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Building a Sherman on borrowed time.
by treadwell
Hello armor enthusiasts! This is my
1/16 scale Sherman M4 105 based on
the Tamiya R/C tank first
released around 1976.
The differential covers are scratch
built and the weld seams are made
from 'Apoxy
Sculpt'--I highly recommend you
try it sometime.
The fenders are scratch built from
.020 styrene from multiple pieces,
formed to look like the original
sheet metal. They are all drilled
with properly spaced holes and
rivets and boltheads.
 The
front towing fixtures are scratched
with Pershing towing kit available
from
ETO Armour. Also I mounted the
outdrive bushings backwards from the
recommended way, to allow a better
fit for the diff covers --every
thing has been test fit several
times-- I have no clearance problem
between the outdrive bushings and
the tranny bearing-- -Even if this
occurs, the bushing could easily be
milled or just file enough thousands
off until there is no
interference--it is easy to cut a
relief in the diff covers-- that's
why I put so thick a bead around the
outside tube base-- to get clearance
on the inside!--.
I scratched the newer style travel
lock for the big 105--- carved the
handle with a dremel out of a .100
piece of brass and layered many
pieces of evergreen stock for the
cap. here are some pictures;
 I
worked on the shocks tonight-- gave
'em a little 'tweak'
- easy to do, just a little time
consuming--basically all you have to
do is take the stock shocks, and,
with a fairly flat pair of needle
nose pliers, flatten and shape the
ends-- get 'em as flat as
possible---after that, I laminated a
.020 piece of plastic card to the
inside of each 'ear' on the big end,
and the outside of each 'ear' on the
smaller end--just big squares--
don't worry about shape at this
time--you shape them and re drill
after the c.a. is completely set up-
previously
to that, I had made round plugs from
scrap-- 2 sizes, one for the big
end, one for the
 smaller---insert
from the inside, glue with
c.a.---that's about it, the rest of
the time is spent carefully sanding
to follow the metal ears that the
plastic card is attached to ---after
all is shaped and sanded I gave
everything a heavy brushed on coat
of
Tamiya surface primer (it is
thick like
mrsurfacer)--it blends
everything in-- here is a few more
pictures to tell the story-- in my
humble opinion, it is time well
spent and really improves the look
and the fit of the shocks.
 Next
I have been working on the back end
a bit-- here is a rough shot of the
rear idler bearing/track tensioner
--- the way Tamiya has engineered
the model, it is tough to copy
exactly how it should look, but I
wanted to give a slightly better
representation of the part---here is
the picture. The towing pintles are
modified from Pershing pintles. I
cut the adjustment nuts from scrap
 For
the tool handles on my build I used
mahogany I found in the wood section
of a hobby shop near where I work--
usually used for ship models I
think- Here are some pictures
Here is something you may be
interested if you ever build a
Sherman--- it is a cupola
replacement part available from Bob
at
ETO ARMOR. com---part # PH0011
in the
Pershing section--- you have to
make your own glass for the view
ports, but you can use clear sheet
styrene from Evergreen (part #9007)
(.015)---everything else is the
same---the hinges and hatch fit
perfectly-
 I
have been trying to scratch build
the sight vane , but with not much
luck. I did manage a nice piece in
styrene, but it was so fragile I
broke it trying to install it to get
a picture. Anyhoo....I finally had
enough so I decided to just drill
the casting that comes with the kit.
It lacks the split down the middle,
but I think I am gonna use it
anyway. the top hole is .040 and the
bottom 3 are .030 so not as bad to
do as I was thinking it might have
been. it is not a perfect replica,
as in full scale the holes are not
actually round.
 I
did a re-do on the springs on the
loaders hatch--they were to sloppy
looking the first time( don't know
if you can tell
 ,
but they are tighter and sit at a
better angle than before.
I also finished installing the
windows into the cupola --I
carefully cut reliefs into the back
of it so they would fit and give me
some wiggle room as to the fit--when
you install the inboard hinge holder
on the Schumo turret) ,you have to
make a piece of filler so that it
looks correct.
