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Armor/AFV: Large Scale
1/16 and Larger Armor Modeling
Hosted by Darren Baker
1/6th scale Dragon M4A3 build and comment thr
TankCarl
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Saturday, May 25, 2013 - 05:09 AM UTC
So, here we go.This is Dragon's M4A3 in 1/6th scale:

I will bounce around, as I detail parts, and get things up to speed before I do heavy assembly and painting.
One BIG thing I noticed,was the back of the roadwheels had NO detail. Nothing a little Smooth On molding rubber and casting resin couldn't solve.





TankCarl
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Posted: Saturday, May 25, 2013 - 05:30 AM UTC
The offending roadwheels. And the inserts i cast. During assembly, I will shorten the tube inside, so the insert can fit flush.

PantherF
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Posted: Saturday, May 25, 2013 - 07:50 AM UTC
Thanks Carl for letting us know they are hollow on the road wheels.

Hey! Hang onto that mold and maybe you can sell a few later down the road.


I need to get serious here and save up to buy one. My 2 1/6 Stuarts are getting lonely.



~ Jeff
TankCarl
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Posted: Saturday, May 25, 2013 - 09:36 AM UTC
Sell?Pssht,I'll give it away.
US addresses only.
TankCarl
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Posted: Monday, May 27, 2013 - 06:09 AM UTC
Grill door handles


Masking for paint







TankCarl
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Posted: Wednesday, May 29, 2013 - 12:47 PM UTC
scratchbuilding and accurizing time.
First, putting in drain holes

Then, a hatch latch for the loader's hatch

And fairing in around the grill door supports, and lifting eye.



ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, May 29, 2013 - 03:51 PM UTC
Carl: Make sure you scrape away those oval hatches at the rear corners of the engine deck. They were grouser compartment covers and this feature wasn't part of the later hulled M4A3s
plane_mc
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Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 03:25 AM UTC
[quote]The offending roadwheels. And the inserts i cast. During assembly, I will shorten the tube inside, so the insert can fit flush.

Carl, the roadwheel backs and all the other details you are adding look great. I am following this thread closely as I have this kit being delivered today. Can you tell me approximately how much resin and what kind you used to cast the backs. I have never cast anything before, but I am going to give it a try and any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
PantherF
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Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 04:19 AM UTC
Looking good!



~ Jeff
TankCarl
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Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 06:11 AM UTC
Mark, I went through ABOUT 1.5 units of the Smooth On Resin (2 part) about 1.5 bottles of each. As for the molds, I was able to make a few, and once I stayed with the official mold release, they lasted for the making of 12 "backs".
The height of the mold, is above the highest detail on the master.ANd I ringed the mold with 2" masking tape, to give a deep enough well for the casting.

Roy,yes, I plan on removing the grouser compartment covers, once most of the heavy detailing is done.
sauron
Joined: September 18, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 10:29 AM UTC
Carl: Something you might want to experiment with - I got a spray can of black Rustoleum LeakSeal at HD and did a test shot on some scrap to see if I could replicate the rubber tread finish. It looks quite good at this scale, takes paint well for weathering, and even feels 'rubbery'. Just a thought.

They also have 3/16" braided cable for $.48/ft that could be used for the tow. Just make some eye ends from epoxy putty. I'll probably do that with mine.

Roy, thanks for the tip on the covers - didn't know about that.

Rick
TankCarl
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Posted: Thursday, May 30, 2013 - 11:33 AM UTC
Sauron,
yeah, I was starting to think about cable.As it is, I am going to laminate a few blocks of .080 thick Plastruc together, to carve the cable ends.
I am going to go with Flat black paint, slightly lightened with some grey. the texture wouldn't be too important,those are farther down the line.
Plus, I may have to make a mold,and cast some track sections, to replace the short shots Dragon supplied...
plane_mc
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Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013 - 04:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Mark, I went through ABOUT 1.5 units of the Smooth On Resin (2 part) about 1.5 bottles of each. As for the molds, I was able to make a few, and once I stayed with the official mold release, they lasted for the making of 12 "backs".
The height of the mold, is above the highest detail on the master.ANd I ringed the mold with 2" masking tape, to give a deep enough well for the casting.


