Project: V6.0 Airsoft and IR Firefly Turret

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I wonder if we have started a new thread on airsoft BBs for our AFVs? Anyway, here are two questions that come up for me:

1) No! Please say that beautiful pup is still around!
2) Did you write "AirSoft lube"? Hmmm.... I had often wondered what a little silicon spray might do to a BB tank, but I hesitated because I couldn't predict all the side effects. So it this 'Airsoft lube' safe for 1/16 AFVs?

As to BB vs. LED flash/barrel recoil: I like 'em both, the former for working out frustrations when modeling; the latter in the dark! Hey, pushin' 70, goin' on 7.

[43rdRecceReg]

Eric and Prof., no, that wasn't Midgie in the pic, She died last August- aged 14 years, six months. She was especially empathic. When I was lying out in the garden in December, 2015, with a shattered ankle (foot pointing at five o'clock ). She came out to make a fuss all around me- a worried and solicitous look we could all learn from.
Anyway, in the photo that's Finn, who will be two in June. He's still very much a pup, though. The other westie belongs to a friend, but has been here almost two years now, and is likely to remain.
I've just realised; the photo with Finn and the BBs was taken in May, 2020- and not in pre-Covid 2019. A senior moment...
Here's Mr McPuppy, Finn, in July last year.

Westies' are noted for looking like little polar bears, but with perky pointed ears, and three coals for nose, and eyes. Finn has one endearingly floppy ear. It makes him easy to spot. They also remind me of Charlie Chaplin, for some reason.
Here's my lovely, and really sorely missed Midgie, back in 2014- long before the cancer appeared.

I don't mind derailing myself to show pics of them...

[43rdRecceReg]

Here the upper hull's just about ready for the small hatch shrouds, vents, and applique armour. Those layers of styrene, ABS, JB-weld and Milliput are beginning to look like nougat.

The M4 rear plate is tricky, as I can only approximate the 'horseshoe' cutout using these diagrams. In any event, there will be another layer added to this to reduce the slope angle.



The M4A3 rear plate, that this began its plastic life as, looked like this:

[Dr Phibes]

43rd,
Even though I am not very well versed in the huge variety of Sherman tank variance I have become fascinated by this FireFly build of yours. Catching up with the developments here, and elsewhere, has for me been something of a history lesson (or two) as well, and this is very much the case with this build thread. I hadn't considered a FireFly before but what I really like with what you do here (and your earlier builds) is make me think I should maybe consider taking one on.

I'm not sure I could add anything at all to the your exemplary craftmanship, it's inspiring as always, but I remain committed to seeing just where you eventually conclude this journey.

[43rdRecceReg]

43rd,
Even though I am not very well versed in the huge variety of Sherman tank variance I have become fascinated by this FireFly build of yours. Catching up with the developments here, and elsewhere, has for me been something of a history lesson (or two) as well, and this is very much the case with this build thread. I hadn't considered a FireFly before but what I really like with what you do here (and your earlier builds) is make me think I should maybe consider taking one on.

I'm not sure I could add anything at all to the your exemplary craftmanship, it's inspiring as always, but I remain committed to seeing just where you eventually conclude this journey.

Far, far too generous, Doc. I've seen what you can do. That functional breech in the M10 (?) was the quintessence of small scale engineering. I'm too old to get an inferiority complex now, but at least I can appreciate craftsmanship when I see it.
Here, I just improvise. I like a challenge; but when the going gets tough, or I end up an engineering cul-de-sac, I'll likely as not exhume an older unfinished project to work on
I've had Dean's Firefly kit for years. Eventually- build-procrastination becomes wearying, and this was the case here. I just had to get started. At the same time, I wanted a notional airsoft/IR Firefly to join the ranks of my other British tanks. Yes, it's really American- but the stinger is British!
The Shadock.com site makes the observation that Shermans are '..full of anomalies'. Well, perhaps that's why an M4 build is so alluring. So long as there are precedents for fittings, and equipage, you can't go far wrong. Life's too short to count all the rivets in it

[EAO]

43rdRR,

Mr. McFinn is adorable and knows it! Midgie looks sweet as pie! It's funny that most female dogs have a female quality to their face, and can be identified as such without looking at their undercarriage. She was beautiful! It's also interesting to note that the canines always seem to know when we're hurt. Our shepherds have always been rather exuberant; but after having different surgeries over the years, and with different dogs, they all knew not to jump on me or try and sit in my lap. As for messed up ankles we have that in common too! No, not broken like yours, but Achilles tendon surgeries.

I wonder if we have started a new thread on airsoft BBs for our AFVs? Anyway, here are two questions that come up for me:

1) No! Please say that beautiful pup is still around!
2) Did you write "AirSoft lube"? Hmmm.... I had often wondered what a little silicon spray might do to a BB tank, but I hesitated because I couldn't predict all the side effects. So it this 'Airsoft lube' safe for 1/16 AFVs?

As to BB vs. LED flash/barrel recoil: I like 'em both, the former for working out frustrations when modeling; the latter in the dark! Hey, pushin' 70, goin' on 7.

Herr Dr,
Check out this video on YouTube. I use the same lubricant that he does, and do everything the same way...well almost. I don't stand my tank up on it's hind end. I don't want my smoker fluid to run up on the fan motor. I turn the turret to 3 or 9 o'clock, and stand it alongside the hull (my turret wires are long enough to allow this) and then proceed as he does. With my Elmod board my Airsoft unit won't "half cock" to open up the chamber like the original Taigen V3 unit would, so I just shoot a very short burst down as far into the barrel as I can. Let it sit for 30 seconds or so, and proceed like he does. I've done this for a 1 1/2 years now and have had zero problems. In fact, after about 100 to 150 BB's I can start to notice performance drop off. I don't know what other's with more experience do for their Airsoft units, but it works for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRaLdA ... L2eU1CTNK1

Cheers Gentlemen,
Eric.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thanks! Maybe your advice should go into the "Tips and Tricks" heading. Others should see it. After I get some good BBs and some lube, I will fire a BB you way from my back porch. But not until it's warmer outside. Watch for it streaking north to south through the night sky.

[abramsky]

In fact, after about 100 to 150 BB's I can start to notice performance drop off. I don't know what other's with more experience do for their Airsoft units, but it works for me.

In Airsoft rifle replicas, adding silicone oil to the Hop-Up chamber (with a rubber band) preserves the silicone rubber which is responsible for spinning the BBs but causes a drop in range. You then have to fire multiple shots so that the Hop-Up starts working again (that is, spin the BBs and increase their range and accuracy). In addition, pay special attention to the fact that the piston must remain in the front position after each shot (a full shot must be fired), and thus that the spring in the piston does not remain under tension. Otherwise, after a short time, a spring compressed too much will lose its power ...

[43rdRecceReg]

A quick update. I've begun grafting components onto the upper hull. After they're all in place, I'll create a second rear plate, and make a 'sandwich' with it to reflect the correct angle for the plate (i.e virtually no slope- on some M4s it's actually vertical).

[43rdRecceReg]

Another quick update. Most of the upper deck key components have now been bonded firmly in place- and in the correct positions. Yes, It all looks very rough; but now comes the major abrasion phase; followed by careful filling, sanding, and sculpting- especially of the new rear plate I'm making.
JB-Weld (metal) and Milliput sand to a good finish; but I'll almost certainly cover parts of the deck in Mr Hobby Surfacer (1500). However, I didn't realise, when working on the turret, that Mr Surfacer is really an enamel-based product until, that is, I ran into compatibility issues between it, and the acrylic primer I was using. Live and learn, eh?