About the tracks:

Build the suspension per instructions. Make sure everything lines up. And don't forget to put the poly-caps inside the drive sprockets! (OK, I admit I've done this. )

Glue and paint the tracks off the vehicle. Don't try to shorten them or anything else -- they fit just fine right out of the box.

When you are ready to put the tracks on, simply remove the drive sprockets (with the poly caps, this is pretty easy), slip the tracks around the idler and bogeys. Before you have them completely fitted, fit the drive sprockets into the track and slip the drives onto the front axels -- the rest of the tracks should pop right into place.

If the tracks are a bit stiff and stand up too high from the bogey skid plates, add a spot of super glue to the top of each skid and glue them down.

I have been using this technique on Tamiya M4A3 suspensions (and many other manufacturers as well) since the Tamiya M4A3 was first released back in 84 or 85.

A couple more suggestions: Fruil makes a nice metal barrel for this kit that is a drop-fit. Eduard makes a "Zoom" set for Shermans that includes just the bare essentials -- headlight and taillight guards and a few other small parts. Well worth the money and a cheap way to dress up a kit.

Don't be surprised if the Sherman bugs bites after this build!

Add some styrene and putty to the right front of the turret, as these were reinforced on the original casting (previous tanks needed a welded applique patch there). Eduard photoetch is very helpful for the headlight and periscope guards, particularly, and you'll need some styrene sheet to block off the undersides of the sponsons. Biggest visual problem is, well, visual. For many years, kit manufacturers faithfully copied museum vehicles, which had no periscopes fitted, and the periscope flaps were molded closed, so the tanks were blind. Resin manufacturers like Formations and even Verlinden (in their handy little "Sherman Update Set") offer replacement periscopes and cover flaps. Eduard offers photoetch straps for the tools, but Formations has a very nifty resin tool-with-straps set that is less aggravating than trying to thread little pieces of brass around styrene tools. Your choice, of course.

Hey guys,
Thanks again for all your help, here is an update for how things are going:
Ive started the build and have got as far as I can without the Eduard PE set, (Ive ordered this from Hannants and was hoping it would get here today but no luck yet), including adding the sponsons, engine hatch rests and relacing their handles. I'll attempt to take some photos tonight and post them tomorrow to show you how i'm getting on.

Brian, I have yet to raise the welds or add the holes, primarily because being a Sherman virgin I don't know where exactly on the bogies the holes should be.
As for the welds, i'm thinking of doing the stretched spruce method but i'm worried that gluing them down with polystyrene cement won't soften them enough to add the weld bead texture and I don't want to go squirting glue all over the top of them afterwards. Does anyone have some ideas for the easiest way of doing this?

Bob, Thanks for the how to with the tracks, just what I needed! I forgot that the drive sprockets can be removed again (doh!) which will make fitting them so much easier!
I have a feeling the Sherman bug could well be getting its hold on me, i'm really enjoying this kit at the moment!

Brad, thanks for the pics!

Cheers guys!

James

When I do weld beads around the hulls of my Shermans I glue .015 solder into the groves with CA and then "shape" the metal to look like weld.
The holes on the front face of the bogies are there because the trailing return roller arm could be mounted on either side on the bogie. Thia allowed the parts to be easily repaired or re-used in the field. Do an image search on line or check out pictures in books and you will see them.

Be careful, shermanic tendancies can be hard to shake!

Holes on the bogie units look like this



David

Thanks Dave and Brian,
I see where these holes are supposed to go now! I figured what they were for but couldn't work out where they should go, mostly because the reference pics I have don't show that angle, never mind all sorted now.
My new weld bead theory is to do it with filler putty and texture it up before it dries.
My new problem (theres always one on the go!) is whether to texture the rubber parts of the road wheels to make them look used by chipping away bits of plastic. The reference pics I have are modern photos which obviously won't show whether the rubber was damaged in the war or degraded over time. Im thinking a few chips will look good as long as its not overdone. I'm also thinking a couple of replacement wheels of the spoked type to add some interest. These could then be less/more damaged to depict them as replacements, perhaps even a slightly different OD shade (man i'm taking this to far!).

As always, all thoughts/suggestions much appreciated!

James

Update!

Have now raised the weld beads. I did this with putty filler and added the texture with a knife blade, looks pretty good if I do say so myself!
Also thinned out the exaust deflector which makes it look 100x better.
Started to put together the kit barrel as I thought i'd at least try it before going for an aluminium one.
Have yet to add the holes to the bogies, will do this tonight, but am not looking forward to it as Ive already stuck the rear halves to the tank, whoops!
Have now decided on a dio setting for the tank, it'll be riding over a Mig pantherturm III that I built a while back and will breathe a new lease of life into for this dio. Hopefully have some pics of the idea tomorrow for you!