Thanks Carl, I will have to look into getting some Sooth On. I just took a quick look through the kit last night, didn't have much time. My track pieces were scattered all through the box. I have to sit down this weekend and do a thorough parts count.
TankCarl
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Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013 - 04:14 AM UTC
Mark, look at the track parts as soon as possible. The chevron half, was the piece which was short shot on mine.If you have this problem too, I will let you borrow the mold I am making.
sauron
Joined: September 18, 2007
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Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013 - 09:46 AM UTC
Guys,

I only have one extra chevron but I have 5 extra back pieces (the thin part with the pins). Those might be a bit harder to cast so if you need any of those I can help out.
Ascaria
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Wroclaw, Poland
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Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013 - 10:55 AM UTC
Hi Carl,

I saw 1:6 Pz II by Dragon in Berlin, the box is very impresive, but now I know that it is rather "Barbie" tank than true 1:6 scale modell. You did great job and I am very interested how will look this tank when you finish this upgrade !

Cheers

Wojtek
MAKIETARIUM
plane_mc
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Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013 - 10:30 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Mark, look at the track parts as soon as possible. The chevron half, was the piece which was short shot on mine.If you have this problem too, I will let you borrow the mold I am making.


I just counted last night. I have 168 fully molded of each track piece, just enough if it really takes 81 per side plus the 6 spares. I have 3 extra short shot chevron pieces so far. I still have to go through all the other part bags as there are pieces off the sprues in every bag. I may find more track pieces in some of those bags as they were scattered all over the box and every bag was open somewhere.
plane_mc
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Posted: Saturday, June 01, 2013 - 01:39 AM UTC
Just finished going through every bag, all parts are accounted for and only 4 broken parts that just need to be glued back together. Didn't find any more track pieces though, so I am right at the amount I need. I will start a separate thread on my build when I get started.
TankCarl
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Posted: Saturday, June 01, 2013 - 04:59 AM UTC
Hi everyone,
Tracks, yes, count on 81 a side. And 6 tops and bottoms for the spares. The psare track holder will need some redetailing too.Thinking wing nut, and hinge,for the retaining bar.As you build, glue the periscopes lower in their openings, so that the rear of the cover touches the hinge area.
When I cast a track mold, it will be of the chevron part, as the pinned section were all properly formed.

The smoke mortar opening:



TC's sight, might work on this a bit more.


TankCarl
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Posted: Sunday, June 02, 2013 - 12:16 PM UTC
Added headlight cap storage tubes to the brush guards.



Scratchbuilt a barrel clamp for the coupola position



Filled an open space at the front of both headlights.



And in case you need to see the difference in size:


TankCarl
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Posted: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 - 11:22 AM UTC
Of course, the TC's cupola lacks a mount for the 50 cal, so I boxed in the mount on the turret and made a mold, then cast one:



A little fairing in :



Next, rebuilding these "springs":



TankCarl
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Posted: Sunday, June 09, 2013 - 11:06 AM UTC
And on to the last details on the turret, rebuilding the springs on both hatches. First, the commander's cupola;




And, the loader's hatch:




The biggest benefit of this scale, is making the parts is easy, due to the size. And,I make the parts first, and if they look good, I go ahead, and hack out the bad stuff.
Plasticbattle
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Posted: Sunday, June 09, 2013 - 11:51 PM UTC
Nice start Carl. Looking forward to more progress images and details.
TankCarl
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Posted: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 - 12:34 PM UTC
On to the Hull. removed and smoothed over the grouser covers (which were not on M4A3 W's


And, since there is a LARGE hole where the fire extinguisher pull handles are, I scratched a plate and handles:







TankCarl
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Posted: Saturday, June 15, 2013 - 04:34 AM UTC
Re doing the rear tail light guards.The kit guards are squarish material, pictures show strap metal guards.



Also, i filled in the gap between the back insert on the idler wheels.



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