M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

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SimonCornes
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SimonCornes »

That is superb work and exactly what I have in mind. I have the spare Sherman but not the Vandra conversion - yet! (Wonder how hard it is to get hold of?) I would also prefer to do a Grant but your pal could do very nicely supplying the 3-D printed parts as they clearly work! I may PM you later to see about getting a set, if he's prepared to do so of course! Your crew figures are also spot on - where did you get those? This tank you either hate or like but I like and I think you used the HL parts perfectly.

Simon
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SoCalBobS
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SoCalBobS »

Hi Simon, thanks for the compliments.

Vandra is based in Hungary, and he takes orders by email on his website. He sells a Grant turret as well as the Lee kit. It’d be nice do do a North Africa theatre Grant! An easier conversion kit for the Sherman is Vandra’s Ram II. It apparently uses the HL turret mechanics.

My buddy doesn’t want to make gear disks as a business. However, there is a company called Vex Robotics that makes plastic gear sets that can be adapted. The teeth are compatible with the pinion gear.

The figures are from eBay, “US WW2 Tank Crew”. There are four figures, two waist length and two chest length, unpainted and resin cast. There is a wide price range, from $25 to $50 in the US. I don’t know if cheaper was a knockoff, or the expensive ones were overcharged.

I added some resin cast stores, packs and tarps, from a US seller, ValueGear on the web.
Renault FT, British WW1 Mk. 4), Pz 1A DAK, 1B, II L, III, StuG III, PzKpfw IV, StuG IV, King Tiger, T-34/76, KV-1E, T-35A 3DP, Zik-2, T-90, M3 Lee, M4 Sherman, M26 Pershing, M41 Bulldog, M1 Abrams. In the works: Ram II, Pz 1 Breda. :crazy:
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Model Builder 4
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by Model Builder 4 »

For anyone interested in the figures they are available in the UK from Dave forgebear :- https://www.forgebeartanks.com/store/p4 ... inted.html

Cheers, Lee.
Me ? Addicted ? Never !! :crazy:
SimonCornes
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SimonCornes »

SoCalBobS wrote:Hi Simon, thanks for the compliments.

Vandra is based in Hungary, and he takes orders by email on his website. He sells a Grant turret as well as the Lee kit. It’d be nice do do a North Africa theatre Grant! An easier conversion kit for the Sherman is Vandra’s Ram II. It apparently uses the HL turret mechanics.

My buddy doesn’t want to make gear disks as a business. However, there is a company called Vex Robotics that makes plastic gear sets that can be adapted. The teeth are compatible with the pinion gear.

The figures are from eBay, “US WW2 Tank Crew”. There are four figures, two waist length and two chest length, unpainted and resin cast. There is a wide price range, from $25 to $50 in the US. I don’t know if cheaper was a knockoff, or the expensive ones were overcharged.

I added some resin cast stores, packs and tarps, from a US seller, ValueGear on the web.
I've just had a look on the Vandra site and the Grant conversion comes complete with a 3D printed turret gear. I've e-mailed him to get a cost to ship to the UK. I had previously asked Dave at Forgebear if he could obtain and he did say he'd get a price but nothing heard and of course poor Dave's in hospital now so who knows if he could supply? Vandra also do a British tank crew - 2 figures - so that could be an option as well. Certainly a lot cheaper than the 'all metal' option! And I had no idea what a RAM II was until I saw it on the Vandra site. An unusual machine!
RobW
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by RobW »

I asked Dave about a Vandra kit fairly recently but the postage was very high at present: I was after the new Russian artillery piece to add to the pile of unbuilt kits. I'll wait for the customs mess to settle down.
SimonCornes
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SimonCornes »

RobW wrote:I asked Dave about a Vandra kit fairly recently but the postage was very high at present: I was after the new Russian artillery piece to add to the pile of unbuilt kits. I'll wait for the customs mess to settle down.
Bugger!! If it’s not the postage then it’s the vat!! Well I’ll wait to see what Vandra says. I recall that Dave listed the Lee at about £100 so the current price is not a lot more but the Grant turret bumps it up a bit to about £115. Not cheap and if vat got added that would be a pain. You’d think maybe £10 postage? But no doubt I’ll be shocked! Pity there isn’t one kicking around spare in the U.K.!!
RobW
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by RobW »

Let us know how you get on. I got lucky and bought the Haya M3 when it came out at a sensible price.
SimonCornes
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SimonCornes »

Well done. I don’t call £499 now a good price!!
SimonCornes
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by SimonCornes »

RobW wrote:I asked Dave about a Vandra kit fairly recently but the postage was very high at present: I was after the new Russian artillery piece to add to the pile of unbuilt kits. I'll wait for the customs mess to settle down.
I had an email from Vandra today. 135 Euros for the conversion including Grant turret plus 30 euros postage. That's about £145!! I reckon that Dave, if he could get it, would sell the conversion for about £115 and then maybe up to a tenner postage? I think I'd prefer to wait for Dave to get one in stock because I'm sure there's other stuff he would want to include in a decent trade order? Hopefully he can get the stuff at a decent trade price? Mind you the poor chap is still in hospital so we need him to get well and back into commission first!
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Andy427sc
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Re: M3 Lee from an M4 Sherman

Post by Andy427sc »

Hi Guys. I’ve been eating up this thread..

Sahara has been one of my all time favourite movies since I first saw it as a kid... a long time ago and in a galaxy far away... I remember building an Airfix 1/72 Model that came I a plastic bag that cost 2’ 6d at the time...

Which is all very nostalgic and besides the point...

My son in law I have been having a lot of fun with the HL Sherman’s and it turns out he also has a soft spot for the M3..

So today we agreed to begin a project... the creation of an M3 from the carcass os an M4.

So Dave at Forgebear has just sold his last M3 resin Kit...

I’ve not done any tank modelling... but I’ve made a few model boats in my time, a few of the scratchbuilt on a plan and a GRP hull... and there were no such things as 3 D printers...

That being said, I haven’t done a model in 20 years... so we’d appreciate any suggestions, recommendations, warnings, lessons learned from any of you who have approached or embarked on this journey of self discovery....

Our object...

1. to create a reasonable facsimile of an M3 Lee at a scale of 1/16 operated by remote control.
2. The model shall have bi directions variable rate movement in 2 axes including turning on its own length.
3 the main 75 gunis to be BB capable
4. The main gun shall elevate through 30 degrees
5 the main gus #hall traverse through 30 degrees.
6 the ‘Lee’ turret shall traverse through c 340 degrees
7. The Lee Turret MG will fire (led)
8. working head and tail lights.
9. MG, Cannon and engine sounds will be possible
10 there will be an engine smoke unit.

We don’t know yet if our 10 commandments will be possible. We hope to plagiarise, borrow or steal and stand on the shoulders of better men (and modellers) in our pursuit of a RC tribute to Sgt Joe Gunn and Lulubelle....

Now, for some bread, some cheese, some wine, oui, a leetle onion...
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