Principal build is pretty much done. Still working on the tracks. This is Takom's M3a1 LEE CDL. I've added Dragon bogies as I want this to portray a CDL in action, other than that its pretty much out of the box. I replaced the barrels with RB metal ones and the antenna mounts with Voyager parts. Tracks will be MasterClub T48. Since taking the pics I've noticed a few missing bolts so those will be added. Thanks for checking it out. If you see something I missed or &%@$&! up please let me know. Cheers,

Looks great. Nice clean build.

Thanks man!

Looks real nice. I keep wanting to get that kit. The outside edge of the tool box appears to have a gap and also the rear of the front fender and hull under the 75mm gun.

Good catch! Thanks. Luckily both are easy fixes.

Finally had a chance to get some paint on the CDL LEE. I used MIG OD base, Highlight and dark shadow. Looks a little over the top now but it'll even out after weathering.

Whoa, very nice! 👍

Thanks James! I did notice that I forgot the grab handles and part X27 (I have no idea what it is) so I have since made some handles from copper wire and added the missing piece. Hopefully that's all I've missed.

There seems to be two X27 pieces. I don't know what they are either.
https://www.super-hobby.se/zdjecia/7/2/4/26438_2_tak2115_7.jpg

Glad to see progress on this. Base coat looks good.

A very small update, but still some progress. Markings have been added and some detail painting has also been started. The kit decals from Takom are so bloody thick they would not settle down at all. The Turret roof markings were impossible to get to settle out and short of stripping the paint off I decided to use paint to feather out the decals and it seems to have worked. The unit markings were just as thick but i was able to keep them from silvering by a few layers of gloss coat on top. The remainder of the stars are tamiya and had 0 issues with them. Time to start the weathering. I am also just waiting on some rear stowage from Legend.

Are you intending for the completed model to be displayed during training or in action in Germany in 1945?

You've used the markings for A Co 739th Tk Bn. That's fine for the period when 739th was a fully equipped CDL Battalion at Camp Bouse in the Arizona desert or during their brief time in Britain (or the period of total inactivity they spent on the Cherbourg Peninsula from Aug-Sept 1944).

However, 739th was redesignated as Mine Exploder Bn in Oct 1944, a role they undertook until March 1945. At that point, C Company commenced training with DD tanks and B Company began re-training with CDLs in advance of the Rhine crossings.

So - the only 739th CDLs to see action in March and April 1945 belonged to B Co. and they had been returned to depots by mid April 1945.

These are the notes I made a few years ago - summarised from the 739th's AAR.

"On 11th March 1945, two Companies of the 739th were attached to XVI Corps to receive training. Company C commenced training on Sherman DD Tanks whilst Company B began re-learning the intricacies of CDL operations, all in preparation for the assault across the Rhine.
The capture of the Ludendorf Bridge at Remagen on 8th March had been an unexpected bonus, but it did not stop planning for a major river crossing operation later in the month. By 23rd March, Co. B was ready for deployment and provided 15 CDLs to support the construction and protection of a pontoon bridge at Wallach, along with three associated protective booms.

A further operation in support of 289th Infantry Regiment was planned for 1st April. Thirteen CDLs and five M4 'fighter tanks'* were assigned to the mission whose aim was to seize no less than five bridges crossing the Dortmund Ems Canal near Heinrichenburg. The operation was unsuccessful and the CDLs returned to their start point. They were however used later in the month to support bridge building operations over both the Dortmund Ems Canal and the Lippe River."

* Each CDL platoon consisted of six CDLs and two standard M4s, operated by the platoon commander and his Platoon Sgt. The British had long ago found that the Platoon (Troop) leader struggled to coordinate his unit and operate his own lamp at the same time, so they were issued with a normal tank instead.

Regards,
John

WOW, Thanks John. I used good old google on this one and it bit me square on the ass. Luckily the stowage is going to cover it over. Thanks so much for all the info.

No problem - thought you might find the info useful.

Weathering and stowage are essential skills for all armour modellers to master, mostly to hide the odd little errors we inevitably make

Excellent solution!

One other random thought for you - despite some official American references to these tanks being 'Leaflets' and 'Shop Tractors', I have yet to come across a unit history or after action report that refers to them as anything other than CDLs. The same is true of personal memoirs that I've seen from US crewmen.

Regards,
John

Finally a bit more progress on the M3A1 CDL Lee. I've started to add some stowage. This lot is all from Legend productions with a few small pieces from the spares box