James

Gday James
Glad the weld beads were a success for you!
There should be no problem with 'stressing' the roadwheels a little. Just picture anything such as stones rocks debris that would end up in the tracks and be rolled over by each rubber wheel... Chips, gouges and scrapes were all common... But like anything, don't overdo it and make it a dominant feature!
Cheers
Brad
P.S. Glad the pics helped

Hi guys,
Here are the pics I've bee promising :




They're a couple of days old now as the gun is in place (I did some careful work so I won't be needing an aluminium barrel) as are all of the bogies (with extraand road wheels.
As you can see I've replaced the engine access door handles and added the door rests. Also raised the weld beads and built a tow cable using picture wire and some 'ends' from a dragon-wagon I've got lying around, also used some tow rings from this which I added to the rear tow hooks and put one under the front right lifting ring. I also drilled a hole into the other tow hooks.
Apart from that i'm just waiting for the PE to arrive!

James

Oh yeah, I've posted a dio idea for this baby HERE see what you think!

All you really have to do is to paint her name on the gun tube or the side of the body. Make them brownie points!!

Hola James
It is shaping up nicely!
One thing I noticed though is the pistol-port on the turret side... The edge needs to be filled and blended with the surrounding turret. Basically, you need putty in smoothed up to the edge of the recess for the hatch itself...Some are very neat, whereas others have choppy weld lines etc.
How is the cheek bulge going?

I checked out your dio idea also, and probably agree that although stylish to model, it would be a last resort to take the tank over the Patherturm in a combat situation... I think with the effort you are going to with the M4A3, it deserves a whole new base of its own
Cheers
Brad

Thats for the comments guys,
Though i'm not really sure what you're telling me Clair!

Thanks for the tip on the pistol port Brad, just checked some reference pics and I see what you mean I wasn't aware the outside was part of the casting, thanks, - will get on that tonight!
I've been putting off the bulge on the cheek as i'm not 100% confident that i'll pull it off. However I might tackle it while im blending in the pistol port. I'm thinking that if I cut a strip of plastic slightly smaller than the central flat section specified in Herve's diagram then I can build the putty up around the sides. The bit I can't figure out is a good way of adding the casting texture after I've sanded the bulge to shape. I suppose if I do some careful sanding I could probably pull it off.
I also wanted to add a rail on the turret like Cabbalero has in those pics (except a smaller version) so I could probably do this at the same time.
lots to be thinking about.........

James

James: Looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck...

I'd say you definitely are looking like a dedicated Shermanaholic! You're tackling all the issues that veteran addicts have dealt with for years!! Welcome to the club!

Don't forget to add the three bolts at the underside of the suspension bogie front too.

As for the cheek, I've done it a couple of times. Here's the work I did to my conversion of the M4A3 (105). I'm backdating it to an M4 (105)



I use a thin, curved bit of 0.010 styrene to form the bulk of the cheek bulge. Then I smooth it in with putty around it. I then dapple the entire area with Mr. Surfacer 500 to even out the surface texture. If you don't have this product, thinned putty can work well. Just cover the entire cast surface with very thinned putty. After drying, just go over it with light sandpaper.

HTH

lol,
Thanks Roy!
I figure if a jobs worth doing its worth doing right! I wouldn't have been able to do all these modifications without the help from you guys though so THANK YOU!
I see you've found me another job to do with adding those bolts! This things getting more complex by the minute! :-)
Thanks for the tips with the cheek bulge, i'm starting to feel more confident now and may tackle it tonight. I've just rung Hannants too and they said my PE should be with me tomorrow so i'll be getting some serious work done over the weekend! I'll make sure I get some decent photos before I paint it for you guys anyway!

Thanks again for the tips guys!

James

Here are some update pics I took last night.
I did some work afterwards blending in the side of the pistol port as Brad suggested and I began the preperations for adding the cheek bulge! Iv'e marked out the shape the bulge should be on the turret and made a kind of 'template' as Roy suggested from some thin sheet styrene and some thicker plastic to build up the putty against so I can be sure i'm getting the correct shape. Not much done last night, but the weekend is here (as is my PE set! !) so hopefully get lots done by Monday! Anyway here are the pics.


The front of the tank so far, not too much of interest except the added tow ring under the right side lifting ring.


Shot of the rear, again not much of interest except the thinned out exhaust deflector.


Side shot - notice 'obligatory' replacement wheel! (Before you say anything I know it's not the correct wheel for caballero!)


Close up of the wheel, and showing the holes I filled behind the drive sprocket.


Shot of the engine deck, showing raised weld beads, replacement handles and added engine door rests.


Shot of the rear where you can see how i've filled the back of the return roller wheels and added tow hooks onto the brackets (yes they are purposefully a slightly different shape) Exhausts not added yet as they will be painted seperately after spraying.

Hope you like how its going!

James

Latest Update!
The PE set has begun to infect my Sherman (The Eduard kit is good and easy to bend, but also easy to break if you're not careful!) The turret is now complete with PE added, cheek bulge built(!) and a stowage rail fitted on the right hand side.
Other PE has begun to be added to the hull but I concentrated on the turret this wekend. Am also currently having a dilema as to whether to open or close hatches. Its starting to look really good and i'll try and get some photos up tomorrow for you guys.

James