It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Caddyshack:

Thank you for the kind words. I am rather happy with it thus far being my first major kit-bash on a large scale kit. I hope it meets the expectations of the others who are more giften than I.
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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MarkofZollo
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by MarkofZollo »

X82, some great work there.
What you said about pictures I understand, direct quote from my build thread (http://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/v ... 7&start=20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) of recent findings;
"Near where I live in Devon, there is a monument to Exercise Tiger and the lives lost in the practise for Overlord, Im sure if you guys have read the book 'The Forgotten Dead' by Ken Small you will know. The monument is an M4A1 'DD' tank, with my recent knowledge building on this build I thought back to that tank and was a tad confused, so I got a pick of it the other day;

Image

You may notice or know this has a 75mm turret (high bustle, M34A1 mantle and split hatch) but the late wide hatches and I guess wet stowage too then. I havnt seen evidence of another one of these so this is odd to me but shows they do exist, and it being a DD means they invested money in it so probably was intended to be used in the war and maybe others were."
So yeah as long as you have picture evidense or documented as being produced, it is historically acceptable.
Look forward to the updates :D Dave
There is always a fifth Sherman
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Dave:
Don't you find it rather interesting that everything an "expert" says has to be cold hard fact with no exceptions. Far too many conversions were done based on what was available at the moment.
Feasibility studies were often done under combat conditions. Throwing them into the Frey was how many implements became issue. Being a Paratrooper, I know all too well how many times out of necessity we improvised to make expedient equipment for a particular mission parameter.

Regards,
-Dan
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Well, I have completed more work on various items. I completed the idler mount detail and modification. I used .60, .100 and 1.25 plastic sheet and hex rod. Brass .080 and .90 bolts are far too expensive. I also utilized Tamiya's adjuster. I sanded the elogated faux bolt head into a hex bolt shape so it was much closer to a prototypical adjuster. I was going to use a 3MM counter sunk screw and glue it in place on the rear portion of the Mato mount so the idler would mount from the side as well as the rear, however the genius engineers at MATO lined up the mount hole exactly with the side mount hole. The nuts would have interfered with eachother had I done this. Being I used the Schumo plastic back plate I will just cement the mount to the plastic rear plate and screw it to the side via the Schumo screw kit I purchased. I probably should have sanded all the detail off and started from scratch, however I was concerned with the integrity of the part had I done so. I also wanted to incorporate the metal reinforcement that came with the idler. Anyway, here is what I came up with.
Regards,
-Dan
Attachments
Idler back side view
Idler back side view
Idler Rear View.jpg (34.31 KiB) Viewed 9808 times
Idler rear view
Idler rear view
Idler Back View.jpg (6.28 KiB) Viewed 9808 times
Rear Idler Side View
Rear Idler Side View
Front Side Idler Mount.jpg (28.87 KiB) Viewed 9808 times
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
sassgrunt
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by sassgrunt »

Your modified idler mount is a vast improvement on what comes as stock. Great build so far - I am really enjoying it! -Mike
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Mike:

Thank you. I am way behind. I will be posting here to catch up with where I am shortly.
Thanks again for your help with the idlers.

-Dan
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Well, Nick Aguilar comes through again! I got the first of his new "Early" Sherman commander's cupola. This is the early style with the aiming vane and the hatch locks. This is much thicker than his earlier offering. I will be converting the M2 .50 barrel rest to the early style "goal post" that was common on M4 Shermans and most common wealth Shermans with the split hatch.

Another work of art and came just in time so I have the correct style hatch!
Attachments
Not the vane and the hatch locks. Outstanding!
Not the vane and the hatch locks. Outstanding!
Early Cupola hatch.jpg (26.44 KiB) Viewed 9735 times
Cupola side view
Cupola side view
Early Cupola Side View.jpg (25.98 KiB) Viewed 9735 times
New Cupola Kit
New Cupola Kit
Early Cupola Kit.jpg (26.04 KiB) Viewed 9735 times
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

After looking at options to make the elevation reliable and smooth being I used Ethan from RCU's rotor shield I came up with a clean mounting and smooth operation.
I used the piece of 1 1/4" tubing supplied with the rotor shield and used my self-adhesive sand paper and used several different grades attatched to the tube and rotated it in the recess where it is designed to move for elevation. Finishing with 600 It's smooth as a baby's ass. I then cut the tube length-wise to about 1/3 of it's width. I used the tube to trace a pattern of the interior tubing to make a pattern on .125 sheet plastic. I made the half moon portions and after careful measurment of a non-modified turret I located the half-moon plastic in the back of the tubing where it would allow attatchment of the Tamiya elevation lever. I wound up being able to maintain factory locations and geometry. It's a very clean install and maintains room in the turrret.

Now that I have completed all of the mechanical but the recoil link I can seriously attack the exterior turret details so I can move on to the hull and the completion of the VVSS conversion.
Attachments
Barrel 1.jpg
Barrel 1.jpg (20.26 KiB) Viewed 9701 times
Turret Elevation 4.jpg
Turret Elevation 4.jpg (13.81 KiB) Viewed 9701 times
Turret Elevation 3.jpg
Turret Elevation 3.jpg (22.95 KiB) Viewed 9701 times
Turret Elevation 2.jpg
Turret Elevation 2.jpg (24.22 KiB) Viewed 9701 times
Turret Elevation 1.jpg
Turret Elevation 1.jpg (18.37 KiB) Viewed 9701 times
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by X82d Pathfinder »

Well, I have been under the weather for a few days, however I have been plugging along and have now completed the Sherman 1C turret. The recoil and elevation are positive and work flawlessly. I used my Tiger 1 to test the electronics. I must admit, it makes the Sherman turret look puny in comparison to the Tiger 1 hull.
Here within I am posting the equipment rings and their installation, as well as the Early MG mount I fabricated, and also the radio compartment I scratched. I only have to do the cast texture now, which I'll be doing with Mr. Dissolved Putty.
I can finally start the hull and the dreaded bogie modification. I dread the thought of replicating the same work six times on the VVSS bogies. LOL

Anyway, enjoy. Comments, suggestions and constructive criticizm always welcomed!
Attachments
Turret from top.jpg
Turret from top.jpg (24.07 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Mounted Radio Compartment.jpg
Mounted Radio Compartment.jpg (10.44 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Mounted Barrel Support.jpg
Mounted Barrel Support.jpg (23.8 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Equipment Hooks Turret.jpg
Equipment Hooks Turret.jpg (17.45 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Equipment Hooks Complete.jpg
Equipment Hooks Complete.jpg (25.46 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Complete RH Turret side.jpg
Complete RH Turret side.jpg (22.02 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Elevation Assy.jpg
Elevation Assy.jpg (16.03 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Radio Compartment.jpg
Radio Compartment.jpg (10.54 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
Turret Testing.jpg
Turret Testing.jpg (25.91 KiB) Viewed 9648 times
A Commander has to make vital decision on incomplete information in a matter of seconds, and afterwards the experts can sit down at leisure, with all the facts before them, and argue about what he might, could or should have done.- Sir William Slim
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maintcoder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.

Post by maintcoder »

Very nice build. I am super curious about the recoil added to the Sherman. It is the biggest detractor for me given all the other Tamiya kits have it.
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