Hello all

I decided to build another WWII American Halftrack for my next project. As with the other two, it is a variant that nobody makes a kit for.

The kits I am using are the Plus Model White 160AX engine for the Tamiya M3 Halftrack. That brought with it some interesting problems when used in the DML Halftrack. I will cover those shortly. The Vision Models U.S. M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzer. The DML M3 75mm Halftrack. The Griffon Engine Compartment for M2/M3 Halftrack, and the Hussar M2/M3 Halftrack wheels. I will also be using parts here and there from the parts box as needed, since this is a true scratch project. As I use these stray parts, I will try to let you know what they are and where they come from.

So to start, the first thing that has to be done is to cut out the bottom of the engine in the DML kit, and sand back the transmission housing.



See the shaded areas in the picture for the areas to be removed.

Next the Plus model engine is assembled and the rear area of the engine (made to fit the transmission of the Tamiya model) is sanded off. You will see this in the picture. It is where I have added the tooth pick to help when I paint it.



The next thing I did was to trim off the radiator fill cap from the resin part and add it to the DML radiator.

In order to add the engine compartment fire wall from the Plus Model kit, you next have to trim back the DML crew compartment on the drivers side, You trim it enough so that the fire wall fits flush in the engine compartment.



You will also have to add two small pieces of card stock inside the frame so the engine will mount. Those are the small white plastic peices that can be seen inside the frame. Just behind the radiator.



Next I added piping and wires on the engine using brass wire.

Next I removed the hood doors from the sides and top of the hood to be ready for the etched brass doors from the Griffon set.



As I progress, I will be adding posts. I will try to always explain what is being done, but if you have questions please ask.

Just to recap, here are the main kits.







I expect this build to be an adventure, since there are very few good pictures of the T30, and almost no pictures of the special T10 mount used on the 75mm Pack Howitzer. I will be building the mount from scratch.

I will try to add updates each week, but due to my work schedule for the next two weeks and then AMPS 2011, I may not get a lot done over the next few weeks.

Dave

Hi Dave. Interesting build ... will be following. I have the Plus Models engine set myself, although I have the older Tamiya kit to use it with. Never bought any of Dragons sets as I so much AM to build my M3, I refused to buy another.

Dave: I don't mean to pressure you (I'm trying to get some half tracks done for AMPS too) but those plates at the front of the bumper with bolts -- are wrong. DML wrongly got those from a restorer's ad hoc job. Those two plates don't exist. Just file them off completely to be super accurate.

I hope I'll see your halftracks in Category VII with mine. Mine will be 3 conversions -- two MGMCs and a GMC.

Frank - I too have several Tamiya M3s, and I almost used one for this project. But after weighing the amount of conversion I would need to do on it, I opted for the Dragon kit. That was however before I found out that there was so much work involved to get the engine to work in the Dragon kit...LOL

Roy - I was not planning to bring either of my halftracks to AMPS. I have never entered any into competition since I build for my enjoyment and not for competitions. I caught hell for it at the Atlanta AMPS show from several of the members who said I should still bring them for others to enjoy. Just not brave enough yet...LOL

I will remove the plates. Wondered why they did not appear in any of the Hunnicutt Book pictures.

Thanks for the comment .

Dave

Where did you hear that Roy?

Do you have any pictures of these restorer's offending brackets?


***

Dave, nice to see you at another one. I know we haven't spoken in a long time, but I have been super busy and my old email address is no longer 'in service'. Send me a PM and I will give you my new one if you'd like.

Dave: look at page 30 in Hunnicutt. Look at the lack of plates clearly in the centermost picture. Then look at the same area at all the other bumpers with the roller. Look at the top pic on p. 35. also look ath the center pic on p. 114. The fact is the side protrusions are separate pieces -- the "bumper" is three separate pieces, not a contiguous piece.

I got the info from a post on ML, Ken. Frankly, I thought it was you who posted it! LOL

Oh okay, that makes sense.


I thought that maybe you had found more evidence of this besides the photos that I've seen.

Ken

If you have any pictures of the T10 special mount that was used in this vehicle in your "Magic Stash," I would like to see them.

Dave

You might want to take a look at this thread.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1238514385/The+T30+Revisited+-+and+its+75mm+Howitzer

Thanks Tony. Very interesting. But what steve pointed out, I am also aware of. The T10 mount will have to be scratched

Not real sure how I am goint to do it, but as with my other two conversions, I'm sure it will be an adventure.

Dave

Hi Dave, no magic photos this time I'm afraid. As you know, this is a fairly elusive beast.

I do have some photos I bought off of an estate some time ago but they are like most others, photos of the entire vehicle, from a distance with no details on the mounting of the weapon.

The best photos of the mounting would be as mentioned in that M-L thread above, the actual technical manual (which can be purchased and/or downloaded online) or even Tankograds TM No.6010

Thanks Ken.

I ordered the Easy1 TM, so hopefully that will help some. I guess my scratch building skills will really be put to the test this time...LOL

Dave

Dave; this would be the gun. minus the trails and a different shield. The cradle and carrage is shown in the other link.

Dave, looking forward to another one of your educating halftrack builds. Looks good so far!

I hope you will finish soon, as that will mean DML's release isn't too far away... (rumor control: I have no information on this happening...)