I also added little wingnuts to the
air cleaners and base painted the
turret----here are some pictures
 On
the tracks, I tried an experiment
going back to my days of racing R/C
cars---many aftermarket parts ( and
stock parts) were cast or spun in
white nylon like material. To get
your chassis to look cool we would
dye the parts at a low temp with 'Rit'
brand clothes dye any color you
want-- the dye is permanent. I did
this with my stock Tamiya tracks--
they seem to be a similar material.
---I first dyed them black, and let
them air dry. the next day I
separated the tracks by knocking out
two of the link pins with a fine
punch. I then pin the tracks to a 36
inch piece of wood. In small
sections, working a little at a
time, i spray the track with
'future' floor acrylic---
immediately I work in some 'MIG'
pigments --- on my tracks I used
Russian Earth---when the tracks are
pretty dry--(10 minutes) I took a
rag with alcohol on it and cleaned
the cleats where they touch the
ground--
 I
have re-built the luggage rack in
the 'folded up' position as you can
see--now I gotta figure out what to
do with all the gas cans, ammo boxes
etc. -- pics are a little premature,
may have to do some tweaking, but
you can see where I am going.
I finally got the spare track 'hold
down' clamps and 'stand offs' welded
to the hull and finished-- I used
spare Tamiya T-84 track and pins--
came out pretty o.k. looking to me.
I also have base coat on the upper
hull, a little weathering started on
the turret and lower hull-- I kinda
set it all together so I could get a
preview of how it's gonna be
looking--my deadline of Sept 27 is
RAPIDLY approaching-- I am really
gonna have tp pull out all the stops
to git her done!
 I
have added texture to a lot of
places like the rear plate-- I want
to to do so much more with this
build , but time is running short
and I must complete by Sept
27---perhaps after the show I will
add the stowage and other details I
want to do.
I am nearing the end -- one month to
go---I had bought 'white metal' tool
straps, but ended up making my own
anyway---working on the Browning M2
tonight after much thought,
remounted a new road-wheel with the
'offset' closest to the hull.
As you can see, the radio gear is
installed-- having trouble getting
the main gun to fire every thing
else O.K. just needs some extra work
I am sure-- made a shelf for the on
/ off switch and the charging jack
(size 'm'--available from radio
shack).
|
The stencils are not
exactly stencils ---
they are part generic
dry transfers cut to
look like a stencil and
partly painted with my
shaky hand! |
 |
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Painting.
 My
model was originally painted with a
base coat of Tamiya XF-62, mixed
with Tamiya dark yellow. I was very
un happy with the results even after
my usual wash technique.
I decide to complexly repaint the
model with Windsor & Newton oil
paints. I mixed various shades of
olive drab made from lamp black,
yellow orche and sometimes a touch
of van dyke brown . The colors were
reduced with fast drying
Turpenoid to a very high degree
almost like an acrylic that has been
reduced to about 25% paint to 75%
thinner. The colors were then
applied by brush painting the entire
model. I used flat brushes ranging
from about 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch,
constantly changing the shades and
blending together. The downside to
this is that it took me several days
to paint the
 model
and have it looking as I thought it
should. The oil paint mixed with the
turpenoid dries to the touch in
about a half an hour so not really
to bad. The model was painted on
each side or area as if it were a
one dimensional painting. The
resulting finish has a unique
layered effect not really possible
with my trusty air brush! No sealers
or dull coat is needed over the
oils. They dry very flat in color
and very flat texture wise. This
technique or experiment was a first
for me!
HEY YOU DUDES!!--------
 I
just got back from
AMPS EAST a few minutes ago (my
wife and I stayed over after the
show and went to the Danbury
Military Museum today after we
checked out. I am proud to say my
entry won both a gold medal in the
advanced class, and a beautiful
plaque for 'Best American Vehicle'
overall!
Along with the tank I had a book of
pictures from the build and some
reference pic and also a small write
up about how I did my paint ect.
(you have seen most of it in this
thread) at the end of that, I listed
my 'Thanks' to various people and
books and I want you guys to know
the first sentence reads "I wish to
thank my friends at
Panzerforum"
 basically
what I am saying is THANK YOU DUDES
FOR ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT--I
really mean that--It is this forum
that really supports the larger
scales, and I am proud to be one of
the members.
Thank you all so
much, --tread |
