Light tank Stuart M5A1 named "DZIK" of the 24-th Lancers Regt.

[igi911]

Good evening everyone!

I'm building a model based on a historical photo. In Polish "DZIK" means BOAR so I think it's an appropriate name for a small tank like Stuart

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First I changed the Phillips to hex head bolts and got rid of the side covers. Then I added suspension skid.

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Next, I added the exhaust deflector mesh and changed the road wheels to late type. I painted the lower hull the right color and it can be said that it is almost ready.

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Now it's time to take care of the upper part. More changes coming soon
Cheers!

[Herr Dr. Professor]

In the rather short time it has been available, the little M5A1 has inspired quite a few projects here on RCTW. I am glad to see you creating an "allies" version, too.
Mine us underway, but more humble than your fine work. I see that you discovered that the vertical supports in the exhaust baffles are offset to the center of the tank. It took me some time looking among photos to confirm which way to orient those. I do like the screening over the exhaust, too. If I can find such screening without too much expense, I will add some to my Stuart. From what I can tell, the screens were on many, but not all Stuarts. I added periscope guards, too. These seem to have been used on fewer Stuarts and are somewhat smaller than those for the M4 Shermans. I will be watching for more of your details and modifications.

[Ad Lav]

It’s quite possible this little tank and the Churchill have sparked a lot of new interest in rc tanks.

I’m certainly tempted to get off my butt and do something!

[tankme]

It’s quite possible this little tank and the Churchill have sparked a lot of new interest in rc tanks.

I’m certainly tempted to get off my butt and do something!

Definitely. I wouldn't have never scratch built a Churchill, but buying one was worth the money. The TongDE metal version seems to run very well. I wouldn't have scratch built a Stuart either, but I did buy one or two because it is a great little tank. I do have plenty of projects and the Stuart is down at the bottom so I can just drool over everyone else's builds for the moment.

[igi911]

Mine us underway, but more humble than your fine work. I see that you discovered that the vertical supports in the exhaust baffles are offset to the center of the tank. It took me some time looking among photos to confirm which way to orient those. I do like the screening over the exhaust, too. If I can find such screening without too much expense, I will add some to my Stuart. From what I can tell, the screens were on many, but not all Stuarts. I added periscope guards, too.

Thank you Professor. I discovered this while browsing this page:

http://afvdb.50megs.com/usa/pics/m5stua ... g8r-sQ2o1g

I made the shielding using ABER mesh no. S22. You shouldn't have a problem with its availability. I would also like to add periscope covers but I don't have them in stock at the moment.

Further changes, they still need to be refined but I wanted to present them already.

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[Herr Dr. Professor]

Both to save money (save money on my hobbies?! how unusual ) and so that I could just have a simple, brief project, I have been sticking to a more moderate re-build of my M5 and admiring yours. I have the hex-head bolts for the suspension, but so far have not used them because they are fully threaded without a shank. I simply touched up the bare metal with a metal primer and some U.S. Olive Drab. Because I had some extras from the HengLong M4 Shermans, I added all the tools on the upper rear deck as in the useful photos to which you provided the link. I used 3D printed periscope guards from https://www.battlegroundmodels.com/ specifically https://www.battlegroundmodels.com/prod ... ope-guards While these guards are not so sturdy as the metal ones, my tanks spend most of their time static, and I seldom run them outdoors. Thank you for such specific information on the screening. I will check it a.s.a.p.

[igi911]

Thanks for all the replies.

There have been a few changes recently. I put on the periscope covers and added the M1919 from Aber. I also applied some putty and checked how the commander feels in the tank.
As for the rear, I mounted the boxes and the deflector. Yesterday I received the next parts. The mesh, for the boxes, from A1 Models. I may also use it on the deflectors because it is more appropriate.
The remaining machine guns and a few other details have also arrived, which I will mount soon.

Cheers

[Herr Dr. Professor]

The design of that rear hull toolbox (bustle?) is interesting. It seems as if the rearmost half is open and seemingly useless. But I bet that design had a specific purpose. Do you know? I saw your "not homeless" on the Polish forum yesterday. I wish I could communicate in every language in the world.

[Kaczor]

The rear box was divided into two parts with separate flaps. One was watertight, the other with a mesh. Thanks to this, it was airy and you could dry clothes there, for example.

I wish I could communicate in every language in the world.

You can put the whole forum into google translate

[Herr Dr. Professor]

I had not noticed the "website" feature. Thank you. The design of the stowage box is clever. But imagine drying your clothes over the exhaust flow. Gaack!