Here are some pics of my latest project nearing completion. I still have a few bits to add here and there, but it's pretty complete and ready for final paint. I painted the lower hull while working on the suspension as I cannot figure out how to paint the suspension after it was installed.

This kit is Dragon 6183, M4A3E8 "Thunderbolt VII" with kit PE, kit T66 "Magic Tracks," Rubio barrel, Formations exhaust deflector, Formations antennas, Formations headlights, Formations pioneers tools with straps, light and siren guards from Eduard "Zoom" set, periscope guards from On The Mark, at least one Finemolds periscope (others are from the kit), and (not shown) .50 cal with kit receiver, Academy barrel, Eduard "Zoom" ammo box.

The siren is intentionally missing. I've added headlight plugs, gas & water cans from the Dragon M2 halftrack, and a turret mortar plug. Tow cable and stowage wil be added after paint. Paint is mostly Tamiya acrylic. Markings will be a generic 12th Armored Division vehicle.

Comments and suggestions welcome!

Looking great. The standard kit used knocked out unburned late hulls for the main upper plate, so it would be unlikely that the headlights would work. I photographed the one that was on diplay at Rock Island years ago, and there was a very thick weld part way down both sides of the upper plate.

[img=http://img3160.imagevenue.com/loc357/th_24536_added_armor_122_357lo.jpg]

Sorry about the quality, but it was raining, cold, and I was not the best with a 35mm camera. I have more pics if you are interested.

Good work Bob. The only comment I have is that the addon armor over the transmission housing was AFAIK always in two pieces and not one piece as shown in the Dragon kit

Looking good Bob,

You've addressed some areas that I let slide on mine. A few things I notice though, which you may already be aware of:

The five canvas attachment points on top of the turret should be removed.
Commanders iron sight is not provided in kit.
The kit spotlight is not up to the rest of your work. The Tamiya Pershing has a good one as does the DML POA Sherman. While looking at pics to position mine, it became obvious that the spotlight was seldom in place on the roof. Of course I added one anyway...

Not meant as nitpicks, just one more set of eyes.

Regards, John

According to what I've read, no attempt was made during the conversion to line up the headlight mounts on the applique plate with the original openings in the tank hull, so the headlights were dead. Phil Dyer did a comprehensive article on these upgrades in an article for Military Modelling a few years ago.

Great job on this Sherman Bob.

Can't wait to see the finished Product.

Gosh have to try one of these.

Again 5 stars

Thanks for the comments, guys. I really appreciate them.

Randall: I realize the lights on the add-on armor likely did not work, but lots of pics seem to show them in place, so what the heck.

Pat: I wondered about that, too. I may add a weld bead across under the lower row of bolt heads (and before anyone points it out -- yes, I know one is missing. I think it adds a more candid look.).

John: Looking at reference pics, it seems that some late-war M4A3E8s had attachments for mantle covers, but no covers are ever seen fitted. I think I'll leave them and add the curved rods that were part of the attachment system. Good catch on the sight -- I meant to add that and spaced.

Gerald: Thanks for the tip. I'll have to see if I can find that issue in my MM collection.

Jeff: Thanks, man. This is a very nice kit right out of the box. If you don't have it, I recommend you get it. I decided it was about time to do a "full-dresser" and pulled out all the stuff I had.

I did this one about 20 years ago using the MP suspension and tracks, an Italeri turret (much modified) and a Tamiya M4A3 hull. Epoxy putty sandbags and scratch racks. She's beginning to fall apart (note missing tracks).

[quote]Thanks for the comments, guys. I really appreciate them.

Randall: I realize the lights on the add-on armor likely did not work, but lots of pics seem to show them in place, so what the heck.

Pat: I wondered about that, too. I may add a weld bead across under the lower row of bolt heads.

Bob,
What the heck is the best way to look at it. I think what Pat was pointing out is that the trans cover was 2 seperate plates. One welded, the other bolted. On the Rock Island tank the lower plate over lapped the upper to prevent a shot trap. In the picture Pat posted the lower plate is more flat on the trans housing, no over lap.

Yeah, I understood that. Sometimes it's hard to communicate what we really mean in the forums.

Just to clarify for others who may be following this -- the armor on the final drive had to be in two pieces. Because these armor "kits" were chopped from disabled vehicles in the field, there are certain limitations on a plate's dimensions. If you take the Dragon part and check it against the hull plates, you see it took two parts to make it deep enough.

I'm not going to bother trying to cut it and overlap the parts. I will, however, add that weld bead.

BTW, a few years ago on ML, someone posted photos of cannibalized Shermans in the Ardennes. I think the discussion started out about unique winter camo, when someone pointed out that we were actually seeing the landscape through the hull because the front and side plates had been cut out!

Some where is a WWII Ordnance report that documents the work done and has several pictures of the M4 hulls, usually 105 tanks, after the armor has been cut out, and then pictures of the completed uparmored tanks. Your right, it is an interesting perspective looking through the "bones". I had a copy of the pamplet, but some one liked it better than I did and it vanished. One of the notes in the report indicated that Panthers also donated armor to the conversions, but there was no picture evidence as I recall.

Good luck, and I am looking forward to seeing your finished tank.