FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
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- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
- Posts: 10311
- Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
- Location: Gold Coast,Australia
FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
g'day folks, I got this upper as part of a "rubbish pile" the other day.
This, an old 27mhz Tiger, and a KV1 for AUD$80.
With this Sherman upper, is it possible as it is to create a New Zealand Firefly in Italy without solving the proverbial 'Rubicks Cube' that is a Sherman variant ?
Im not a Sherman guy(the late General Alpha will be rolling over this !) but as the very first ever model of a tank I had was a Matchbox Firefly, I want to do one out of nostalgia and a Kiwi one if possible.
Its got a real nice metal barrel on it.
Tell me if Im dreaming or not & what will I need to do to get a basic representation of one.
(I get I will need a lower hull !!)
This, an old 27mhz Tiger, and a KV1 for AUD$80.
With this Sherman upper, is it possible as it is to create a New Zealand Firefly in Italy without solving the proverbial 'Rubicks Cube' that is a Sherman variant ?
Im not a Sherman guy(the late General Alpha will be rolling over this !) but as the very first ever model of a tank I had was a Matchbox Firefly, I want to do one out of nostalgia and a Kiwi one if possible.
Its got a real nice metal barrel on it.
Tell me if Im dreaming or not & what will I need to do to get a basic representation of one.
(I get I will need a lower hull !!)
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
- dgsselkirk
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1484
- Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:57 am
- Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Yep, you are dreaming...
biggest mod will be converting it to a small hatch upper deck which means 3D printed or scratch built front hatches and the proper angle to start, the rear engine grill has to go and replaced with the proper configuration featuring the raised rad cover, fuel caps need repositioning, you will need 3pc transmission cover, the turret is high bustle and although a few and I mean a very few were that the most common is a low bustle turret. both turret hatches are incorrect. You need a split hatch for the commanders cupola and the loaders hatch is a square configuration. Center rear vent gets removed, you need the radio box on the back, and then there are all the small details but hey, lots of guys stick and extra radio box on the back of the turret, add the firefly barrel and POOF! Call it a Firefly... LOL!
biggest mod will be converting it to a small hatch upper deck which means 3D printed or scratch built front hatches and the proper angle to start, the rear engine grill has to go and replaced with the proper configuration featuring the raised rad cover, fuel caps need repositioning, you will need 3pc transmission cover, the turret is high bustle and although a few and I mean a very few were that the most common is a low bustle turret. both turret hatches are incorrect. You need a split hatch for the commanders cupola and the loaders hatch is a square configuration. Center rear vent gets removed, you need the radio box on the back, and then there are all the small details but hey, lots of guys stick and extra radio box on the back of the turret, add the firefly barrel and POOF! Call it a Firefly... LOL!
"There are things in Russia which are not as they seem..."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
- Posts: 10311
- Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
- Location: Gold Coast,Australia
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Now THATS honesty
Appreciate the input mr Selkirk, a much bigger job than I want for what it is.
Although I build as close as possible to what my skill set and time/resources/money allows and accept shortcomings accordingly, it seems even a half assed Firefly is a Tank Too Far.
I’m pretty certain I could not live with ‘poof’ a Firefly( or any other for that matter) so up for sale it shall go,
Thanks again mate, saved me a lot of wasted time.
Appreciate the input mr Selkirk, a much bigger job than I want for what it is.
Although I build as close as possible to what my skill set and time/resources/money allows and accept shortcomings accordingly, it seems even a half assed Firefly is a Tank Too Far.
I’m pretty certain I could not live with ‘poof’ a Firefly( or any other for that matter) so up for sale it shall go,
Thanks again mate, saved me a lot of wasted time.
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
- dgsselkirk
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1484
- Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:57 am
- Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Yea, sorry to be the bearer of bad news Herman but yes, the amount of work it takes to convert an HL to a proper Firefly is the whole reason I made the Firefly kits...
"There are things in Russia which are not as they seem..."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Dean is a pretty knowledgeable person with regards to all things Sherman... Other than the upper hull, you also need to stretch the lower hull for a Firefly (M4A4 chassis). At least for the majority of Fireflies anyways...HERMAN BIX wrote:Now THATS honesty
Appreciate the input mr Selkirk, a much bigger job than I want for what it is.
Although I build as close as possible to what my skill set and time/resources/money allows and accept shortcomings accordingly, it seems even a half assed Firefly is a Tank Too Far.
I’m pretty certain I could not live with ‘poof’ a Firefly( or any other for that matter) so up for sale it shall go,
Thanks again mate, saved me a lot of wasted time.
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Keep the barrel and flog the other bits!!
-
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1312
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:27 am
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
Mr bix in having a firefly I can take some measurements and offer up some cheap and achievable suggestions, I also have some spare small hatches that I had printed for mine that I never used to help you along
It’s your tank it’s what you make it
-
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
- Posts: 1312
- Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 12:27 am
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
The engine deck I could also get printed as for the rest I can measure the hull extensions and front angle from mine, I would recommend the purchase of one of deans firefly turrets though just for ease of the build
It’s your tank it’s what you make it
- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
- Posts: 10311
- Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
- Location: Gold Coast,Australia
Re: FIREFLY? WHAT HAVE i GOT HERE?
That’s a very generous offer Mr Brute, could be I do push on with a Sherman build after all.Exhibitedbrute wrote:The engine deck I could also get printed as for the rest I can measure the hull extensions and front angle from mine, I would recommend the purchase of one of deans firefly turrets though just for ease of the build
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85