When I originally posted pics of this build back in early June I remarked on how quickly it had gone (for me at least). But as I have told a couple of people, real life has been interfering with my modeling life in recent times, which really just means I have slowed back to my normal pace. I'm getting close to being done so I thought I'd post a few pics. The tracks and running gear are pretty much finished except for rubbing some graphite on the contact areas. I'm going to start doing detail painting and weathering the upper hull and turret soon. Let me know what you think.

Mike

This is one mean looking tank! I can't see anything here to criticise, you've even got the 'nose down' attitude of this tank caused by the extra weight at the front. Look forward to seeing it finished.

looks fantastic is this the AA conversion? how did you find it for fit ect?

Mike
First off welcome back That conversion looks great Do you plan on coloring the tail light lenses? Also,I noticed that the drive sprockets have the lightning holes Are they from the kit,or are the AM? Also what did you use for the markings and what's your method for painting and weathering those tracks?

They look great

I love it. The first thing that stands out are the very nice weld lines. Can anyone explain to me the two tubes on the top about the mantlet? I am also assuming the plates attached to the gun mantlet are for armor reasons? The tracks look great, maybe a little silver but other than that keep it up and good luck with the weathering.

First off -- Mike! Very nice. I hope I can build one as nice some day.

Jeff -- The tubes and the plates are actually there for the same reason -- to balance out the humungeous gun! The big weights welded to the back of the turret are there to counterbalance the entire turret so it could rotate.

What size gun is it?

Jeff
It's a longer 90mm It was a different type than was normally on the Pershing

So it was just the sheer size/length of it that set it off, the weight or what? Because M-48 (?) and M-60s mounted 105s but they look like they take to the tank alright. Was it just a matter of putting a bigger gun than the turret could handle and adapting to it?

It's a 90mm T15E1 gun. Fired a much longer shell than the standard 90mm and was ballistically comparable to the 88mm in the Tiger II, according to the Squadron "Pershing in Action" book.

The gun was quite a bit longer than a standard 90mm gun. Armor cut from a Panther hull was supposedly added to the Super Pershing's hull and mantlet. The "elephant ears" armor has to be added as a counterweight and the two cylinders housed big coiled springs.

The Super Pershing destoyed at least one German AFV in combat, but there is some dispute about what that AFV might have been (no one wanted to go look). Blew it to pieces, however.

Here, kity, kitty ...

:-) :-) :-) That is funny. Of course I should've taken my medicine today, so everything is funny.

Hi guys, thanks for the comments. To answer a few of the questions:
Davy, yes it is the AA conversion used with the Tamiya kit. The AA set is very nice, fit was very good. The only small problem is be sure to test fit the lower armor plate on the front glacis. I had to trim just a little bit on each side so it would fit between the two lifting lugs.
"Zod" Yes those are the kit sprockets. I had heard that they didn't have the lightening (sp?) holes but I guess Tamiya fixed that. The markings were included with the AA set. I tried something new on this one with the tracks. I basecoated them with a 50/50 mixture of Tamiya flat black, and XF-9 hull red. I was going for a dusty dirty look so I sprayed Tamiya buff Xf-57 thinned at a ratio of about 10% paint to 90% thinner on the outside surfaces. Then I used MMP weathering powders and MIG pigments in 4 coats put on dry, starting with dark earth, then earth dirt, medium earth, and finally European dust. This gave me a nice variation of dirt colors. Next I mixed the Euro dust pigments with some brush cleaner and put it on the tracks, (just a light coat) when it was dry I brushed off the excess with a tooth brush leaving a little in the recesses. Finally I drybrushed the contact surfaces with Model Master Steel. Whew! when typed out that sounds like a long drawn out process, but it really didn't take too long at all. I think the tracks still need a little more "metal" showing that's why I'm going to rub a little graphite on the visible contact surfaces. Yes I plan on painting the taillights, that will be done when I'm doing the detail painting.
Bob Thanks for answering Jeff's question. Jeff If you're interested here is a link to my original post in June. There is a little more info in the thread about the SP
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/31995&page=1

Thanks again,
Mike

Thanks for the link and history lesson. I have to go study now. 8 o'clock lecture hall speech class and all, you get the idea. Night.

Jeff

wow, very nice work on the tracks, they look great! finally tracks that look like the tank actually moved once in a while

Excellent work ..love the effect of the front heavy tank ...Your tracks look awesome and I can't wait to see the final product..Keep up the good work. Oh yeah have to say something other than praise ...Don't forget to paint that muffler...

all the best
Rick