Armorama :: M4A3 DV Dry 75mm

Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.

Hosted by Darren Baker

M4A3 DV Dry 75mm

ericadeane

Michigan, United States
Joined: October 28, 2002
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Posted: Friday, August 28, 2015 - 07:00 PM UTC

Great update. What are you going to use for the tow cable clamp on the left rear? Also, here's a detail that will excite you: additional casting numbers on the rounded lower left corner of the hull rear of an FMC M4A3 that I photographed. The casting says "GA: D50105"

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Posting%20Album/DSC00920_zpschnbhfac.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Posting%20Album/DSC00917_zpsvndyosta.jpg

More can be found here http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m4a375.htm

OddBall84

Netherlands
Joined: May 20, 2015
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Posted: Friday, August 28, 2015 - 07:51 PM UTC

This one

http://rs45.pbsrc.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Posting%20Album/DSC00920_zpschnbhfac.jpg?w=480&h=480&fit=clip

And whaddayaknow I spy a cover on the sponson plate, can't make out a weld though.

Hang on is this really an M4A3 as rounded rear hull valance?

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
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Posted: Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 08:38 AM UTC

Rear tow cable clamp is added using ET model PE and a Bronco IM wing nut....

The exhaust deflector is fitted and missing details added using brass tube and rod. Rear fenders are courtesy of Aber....

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 08:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Gary,

This is looking great already, I would love to know how you do the footmans loops as it would have been great to add to a build I have just primed...bloody murphies law!! LOL

Cheers Mike

Mike

Here is a cross section representation of how I make my footman loops...

Tow small holes are drilled though the deck plate and 5 amp fuse wire (annealed first) is passed through so it forms a loop. This is then flattened at the top and then pulled back through so the wire sits proud of the surface leaving the required gap. The ends under the hull are then flattened to each side and secured with CA gel. I then add a pair of punched lead foil discs to each side (represented by the green) which are fixed in place again using CA gel.

I find that they look much better than PE parts as they have the correct round profile. Also, they won't get knocked off and when adding straps to the tools, they will stay in place!

HTH

Gary

HDSC2D

Indiana, United States
Joined: March 12, 2013
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Posted: Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 09:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Small hatch A3s had an extra 2 filler caps which were protected by a splash guard. This was scratch built using styrene strip with stock Tasca/Asuka filer caps....

With hatches dry fitted....

Gary

For those of you who want to replicate some of Gray's work Click2detail.com has the engine deck conversion: http://www.click2detail.com/store/p102/1%3A35_Small_Hatch_M4A3_Engine_Deck.html

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Saturday, August 29, 2015 - 02:18 PM UTC

Onto the turret next. Early type needed here and I'll be using a Tasca/Asuka one as the base....

The 3 'set up' pads on the top are removed along with the searchlight mount and the hole for the sighting vane is filled. I then added a cast texture using a burr attached to a Dremel set to low speed. The rest of the construction was pretty straightforward using parts from the spares box along with casting details from Archer. Main gun mount rotor D50880 is used with a D51288 rotor shield with side armour sections and the early style 'flared' 75mm barrel. Turned brass .30 cal barrel and .50 cal travel lock is from ET Model along with a Lion Roar SRC610 wireless station aerial mount....

And fitted to the hull....

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 02:02 PM UTC

I wanted to use some typical Ford cast D47366A drive sprockets with their distinctive 'dimples' but had nothing in my stash. So, instead, I'm copying another version used by FMC on some of their early M4A3s. They had fewer dimples and are easier to create using standard Tasca/Asuka parts as seen below...

And open spoke idlers too...

Gary

KurtLaughlin

Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: January 18, 2003
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Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 03:19 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Also, here's a detail that will excite you: additional casting numbers on the rounded lower left corner of the hull rear of an FMC M4A3 that I photographed. The casting says "GA: D50105"

That's

GAD
D50105

GAD was Ford's casting symbol, as seen on many bogie brackets and other small armor parts. "GA" must have been their prefix for Government projects, e.g. GAA, GAD, GAF, GAN.

KL

OddBall84

Netherlands
Joined: May 20, 2015
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Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 03:21 PM UTC

So if GAA was attached to the Ford V8 engine what does this mean? Also did they really make any rounded hull M4A3's?

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Monday, August 31, 2015 - 07:33 AM UTC

While I'm on leave this week, progress will be a little slow and bitty as I'm spending most of the day redecorating the bathrooms. This is prior to us renting our current place and moving into our new house next month which is being built at the moment.

Suspension - always fun....

Especially when you choose to use the C85163 'Stamped Spoke' wheels which require 12 tiny rivets around the inside rim....

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Monday, August 31, 2015 - 02:07 PM UTC

Volute suspension arms and wheels complete....

