Great job on the turret, Dan - it looks every bit the part. I like how you used strips of tape to line up the mointing points for the equiment hooks. When I did it for a Panther turret, I used a fineline marker to make the reference points - your way is both faster and a lot less messy!
I am looking forward to your work on the hull as you continue this build. -Mike
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.
Maint:
What would you like to know about the recoil? I took a pretty good series of pictures, especially the mantlet modification of Nick Aguilar's M34A1 unit and Ethan from DAK's rotor shield.
I also have pictures of the the turned down lip on the Tamiya/Impact barrel to allow recoil. This website doesn't allow files large enough to post a short video of the recoil, however if anyone wanted to see it I would be glad to send it to them via E-mail. Just send me a PM with your address. As a matter of fact, I will go ahead and post the pictures of the barrel/mantlet while I'm responding to this thread.
What would you like to know about the recoil? I took a pretty good series of pictures, especially the mantlet modification of Nick Aguilar's M34A1 unit and Ethan from DAK's rotor shield.
I also have pictures of the the turned down lip on the Tamiya/Impact barrel to allow recoil. This website doesn't allow files large enough to post a short video of the recoil, however if anyone wanted to see it I would be glad to send it to them via E-mail. Just send me a PM with your address. As a matter of fact, I will go ahead and post the pictures of the barrel/mantlet while I'm responding to this thread.
- Attachments
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- There is a large ridge on the Tamiya/Impact 17 Pounder Barrel. This has to be machined down. The end is .488. It's slip fit for 1/2" K&S tubing. I used 17/32 tubing for the barrel with the brass extention to slide into. It also functions as a support for the mantlet as it protrudes through the 1 1/4" tubing supplied with the rotor shield. I will provide more detailed pictures of the assembly if needed. I will have to disassemble the turret when I do the texture and paint it. I will be glad to take a much more comprehenside string of phtotos for the asking.
- Turned down breech 17 Pndr.jpg (33.56 KiB) Viewed 5079 times
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- I used miliput rolled out and formed around the tube I used for the outside sleeve of the recoil mechanism. I then used a small Dremel steel cutter bit to remove the Miliput for the 080 filister screws.
- Side View Of Completed Mantlet.jpg (23.33 KiB) Viewed 5079 times
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- This shows how to extend the slots so the retaining bolts to the outside of the mantle allow articulation of the mantlet/gun in prototypical style.
- Rotor Sheild Converted.jpg (19.12 KiB) Viewed 5079 times
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- I lined off how to cut off the mantlet bottom to follow the curve. It's then sanded to shape. The lip is used on the left side to extend the mantlet, then sanded to shape.
- M34A1 Mantlet Cut Guide..jpg (21.26 KiB) Viewed 5079 times
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- Coverted Mantlet and Barrel.jpg (20.14 KiB) Viewed 5079 times
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- Barrel 1.jpg (20.26 KiB) Viewed 5079 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.
Mike:
I used the Tamiya masking tape for a few reasons:
1. It's much easier to reposition if you misalign it.
2. It gives you something to make your alignment marks on.
3. No real clean up, you just pull it off when you're done.
Thank you for the comments. It's hard sometimes to keep everything in scale context when making parts. I will address your questions about why I had to partially fill the loader's hatch opening before opening it back up via PM.
-Dan
I used the Tamiya masking tape for a few reasons:
1. It's much easier to reposition if you misalign it.
2. It gives you something to make your alignment marks on.
3. No real clean up, you just pull it off when you're done.
Thank you for the comments. It's hard sometimes to keep everything in scale context when making parts. I will address your questions about why I had to partially fill the loader's hatch opening before opening it back up via PM.
-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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maintcoder
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- Location: Kent, WA
Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.
How hard was it to add the recoil unit itself to the Sherman turret?
Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.
Dan,
you can link a video to youtube.
Hope you don't mind me jumping in, Maintcoder, have a look at my Oddball's Sherman covert to see how I did the recoil and I'm sure Dan can give you some advice too.
sparks
you can link a video to youtube.
Hope you don't mind me jumping in, Maintcoder, have a look at my Oddball's Sherman covert to see how I did the recoil and I'm sure Dan can give you some advice too.
sparks
Hey man....I just ride 'em, I dunno what makes 'em work.
Woof woof woof !
Woof woof woof !
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X82d Pathfinder
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- Location: Colleyville, TX.
Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.
Hello, Sparks, Mant.
Sparks, no issue at all.
The Tamiya Pershing Recoil motor seems to be the most compact of the units. It's simply screwed to the Tamiya Sherman transverse gear mount post drilling a couple holes. I did have to grind the bottom side of the plastic away on the recoil motor so it would mount flush. I will be disassembling my turret when I start the cast texturing.
I will take good pictures so it's clear for you.
It seems some used things like paperclips and such to attatch the recoil unit to the barrel.
I don't recommend that. The 17 PNDR is long and made of aluminum. It required something much more robust than something like the light weight 75MM or the 76MM aluminum barrel Nick Aguilar offers.
