SAUNDERS D DAY INVADER ...M4a3 SHERMAN

[scalawag]

Cheers ALPHA, Ive had stuff from Nick before (75mm barrel and mantlet) and very good his stuff is too. I will have to look him up again.

Cheers

Paul

[ALPHA]

Cheers ALPHA, Ive had stuff from Nick before (75mm barrel and mantlet) and very good his stuff is too. I will have to look him up again.

Cheers

Paul

Hey Scalawag... I'm too young into the Hobby to have ever really tried his creations...but I've heard and read about his accolades ... it's a really nice hull...probably a better substitute than trying bash one out...the variable that makes it practical is the price... it looks like a diamond... so I'm sure it's about the same in price

Good luck though.. and if you are able to find a better link. much appreciate if you can share it

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

Hello gentlemen... I apologize for the lack of updates on this build... I've been spending my time doing more research on the turret... as the hull does not require much attention .... Just to let you all know.. I've lowered the bustle ... color sanded it twice.... I'll probably post pictures after the third color sand... and placement of the antenna pocket..and that square doo hicky to the right of it

I think on this build.. the research has been the hardest part so far.... just because of the many variants of SHERMAN that were made
One issue was the periscope port in front of the commanders hatch.... mentioned on Painless Wolf's build...well I found four different applications... and three of them for my model of SHERMAN are viable.... my final decision is just to follow the anime instead of the real tank... as one matched exactly ...I also found the guards that adorn the periscopes for protection are also not needed

In the anime... there are three variants of the SHERMAN used ... two having cheek armor.. I'm doing the school's lead SHERMAN.. which doesn't

Pictures to follow soon





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOapxbXfWE

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning,
Alpha, you would be surprised. Nick's excellent build kits can be had for around the price of a basic HL Sherman. In the neighborhood of 149.00, + or -. I've been looking at a Jumbo kit for a while. His kits include everything in resin needed to turn a HL or Tamiya into your desired armor variant. The Jumbo kit includes a turret and mantlet, metal barrel. working hatches, etc. It is something I will definitely revisit one day. Now, speaking of excellent builds, lets have some pictures of your progress with the Saunders Sherman. ;o) I'm in the mood to walk around and whistle and kick some virtual road wheels. ;o)
warm regards,
Painless

[ALPHA]

Good Morning,
Alpha, you would be surprised. Nick's excellent build kits can be had for around the price of a basic HL Sherman. In the neighborhood of 149.00, + or -. I've been looking at a Jumbo kit for a while. His kits include everything in resin needed to turn a HL or Tamiya into your desired armor variant. The Jumbo kit includes a turret and mantlet, metal barrel. working hatches, etc. It is something I will definitely revisit one day. Now, speaking of excellent builds, lets have some pictures of your progress with the Saunders Sherman. ;o) I'm in the mood to walk around and whistle and kick some virtual road wheels. ;o)
warm regards,
Painless

Hey Painless... thank you for the helpful input as I wasn't able to find a link to provide... at 149...for a complete upper I'd say it's a bargain... though I have not seen the quality of the resin he uses or the gauge at which it is cast.... they are pretty though

and the pics ...Patience my good friend ... just a little patience ...........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRvqdxlUhXc



Thanks Painless

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

OK onward and upward... Since my good friend Painless requested some pictures... and even though I didn't feel it was the right time to do it... I did it.. as the suggestion haunted me
So here is were I am with the foundation for the low bustle turret
After the third color sand the dropped bustle .... I took about an 8th of an inch ..maybe a little more off the back . then using plastic from a TiPanther... fabricated a new flat/slanted back for the turret ... filler was used only on the inside of the turret to secure the original mounting screw points and to back fill the unnecessary gun mount
I also re-contoured the area on the side of the gunner's hatch ... which has also been covered over...and added a cheek plate

Sassgrunt let me play with one of his Christmas purchases...a MATO Sherman...to which I stole his hatch... but don't tell him I did that lol ...it isn't secured on at the moment as I am still deciding whether or not to have it move... as having it move would mean no figure can be put in it...I did some work on the hinges to facilitate the opening .. as the way MATO set it up made it difficult to do so



Don't ask me why... but I just couldn't get a real good shot of this side of the turret ... out of 12 these two were the clearest



My cheek armor... made also from a scrap Tipanther hull...I made a pattern out of cardboard ... laid a trace onto the plastic .. cut it out ..Then carefully heated it over my stove burner and pressed it till it took the form of the turret... it did take a few heatings... so don't get the impression it was done in one stroke...it took many steps... the first was to get the front where the mantlet opening is and getting the main crease .. then shaping the round



Top view... showing the correction to the round profile next to the periscope...and the gunner's hatch being removed and eliminated

That's it for the turret... the foundation now done... the details will be added soon

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

This photo is for the heck of it.... I just wanted to show you all how good of a match the resin transmission cover was ...as all I had to do to secure it was to line it up with the original..mark the mounting points ..drill and countersink the holes.. it fit perfectly



Which aids the line up of the FoV hull before snapping it shut

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Good Afternoon, Alpha,
This work is completely pleasing to the eye. Excellent job on the cheek applique armor and the low bustle! Looks just like factory. You remembered to take off the extra ventilator fan as well on the turret roof. Good Job! Don't forget your periscope cage for the split hatch periscope. Sweet on the close match for the parts! That is always a load off when major refitting is not needed. This one is going to be a beauty!
regards,
Painless

[ALPHA]

Good Afternoon, Alpha,
This work is completely pleasing to the eye. Excellent job on the cheek applique armor and the low bustle! Looks just like factory. You remembered to take off the extra ventilator fan as well on the turret roof. Good Job! Don't forget your periscope cage for the split hatch periscope. Sweet on the close match for the parts! That is always a load off when major refitting is not needed. This one is going to be a beauty!
regards,
Painless

Hey again Painless I'm still uncertain about the periscope cages...as I am going to try to stick with what is on the anime...if I do decide to put cages on .. it will be only if I make the hatch turn ... if I put a figure in it ... it won't matter too much...as the hatch will remain open.. the cage ..even a periscope mounted to the inside might just get in the way..or in a worst case scenario ..get broken off and lost ...but it is a detail I'm thinking about

Thanks for the input... it's always appreciated ...and apologies for not getting to the antenna port and that little square doo hickie thing to the right of it

ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Alpha,
It is a pleasure to be of use. ;o) No apologies needed, I am not pointing out bad stuff, just excellent stuff! I looked up the square doohickey. It is an auxiliary antenna mount mostly used by the British Sherman crews who had a #19 radio set which required an extra antenna be there. I saw that even the earliest turrets had this mount and it is present all the way up to the 105 mm turrets and only missing on tanks like Fireflys. An interesting bit of History. Here is an excellent database of American AFVs where I located that odd tidbit of information: http://afvdb.50megs.com/index.html
warm regards,
Painless