Crazy Joe's Sherman Rehabilitation

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Starting a middlin' to serious redo on my venerable Mato M4A1 or as Alpha likes to call it, Crazy Joe's Sherman. ;o) I have some detail parts set aside and thanks to Sass and Alpha, I have a Mato 2.4 GHz board and TX and a turned aluminum airsoft barrel coming to replace the existing electronics and the overly large stock barrel. I also have a new gun to replace the intermittently functioning one it came with. I plan on leaving the existing running gear in place but would like to source a new pair of stock tracks and use the existing set as spare links. They are getting a little worn from running on concrete. A thorough paint job is also in the works and I am aiming to replicate what Mato was shooting for, the last Sherman commanded by Sergeant Lafayette Poole. This work will be spaced out between ordering and beginning an anticpated by me, KV-2A. It will take some time to finish but will fill in the waiting periods for parts and delivery on the KV-2. Here are some previous pics to show what I am beginning with, a mostly stock, Mato M4A176(W)

[PainlessWolf]

Took it apart today and learned some interesting things about Mato's Sherman. There are a lot of things held together by screws which is good and a lot of the soldering is spidery and weak which is not. Pictures:

[ALPHA]

Here you go Painless...




to inspire your build

Carpe Diem Sir

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Morning, Alpha,
Thank you, Sir. ;o) Since I have two turret bottoms to work with, I am going to try to lower the height by removing most of the extra rIng that Mato added. I will save a lot of depth inside the hull by going to 2.4 and removing the receiver board. I'll need to fabricate a non working antenna at the mount but you did so with excellent results here recently. Looks like 'In The Mood' was sporting some kind of movable antenna mount in that one picture. That, or Poole bent it out of the way.
regards,
Painless

[ALPHA]

Morning, Alpha,
Thank you, Sir. ;o) Since I have two turret bottoms to work with, I am going to try to lower the height by removing most of the extra rIng that Mato added. I will save a lot of depth inside the hull by going to 2.4 and removing the receiver board. I'll need to fabricate a non working antenna at the mount but you did so with excellent results here recently. Looks like 'In The Mood' was sporting some kind of movable antenna mount in that one picture. That, or Poole bent it out of the way.
regards,
Painless

No Problemo Painless... the pictures are the same ones as when you initially decided to do the In the mood... I just transferred them for easier access lol....it helps... reason I post a lot of G&P pics on my builds ... as I don't really care flipping though pages of a book unless I have too... or search for things on the internet... in other words.... kill a bunch of birds with one stone lol

The turret mod is pretty easy.... and I don't think you have as much clearance problem as the HL... the gun mech on the Mato is a little smaller and doesn't "protrude" like the HL... so the only clearance issue is the gun mech clearing the bottom of the turret and the rotation ring once you mod it ...I haven't been able to test mine because I haven't done the electricals yet... but if there is a problem ..it doesn't seem like it will be a major thing... just a few swipes with a dremel and she should be clear

I think you are correct about the antenna on Poole's tank... can't see it that well...but it looks to have one of those ball knuckle joints...that allow it to pivot like that...and it looks like you'll have to add some mud flaps

Good luck with the build... it'll be a good warm up leading into your Kv2

Carpe Diem Painless

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Alpha,
Thanks again, my Friend. Tonight I took apart the old turret and gun to see how it mounted and what was wrong with it over the years. I couldn't see anything obviously wrong other than the spidery soldering again but I noted that the spring return on the loader was very tight so maybe that was it, i.e., the loading slot just never opened up to accept a round. Hopefully the new gun will work better. I won't move it over until the new barrel arrives. Now I have to go get a new plastic saw to cleanly cut the bottom of the turret apart and use a sanding block to evenly and smoothly sand it down. I note that the mounting points will have to be shortened a commensurate amount as well. Good thing that they are deep well construction. Pictures:

[ALPHA]

BRRRRRRRRRR.. that hole gave me the hee bee jeebies when I saw it

...the only thought that ran in my mind was "AIR LEAK!"

tossed it out right away

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
That is a good question. The inner airsoft barrel has a set of these holes opposite each other in the same location. I discovered them after I pulled the mantlet and outer barrel forward. What purpose would they serve? They look machined in (beveled edges, etc.) Any suppositions are welcomed.
regards,
Painless

[sassgrunt]

There's a recent thread about this here: http://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/v ... 38&t=12505 Three are a lot more considerations than I would have thought, (including these vent holes), and I learned a lot. I'm waiting for Alpha and/or Saxondog to design a super-duper new firing mechanism for our tanks! -Mike

[ALPHA]

Good Morning,
That is a good question. The inner airsoft barrel has a set of these holes opposite each other in the same location. I discovered them after I pulled the mantlet and outer barrel forward. What purpose would they serve? They look machined in (beveled edges, etc.) Any suppositions are welcomed.
regards,
Painless

They are odd Painless... I've seen similar in early Heng Longs.. but usually on one side only... and it had a purpose... the plastic outer had a pin that would secure the inner barrel to the outer... those don't do anything... they are just there... which would cause a disruption or turbulence in the barrel as the bb exited it ... strange concept for sure

ALPHA