It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:55 am

Thank you! I should be done in the next week! It only took me a year!

DRAGONWAGON · Post by **DRAGONWAGON** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 6:47 am

Wow Dan, color is spot on! I love the subtle weathering......

Keep the pics coming, this is eye candy!! John.

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 5:34 pm

I elected to open up a couple persicopes because tanks don't use sonar. I wanted to do something other than just sticking a piece of clear plastic in the opening.
I bought .88 clear plastic sheet, cut them to width and angled the back side of the top to about 60 degrees. I then polished the filed side back out so it was transparent. I used the chrome mylar that is supplied with the Sherman to line the barrel to refelct the flash unit to line the backside of the periscope heads and lightly sanded the back side so paint would stick to the mylar. I masked where the unit was to remain clear and I painted them flat black, as front side where you would view from and see out from is black around the openings. Then I masked the portion that was to be left black and painted the balance in OD green. The screws that retain the frames on the orginals are silver, so I used flat aluminum and a tooth pick to make the small screw heads on the black frame. You can see the mirrored silver mylar through the clear openings.

-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:52 pm

John:
Because of the lack of room in the turret and forward of, I elected not to go to the trouble of making up a complete persicope units. The Sherman turret lacks the room of most of the German armor, and wasn't designed for recoil. With the huge support required for 17 Pndr barrel and adding recoil you have fish some things in place through the hatches as it is. Casting them as one piece in transparent resin is a good idea. This is my first heavy scratch build, so I am learning as I go. Thank you for the high compliments.

-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 12:21 am

Dan:

Nick lives about 175 miles from me. I also have the T-23 turret. He also does a nice low bustle turret with the early mantlet and the M4A1 and M4A3 hulls, not to mention an M36 Jackson turret. The 75mm gunned turrets aren't so bad, but the 17 pndr has NO room.

-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:14 pm

Glenn:
He makes the M4A1 and the M4A3. I am going to convert one to an M4A4 or a welded M4 small hatch. I have a Profiline Brummbar conversion and a PZ IV too.
I worked off and on over a year. I didn't kill myself getting it done. There is a lot of scratch building on this one. Between two vacations and heart surgery It wound up on the back burner quite a bit. I do too many hobbies. Being retired at a young age I have to keep my hands busy.
-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Sun Nov 18, 2012 1:08 am

Glenn:
Did you get a hold of him? If not I can supply contact information.

-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:24 am

I have been busy as a beaver getting the guest room painted and re decorated for family that is coming, however I snuck in a few things in my couple moments of being idle. I completed the tools, wood handles and painting. I also completed the tool hold downs. I used lead foil for the straps, drilled the buckle holes and made the buckles from .020 brass rod. I soldered the corners together. What the hell is a matter with me???

It's all YOUR fault that I am going to these lengths of detail!

Anyway, I have yet to weather the tools and paint the hold down straps, but here they are!

-Dan

X82d Pathfinder · Post by **X82d Pathfinder** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:25 am

I just noted the cat hair in the picture. The cat was loving on it after I took pictures. LOL

sassgrunt · Post by **sassgrunt** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:50 pm

This continues to be an amazing build. Honestly, if I didn't know the tools and holders were those of a model, I would believe I was looking at pictures of the real thing! Great workmanship!