I wanted reliability, so I really thought this one out. There are so many ideas here on this forum that you can get a feel for what needs to be done. Combine the best of them and add your own ideas to them. In all honesty, I probably over-engineered mine. A little caveat about the Sherman MFU. It has no recoil provisions. You'll have to purchase the Pershing unit. I picked mine up from Jason's RC on Ebay for about 114.00. The Ford GAA engine sounds are much better than the Continental radial anyway.
Anyway, check back in a couple days,I'll post detailed shots of it dissassembled.
-Dan
Sparks, no issue at all.
The Tamiya Pershing Recoil motor seems to be the most compact of the units. It's simply screwed to the Tamiya Sherman transverse gear mount post drilling a couple holes. I did have to grind the bottom side of the plastic away on the recoil motor so it would mount flush. I will be disassembling my turret when I start the cast texturing.
I will take good pictures so it's clear for you.
It seems some used things like paperclips and such to attatch the recoil unit to the barrel.
I don't recommend that. The 17 PNDR is long and made of aluminum. It required something much more robust than something like the light weight 75MM or the 76MM aluminum barrel Nick Aguilar offers.
I wanted reliability, so I really thought this one out. There are so many ideas here on this forum that you can get a feel for what needs to be done. Combine the best of them and add your own ideas to them. In all honesty, I probably over-engineered mine. A little caveat about the Sherman MFU. It has no recoil provisions. You'll have to purchase the Pershing unit. I picked mine up from Jason's RC on Ebay for about 114.00. The Ford GAA engine sounds are much better than the Continental radial anyway.
Anyway, check back in a couple days,I'll post detailed shots of it dissassembled.
-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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maintcoder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.
Thanks for the information, Sparks and X82d! I have time to noodle on this mod as I have 2 tanks (Pershing and Jagdpanther) and a Stug III conversion to complete before I can consider a Sherman.
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X82d Pathfinder
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Re: It Begins! My M4A1 based Sherman Firefly Build.
I completed the turret periscope guard installation today. As you probably know the gunner/commander's periscope has a different shaped guard than all the others.
Being I changed to the early style I needed five periscope guards. Buy the Pershing set, it'll save you about 15.00 over two sets of Sherman guards. You get five instead of three guards for about 8.00 more. I had to cut one of the guards up and solder the legs differently and straighten the front out. They solder well with silver solder. Here is the completed work.
-Dan
Being I changed to the early style I needed five periscope guards. Buy the Pershing set, it'll save you about 15.00 over two sets of Sherman guards. You get five instead of three guards for about 8.00 more. I had to cut one of the guards up and solder the legs differently and straighten the front out. They solder well with silver solder. Here is the completed work.
-Dan
- Attachments
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- Open Periscope, Gunner's side.
- Open Periscope.jpg (19.46 KiB) Viewed 5045 times
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- .50 M2 Early bracket.
- Open Scope and Commanders Coupla.jpg (19.72 KiB) Viewed 5045 times
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- Modified Periscope Guard
- Above Commanders coupla.jpg (19.48 KiB) Viewed 5045 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.
Mant:
I have a few pictures to give you an idea of how I did the recoil. I hope this helps.
-Dan
I have a few pictures to give you an idea of how I did the recoil. I hope this helps.
-Dan
- Attachments
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- Turret bottom
- Underside of Turret.jpg (29.23 KiB) Viewed 5040 times
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- Turret Electronics
- Rear of Turret with electronics.jpg (18.43 KiB) Viewed 5040 times
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- Barrel with recoil extention
- Barrel with recoil componets.jpg (25.34 KiB) Viewed 5040 times
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- Mantlet Recoil Assembly
- Back side of mantlet for recoil.jpg (20.98 KiB) Viewed 5040 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.
Well, in the few minutes I had to work on my AFV todayI finished the M2 .50 machine gun and the transmission covers. I still have to detail the .50. I did get the barrel drilled out, however I still have the pin locks and retaining chains to do yet, not to mention scavenging the pentle lock lever from the Tamiya kit and attatching it to the base of the cupola. In my haste I lost the original cradle, so I had to steal one from Super Sherman VW parts sprue.
As I had mentioned previously I am doing the VVSS suspension modification. I purchased an entire lower hull, so being the cheap bastard I am at times I used the old thread trick and removed the transmission side covers using the aforementioned method. I removed all the cast "titties" that were a poor attempt at making bolt heads and replaced all 56 in total on both with .080 hex rod bolt heads.
Anyway, here it is.
-Dan
As I had mentioned previously I am doing the VVSS suspension modification. I purchased an entire lower hull, so being the cheap bastard I am at times I used the old thread trick and removed the transmission side covers using the aforementioned method. I removed all the cast "titties" that were a poor attempt at making bolt heads and replaced all 56 in total on both with .080 hex rod bolt heads.
Anyway, here it is.
-Dan
- Attachments
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- Modified Mato side covers.
- Side Covers Transmission.jpg (24.08 KiB) Viewed 5031 times
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- Front View, M2.
- Mounted .50 M2.jpg (18.55 KiB) Viewed 5031 times
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- View from above. .50 M2.
- .50 M2 in rest.jpg (21.49 KiB) Viewed 5031 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
