M4A4 Firefly (Vc)

[RiskyR]

Not much progress on the build, but spending some time on the design.
I've changed some parts in the design to make it stronger. Custom speaker box is finished and I'm trying to figure out a way for the upper hull to sit correctly on the bottom hull (using some extra brackets) and I want to do a kind of quick release. I designed one for my M4A1 a couple of days ago but that hull is completely different so no use for the firefly unfortunately.

Also need to rethink the track tensioning system. It now works as the full size one but it's too weak unfortunately.

[RiskyR]

After the first test run of my M4A1E8, the idler mounting system seems to work well, so this will be implemented in the Firefly as well.
There are a few things that bother me on the design of the Firefly, for instance the front hatches and their cast housings just don't look right.

I got some drawings of the M4A4 and together with lots of pictures I remade the hatches and their housings. Way more accurate so very happy with them

left is the old one, right is the redesigned item.

[RiskyR]

It has been quiet for too long..

I've been working on and off some Shermans for the last 2 or 3 years or so, with some longer periods without activity.
Recently I found my Firefly sitting somewhere on the shelf. It's a shame not to finish my first ever tank which I designed from scratch.

So out came the Firefly and the drawings again. Some redesigns here and there and modified to take Heng Long electronics.
The electronics are ordered and on its way.
Bogies are still my own design and work perfectly. Gearboxes, sprockets and tracks are Heng Long items as I didn't feel like building each track link myself.
Because of the longer M4A4 length, the HL tracks had to be lengthened with 6 links each and seem to fit nicely.

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[Tiger6]

Good to see you 'back in buisness'

[Herr Dr. Professor]

RiskyR: I had not realized how long you had been quiet. It is, indeed, fine to know of your continued work. I remember the conversion to the "small hatch" M4 Sherman. I also see in the background of one of your photos a Sherman with cast hull. And apart from the big bustle (hmm... those in the UK seem to like big bustles ) I see a cast turret. Yes, my favorite as a teen-aged modeler: a cast hull and cast turret M4.

[RiskyR]

RiskyR: I had not realized how long you had been quiet. It is, indeed, fine to know of your continued work. I remember the conversion to the "small hatch" M4 Sherman. I also see in the background of one of your photos a Sherman with cast hull. And apart from the big bustle (hmm... those in the UK seem to like big bustles ) I see a cast turret. Yes, my favorite as a teen-aged modeler: a cast hull and cast turret M4.

Yeah, me neither. Time flies!

The Large hatch cast hull in the pics, the M4A1(76)W HVSS is the HL lower with my 3d printed HVSS suspension, cast hull and turret. I recently converted this one to complete TK7.0 elektronics and it works pretty good. Needs some more detailing and painting, but overall pretty happy with it.

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phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]

The small hatch version is still on the drawing board, I printed a chassis to use the HL bogies but that didn't work out as planned. I've still got a spare HL lower so I might use that one for the conversion.

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