It's me again with all the usual stuff, real tank, photogrammetry, 3D modelling and 3D printing ! But this time I'm going to do something different.
I usually use photogrammetry to create a msh of an existing vehicule then I use it to 3D model it myself. But this time I'm using the mesh itself so I don't alter the original shape at all, it's like I used a magic wand to scale down a real tank.
I wanted to recreate a M4A1 because I like the organic shape of the cast hull. But I had to find the good canditate for photogrammetry in order to create the best mesh I could.
And 3 months ago I found the ideal candidate for that ! It's a tank that has been decorated by an artist, photogrammetry works much better with a surface that has a lot of details :
- M4A1_1.jpg (1.5 MiB) Viewed 727 times
- It's a M4A1 with small hatch and cast in appliqué armor (the ultimate small hatch cast hull).
- It's started its life as a DD Sherman, then stripped off all its DD attribute to become a regular Sherman as they used to do. It's still has proof of it's old DD days : weld scares on the transmission covers, DD fittings welds on the hull, special "skirt" supports and fenders, original taller headlights guards (headlights were higher than usual to be above the skirt), but it doesnt have the DD screws and idler system, it has been replaced by the usual track tensioner and idler.
- M4A1_2.jpg (1.83 MiB) Viewed 727 times
- M4A1_3.jpg (1.63 MiB) Viewed 727 times
Here you can see the result :
But next year (or later this year), next project will be to do the same but this time with a M4A1 with large hatches, I'll do a trip to take hundred of pics of one in order to recreate an accurate 3D model ! 
), it does not even look good or accurate. It is really not worth the few $ I spent for them.
