M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anyway...

This section is to 'show and tell' about any customizing or re-modeling you have done (or are doing) to a Heng Long tank.
Forum rules
This section is for posting a build log of your Heng Long tank.
Questions relating to issues you are having with your tank(s) should be posted in the General Questions forum here: viewforum.php?f=14
Post Reply
User avatar
Herr Dr. Professor
Lieutenant
Posts: 3456
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:48 pm
Location: Southern Wisconsin USA

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Herr Dr. Professor »

Thank you for the very clear explanation, Rob. I have received parts with noticeable striations and some smooth as a silk stocking (whoo-whoo!), even from the same seller. Overall, 3D printing sure makes the hobby even more fun.
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

lmcq11 wrote:
Rob1970 wrote:hat part are you talking about?
The turret
Capture2.JPG
Well spotted! On closer inspection the mantlet could/should indeed lean back a bit more (38 degrees on the model I found, 45 degrees IRL) and the commander's hatch could move back a tad. That hatch is a relatively easy fix (for me), the mantlet not so much. A bit beyond my skill in Tinkercad (for now), but I might look into it later. Or source a good 3D model somewhere else.

For now I will fix the hatch and worry about the mantlet later. Maybe find someone who can do a better job? Any volunteers? ;D
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

Weird... if I squash the 3D model down from 47 to 36 mm, the angle is perfect and it doesn't look half bad...

Image
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

Ooooooh...

Image
look what I've found! Ain't it cute!? A 1/100 scale wargaming model...

Image
...and the resolution is high enough to blow it up to 1/16 scale...

Image
Yeah... this will do nicely. The shape looks right, all the angles seem to match, and after some cleaning up and whatnot it is going to work with the mantlet I already remodelled. Score! Well, I paid $5 for the STL file. Totally worth it tho!!

Image
There's even a version with a rather frumpled commander if I want to...

TTFN,
Rob
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

Cleaned up and hollowed out, ready for a (test) print... The mantlet and gun shield is a mix of pieces from this and the other turret and some parts I redesigned myself with references from RL Grants and models...
Image
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

So... a few test prints later...

Image
Well, maybe more than a "few"...

I ended up with this...

Image
Close to perfect, altho I might redo some parts with a resin printer...

Image
The whole 3-piece cover/fenders combo is seven pieces in total. You could probably do it "as one" if you used a resin printer, but I kinda want to make the whole set accessible to people with lower-end printers. The way I laid out the pieces for printing makes for the best details even with an FDM printer, altho I did uses a 0.06mm setting on some of them. The bolts at the top I decided to do as seperate pieces knocked out of a sheet of styrene.

Image
It fits pretty well, and I am going to include a few templates for cutting and drilling when I upload the 3D files. Also thinking about making a set for a Sherman as well since I have most of the work done. Don't get me wrong, don't want to steal anyone's income with their Shapeways versions. I just think it's nice to have options.

Image
The inside of the sponson has changed a bit since the previous version. Made it a tad shorter so it can slide in from the back. Added a piece to attach the gunner's scope. Might still redesign the mantlet to accept a bracket for the BB unit.

Image
As you can see, there is room for the BB unit (if you do a 17-pounder Firefly move and tilt is about 45 degrees...) and it can even still traverse, raise and lower for an acceptible amount. Loading the BBs... not that's a bit of a puzzle to solve. Also made the bullet-splashguards which came out very nice even with an FDM printer.

The new turret I bought the file for online worked out great when enlarged from 1/100 to 1/16 scale. After a test print at prototype-speed (0.3mm layers in about 6 hours) that came out quite good and satisfactory scale- and detailwise I decided to go for a production print at 0.08mm layers.
Image

Cura said it was a 24 hour print. Started it around 8 in the evening and checked in every now and then. Went to bed. Got woken up around 7 the next morning by SWMBO that she had woken with the power off... a circuit-breaker had tripped! Found the cause of the trip (gawddamn xmas lights...) and managed to restart the print. Thank the Great Sherman In The Sky for 3D-printers with resume functionality....

Image
After some sanding and some added cast texture with Milliput on several pieces it should look awesome under paint.

To Be Continued...

TTFN,
Rob
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Raminator
Warrant Officer 2nd Class
Posts: 1266
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:57 am
Location: Newcastle, Australia

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Raminator »

Fantastic work on the conversion Rob, especially getting the traverse on the main gun. I look forward to seeing it dressed up and painted!
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

While I pondered what functionality I can squeeze out off a standard HL 6.0s or 6.1s controller I was thinking of -maybe- getting something else for the Grant. With the turret and sponson I kinda need another set of gun controls to get the full joy out of it. So... what are my (cheapest ;) ) options? I have a FlySky remote and a couple of 10 channel receivers to start with. Any advice?
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
Rob1970
Corporal
Posts: 334
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:47 pm

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by Rob1970 »

For those who want to suffer with me... https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5164156

;D
Sherman M4A3/Stug III/Panzer III/Panzer IV/Tiger/King Tiger/KV-1/T34-85/Leopard 2A6/Abrams M1A2/Walker Bulldog/Pantiger
Under construction; Sherman Firefly IC - M3 Grant - Sherman BARV
... No, I do not have a problem....
User avatar
HERMAN BIX
Brigadier
Posts: 10234
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:15 am
Location: Gold Coast,Australia

Re: M3 Grant (Lee?) scratchbuilt... or that's the plan anywa

Post by HERMAN BIX »

You're on your own for me mate !!, thats dark art that is ;)
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
Post Reply

Return to “Heng Long Builds”