[NATO/Cold War] Portugal M5A1 "Gina"

[Stormbringer]

and once pointed out its hard to ignore

[ColemanCollector]

Getting down to the nitty-gritty of detailing and correcting. and found these great and unexpected sites for Stuart reference photos--vehicle auction sites! Each Stuart has a hundred plus images taken in great light, and because they're selling to a potentially remote buyer, they crawl all over, around, and under the tanks. Scroll down to the pics in each listing. A treasure trove of M5A1 goodness!

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1952-m5a1-stuart/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1943- ... m5a1-tank/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1944- ... m5a1-tank/

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1944-stuart-m5a1/

Mike.

[Ecam]

Terrific source for pictures.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Do they come with the transmitter and receiver already installed?

[ColemanCollector]

Do they come with the transmitter and receiver already installed?

And the famous "Batteries not included" said in the fastest and lowest voice possible.

If I was some Richie Rich guy, I know what I'd be spending my $500k CAD vehicle budget on...and it wouldn't be a new Ferrari.

Mike.

[ColemanCollector]

Figured before fitting new fenders, I'd get the rough stuff on the upper body completed. Off come the 36DDD hinges as flush as I could get them for final sanding with my soon to arrive--hopefully--mini detail sander.

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Hinges just arrived so I'll be trimming, extending, and fastening them later to look more Stuartish. They'll still be oversize, but not quite so silicon implant-like.

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I also opened up the rear mesh ventilation rectangle on the back deck for a better look, and also to let more sound out from the anemic Coolbank sound system.

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And then things got crazy! As you can see in this pic, the mesh has a thin steel frame holding it down on the real deal.

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Enter "Tinkercad" and my retired brain learning how to design a 3D part, and then actually printing it. Tinkercad is pretty basic, simple and free, and the website showed elementary grade students learning how to use it. Perfect, that's about my speed!

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Tadaaa! A frame for over the mesh! I feel like a little kid making their first clay ashtray for their Mom and Dad.

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Next up, hinging the battery/engine hatch, installing the mesh and its cover, and printing a cargo box.

Mike.

[ColemanCollector]

A fun little job to add some very obvious detail that Coolbank left off. Those cool little screw heads on the back flanks. Some bling for Gina!

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Mike.