While looking at the M4A1E4's to get more views of the conversions I found pictures of a few M4A3E4's. I was reminded that some of these reworked M4A3's had the low bustle turrets fitted, so I can safely borrow the 76 turret for my Comp hull project and put the low bustle turret on my M4A3 hull.



The pic makes a nice screen back ground.

With the air cleaners in place I decided to put in a curved deflector plate. Once the hulls are glued together I will add some support strips. I got the plate from one of the Asuka M4A3E8's.

The hulls are glued, and I got the DV installed and added green stuff welds. I put on applique over the DV and welds are done. I cut out a add on armor plate similar to what was used on some tanks in WWII, but thicker. I had to add a spacer strip so the plate clears the front vent. The plate is tacked on for now.

Next up, getting the suspension together and the hull fittings installed. Still waiting for the barrel.

Slow progress, I keep getting distracted.

A view of the hull with the added plate removed. The holes in the applique are for the pins that hold the plate on the hull. I used some plastic squares as large washers for the bolts that hold the plate to the hull.

On the front engine plate I filled in the holes for the filler covers and added the late type filler cover on the back plate, with a cut tube protective ring.

At the rear I've got the welds on the added armor and the sponson inset.

I put on some strips with welds and bolts to hold up the air deflector on the rear. This is the best picture I could get. Welds are on the filler cap protective ring, and I put some thin strips in as the fire extinguisher pull hands.

XXXX! The bolts on the top of the plate blocked the periscopes on the drivers hatches. I put a length of angle iron between the hatch hoods as a bolt point for the plate. It will need welds and maybe a support strip.

It's looking good so far.

CAREFUL! You've almost got a real tank there. Convert the left hand turret hatch to a small square one and put the split hatch over the commander's head and it's an M4E6, the Chrysler test bed.

Neato.

Pat "too good to boogie" Stansell
MMiR

Hadn't thought of that. I was thinking standard M4A1E4.

Looking in the Hunnicutt book I noticed the T90 concept for a short 155 mortar. WOW! That one will make a what the hey what if!

Very little progress thanks to earning a living taking up all my free time. And a major vent. I wanted to use the late up sloping VVSS boogies from Asuka on this build, but, every boogie from every kit, except my M4A3E2, has the sink marks on the lower edge. That's on 15 kits!

(Uhm...yes, I went that crazy on Sherman's this year!)

All the early VVSS are useable, but what the hey! So I'll be using the early boogies on this one, or borrow the good boogies from the 'E2? Regardless, !

Three Asuka M4 boogies. In the center is the M4A3E2 with the upsloping roller support. It has the late spoked road wheels. It has just a hint of a sink mark. The loose outer part is the bad outer part.

I've decided to go with the 'E2 boogies, and I sent a PM to the Asuka online shop asking for help. I only need 3 sets of good late suspension for my M4A3's.

Work has started on the tracks. The track blocks have slide molded holes for track pins. I drill out the blocks with a #75 drill to loosen them up a bit. The pins are brass rod that are cut to 12mm. I made up a cut block to make the cutting simpler. The only painful part is adding the bolts on each of the end connectors. Real tiny. I'm going to try gluing them on before I cut the end connectors off the sprue.

The base of the suspension is done. Just cleaning and filling and adding all the bits left to do! And, the Kaizen length I made up fitted on the drive sprocket. Only 140 or so more to go.