Hey Gang,
Nearing the finish line on this one, and it's the first track I've gotten done in awhile without "Modeler's ADD" setting in, LOL. It's Dragon's M4 Sherman "Normandy" kit, with a few pieces of Aber PE added, as well as replacing the kit .50 cal with Tasca's little gem. Oil filter and pin wash has been applied, as well as some streaking, but weathering is still ongoing...still need to add some dot filtering, airbrush some dust, and muck up the running gear a bit. Also plan to add some stowage. More pics to come after 100% done, plus when I get the "good" camera from the wife; this was taken with phone camera. Comments appreciated, and hope you like it....

Looks good. Nice work.

Nice work. I am looking forward to the finished product. I am working on the same kit but 100% out of the box.

Thanks guys...I know Tasca is all the rage for Shermans, but this is one I have had for awhile on the back burner before the Tascas came along, and I think it builds up quite nicely...

Finished up with the oil weathering; now just waiting on MIG pigments from Spruebrothers to arrive. Added MV Lense to the turret spotlight, and now need to find a good ammo can to go in the PE .50 cal holder,add stowage, mount it to a base, and I'm gonna call it done.

Having built this kit with joy and having to force myself through building a Tasca M4A3E2 I would chose the Dragon M4 any day of the week. In fact I have one ready to go. I build for fun, the Tasca is no fun.

Can't wait to see it weathered....

The mailman came bearing the gift of MIG Pigments today, and tried a little around the tracks and bogies: first time I have used them, and I must say I'm impressed at the effect. Also began staining the base on which the Sherman will be mounted. I will be on leave and heading home for Thanksgiving next week, and hopefully will have everything wrapped up and can use the wife's "good" digital camera to take some decent pics.

Thats some fine looking armor you got there! Great job!

Some more progress today: started applying pigments, added some wear around the wear points with graphite, and finished staining the base.... I'm still using the Smartphone camera; it doesn't really do the pigments justice; the tracks and bogies actually look a lot dustier in the flesh....after seeing the pictures I see I also have to paint the links on the .50 cal ammo, LOL

That looks great. Nice work on the pigments for first try. My M4 will be the first try with pigments too. Is the fuel stain pigmants? Looks perfect. I have over done the washes on mine and it looks much more "used".

Thanks for the kind words, Albert...the fuel stain was a wash of a mixture of burnt sienna and lamp black oil paints, per James Wechler's "Building and Detailing Realistic Sherman Tanks" book, which, might I add, was an invaluable reference for this build. I broke the seal on Dragon's M4A1 76 (w) today, to be done as Lafayette Pool's "In The Mood" , as a follow up to this one.

Looks awesome! I have on suggestion: go over the wooden pieces with some brown watercolor. This will make them look newer, but not brand new.

Thanks Matt...yeah, I thought the tools needed some more work. I need to tone down the shovel head some too; bit too shiny for my liking. It's amazing what you can see when you view a model through a photo, LOL

I have had models that I was quite proud of until I took a picture. Yours holds up very well to the camera though.

Well, time for an update to this thread: I took "Tonto" to the JaxCon IPMS meet in Jacksonville, FL today, and brought home the bronze in the "Closed Top Allied Armor, Medium, Pre-1946" category; I am quite pleased and humbled, as this is my first time entering an armor subject in a competition.

Congratulations on the medal. The Sherman looks great.

Thanks, Albert...really good show today, and learned a thing or two that hopefully will translate to a silver or gold next time. At any rate, had a great time building this and showing it, medal or not.