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Tuesday, September 01, 2015 - 01:48 PM UTC

Suspension units awaiting their track skids. Note the addition of the bracket plugs for the spring tensioners on top of each unit. Missing bolt heads have also been added for the track support roller bracket and the mounting holes on the opposite face are also added...

Gary

KurtLaughlin

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Posted: Tuesday, September 01, 2015 - 03:13 PM UTC

Quoted Text

So if GAA was attached to the Ford V8 engine what does this mean? Also did they really make any rounded hull M4A3's?

GAA was their internal project code. "G" might have stood for Government, but that's pure speculation.

Do you mean cast hull M4A3s? No.

KL

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2015 - 10:22 AM UTC

Track skids in place. These are the earlier ET Model offering so need the trailing edges cut at an angle. This was done to clear the bolt heads at the top of the return roller bracket. There is also a slight raised machined ridge on top at each end which I've replicated (just at the front as the rear is covered by the roller arm) with a thin strip of styrene...

And the VVSS units in place....

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2015 - 01:21 PM UTC

For no other reason than this is what's available in my stash....

Gary

M4A1Sherman

New York, United States
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2015 - 02:18 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Track skids in place. These are the earlier ET Model offering so need the trailing edges cut at an angle. This was done to clear the bolt heads at the top of the return roller bracket. There is also a slight raised machined ridge on top at each end which I've replicated (just at the front as the rear is covered by the roller arm) with a thin strip of styrene...

And the VVSS units in place....

Gary

NICE!!! Very similar to my 56-degree hulled M4A3 VVSS 75mm (Dry)... I elected to build a slightly later version without Direct Vision. Otherwise, my 56-degree M4A3 is very nearly the same as yours, including the aftermarket parts. I also elected to use DRAGON "DS" T49 Rubber Chevron Tracks...

I also used an RB MODELS metal "early" 75mm Gun, welded spoke road wheels and rear idler, and a DRAGON "Gen 2" M2 .50 cal, with an RB metal barrel and cooling sleeve, and detailed it with an ABER .50 cal PE set. PE parts for my build came from ABER and VOYAGER. Resin bits and pieces for stowage came from BLACK DOG, BLAST, and VERLINDEN. Turret, Trans/Final Drive cases tools, came from TMD and FORMATIONS, with markings, part number & foundry castings from ARCHER... .30 cal barrels also came from RB...

I'm watching your build very closely, as all things "Sherman" interest me to no end!!!

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Thursday, September 03, 2015 - 02:42 PM UTC

Thanks Dennis. Did you blog your build anywhere?

While SWMBO spent the last couple of hours watching some period drama on TV that she'd recorded, I thought I'd put that time to better use :lol:

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2015 - 05:04 AM UTC

Progressing well...

Gary

gastec

Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2015 - 06:23 AM UTC

Build stage: Done....

Gary

M4A1Sherman

New York, United States
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2015 - 04:54 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks Dennis. Did you blog your build anywhere?

While SWMBO spent the last couple of hours watching some period drama on TV that she'd recorded, I thought I'd put that time to better use :lol:

Gary

Hi, Gary! Sorry, I don't have a digital camera... Yet... I'm going to need to buy one pretty soon, because I have a whole boatload of 1/48 aircraft and 1/35 afvs & softskins (I want to hold on to my US/Allied stuff) that I want to sell. I need to "thin out" my collection of un-built kits- I'll NEVER have the time to build them all, anyway...

Anyway, it kind of surprises me that no model manufacturer has everdone a specifically dedicated kit of a 1/35 "early" 56-degree hulled M4A3 VVSS 75mm (Dry) Medium! A "standard" M4 is easy to convert, but still, a plastic kit would be nice...

It's nice to see that I'm not alone in building US/Allied subjects. All those Tigers, Panthers and T-34s are getting really old, as far as I'm concerned...

M4A1Sherman

New York, United States
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Posted: Friday, September 04, 2015 - 05:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Progressing well...

Gary

Re: Link-to-link tracks!!! Oh, MAN! Such drudgery! I've been down THAT road enough times!!!

M4A1Sherman

New York, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, September 08, 2015 - 04:01 PM UTC

Quoted Text

So if GAA was attached to the Ford V8 engine what does this mean? Also did they really make any rounded hull M4A3's?

No... The "rounded cast hull" M4-series tanks were still referred to as M4A1s, whether they were the "Dry" 56-degree glacis-design or were the later 47-degree glacis types; also irrespective of whether they were equipped with 75mm or 76mm main guns, T-23 turrets, or even the later HVSS suspensions...

M4A1Sherman

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Posted: Tuesday, September 08, 2015 - 04:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text