Cheers!
Stefan

Very funny Stefan..lol But you are right! That's the way I feel at times. Seems everytime I build an odd variant, DML puts it out shortly after. I think they have my workbench bugged...LOL

Dave

It was announced by DML some time last year.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1291470380/Dragon+T30+75mm%2C+ever+released-

http://www.modelarmour.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176:t30-75mm-howitzer-motor-carriage-&catid=34:new-releases&Itemid=58

Tony thanks for that, great news! If it ever happens, that is. They have announced an M2 with 37mm AT gun years ago and it never came out... With these two and an M15 I would be completely satisfied with DML's halftrack line!

Cheers!
Stefan

The T30 was actually announced in the spring of 2009.

In fact, if you follow one of those links you can see Vinnie announcing it on March 16th.

It has been several weeks since I have added anything here. As I stated before, I had two very full weeks and then AMPS, so not much modeling got done. But I have been busy this past weekend.

I was fortunate at AMPS and acquired a CGM 105mm Mountain Howitzer kit. Since it uses the M10 mount like the 75mm Howitzer on the T30 HMC, it will make my task much easier. The kit is an old resin kit, and has several casting flaws which I will need to address.



My first task this weekend was to finish the engine and then the driver’s compartment sub assembly. As I stated before, the fire wall has to be modified. After finishing that, I added the dashboard, steering wheel, pedals, etc. The doors and door frames were added to complete the assembly. I will add the seats at a later time.







As you can see, one of the modifications I am working on is an open battery compartment.

Next I started working on the crew/gun compartment sub assembly. First I filled the locator holes in the side boards for the jerry cans and the stowage boxes. Then I filed off the locator tabs for the bucket and stowage boxes on the vehicle rear panel. I then added support structures under the gun platform since the 75mm T30 mount supports are different than the ammo storage supports of the M3 75mm gun mount. Then I added resin gas tanks as they were much better than the kit supplied gas tanks.





Next I had to extend the mounts for the T10 mount and modify the mount supports. I’m sure I am not using the correct terminology for these parts…LOL.



The next sub assembly I will be tackling will be the 75mm howitzer.

Hopefully, more next weekend.

Dave

This weekend I worked on the 75 mm howitzer T10 mount sub-assembly. The CGM kit, although not perfect is a great start. First I had to saw off the 105 mm howitzer and then using a Dremel Tool, I ground off the remaining parts of the 105. After doing this, I hollowed out the rear of the mount to more realistically depict the actual T10 configuration for the 75 mm.





Next I assembled the 75 mm top portion (the gun) from the Vision kit per instructions. I then sliced off the Piston Rod Lock Plate from the front of the Vision kit part and glued it to the resin mount. I also added the rear piston plate to the resin mount. (Sorry the pictures are so hard to see, but the light color resin makes it hard to show detail.)





I then added the rest of the elevation and traverse components to the cradle. I had to scratch build a travel lock from pictures of it in the TM.







There are several modifications I am going to have to do to parts based on pictures in the TM. The wall between the crew and drivers compartment will have to be cut to accommodate the gun mount. The seats in the driver’s compartment will have to have their backs lowered. Where the travel lock is mounted to the gun mount will have to be shortened and raised. All these types of things are modifications that are required based on how the 75 mm howitzer sits in the vehicle.

It has been an interesting weekend of work. I am amazed at the things that I find I need to do to the model as I go along. Many are not apparent until some assembly is done. But I guess this is what happens when you combine several kits by different manufacturers to get the vehicle version that you want.

More next weekend.

Dave

Very nice .....the CGM kit makes thing much simpler, I'm sure

Rounds Complete!!

Hi all

I know, I know...I have not been very good at posting weekly. I have just been very busy with work and personal things. Seems that I only get a few hours each week to model, and no real time to photograph and document it.

I promise I will have pictures and updates this weekend.

But I am making progress. I have found out very quickly that when it comes to serious scratch building and conversions, that it is usually one step forward and three or more steps backward. Mostly to correct what I just did wrong...LOL

I had to redo the gun mount and platform, which required sanding down the mounting deck. Then I had to scratch build the the two I-Beam mounts that hold the cannon bottom mount. I know this doesn't mean much without pictures, but you will see what I am talking about this weekend. I also had to lower the backs of the Driver's and passenger's seats. I noticed this both when test fitting the sub assemblies and from the Hunnicutt halftrack book.

The rest of my work has just been assembling sub-assemblies and getting things ready for their first coat of paint.

But I promise I will catch everyone up this weekend and provide pictures.

Dave

As promised, I have pictures of the progress on this build.

The gun subassembly can be seen in the next four pictures. As stated earlier, I did have to sand down and rework the DML gun mount platform to fit the T10 lower carriage. Also I had to shorten the Equilibrators. The CGM resin kit has them fully extended which positions the gun at maximum elevation. Since I did not want this for my model, I just carefully cut and shortened them.









The engine compartment is done except for adding the hood doors. That is a future project. The engine and radiator will be put in after the initial paint coat.



The Driver's compartment is 90% done. The dashboard and fire extinguisher will be added after the initial painting.



The crew compartment still needs the seat backs added but is mostly complete. I am trying to decide if I will use the canvas cover as seen in the first picture.







The next three pictures are of the different subassemblies being test fitted. The one small problem that will have to be addressed is the fit of the driver and crew compartment walls.







The next big project will be the fabrication of the gun shield. More on that next time.

Dave

Looking excellent. The resin kit was very helpful. Very nice

Rounds Complete!!

Been watching this from the sidelines and really enjoying your progress, looking forward to seeing that engine assembled and installed!

Regarding the canvas, what's the enivronment supposed to be like where your depicted vehicle was?