy copper wire. Here are the latesest pics of the hatches.... Harold

Here are a few pics I took of the completed Desimone M4A3 Sherman. I used some left over parts from a 1/6th Viper Sherman. I used the front sprockets, boggies with road wheels, track, and mantlet with barrel. I added the rear folding rack from East Coast Armory, and scratchbuilt barrel cleaning rods. The tools are from left over tools from jeeps. Comments welcomed.... Harold