alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 766 
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Post by alexb on Jan 12, 2018 17:15:39 GMT
Time for a new project. Below is a what-if build I did for a What-If Campaign over at another model site. It was originally built as a alt history vehicle where the Western Allies split with the Soviets. The US moved to arm the German forces with vehicles like this...Sherman chassis, turretless,long 88, IR spotter scope for commander. There's some things I never really liked about this build and I've planned on reworking it for a while. The thing's profile is tall and its size makes for a big target. The basic plan was to disin-German it and make it an American casemate tank destroyer. Up-armor it and give it a catchy nickname.   So I dig out the Sherman related spares boxes. I don't build alot of Shermans (5 or 6 of them including a Priest) but thanks to Academy and Dragon, the spares are pretty well stocked. So I am looking for parts to use for the project. I find enough parts for a M4a1 hull. A bit more digging and I have enough VVSS bogies...cool, I can save the HVSS for something else. So then I got an new idea...lets build a Sherman completely from the spares...a Franken Sherman.  More digging reveals no turret. There's an old Italeri 76mm turret there but it's missing the gun....I think it's in another spares box. So I start thinking of what what-if stuff I can do with it. My first thought was a SPG with an open rear to show the fighting compartment. But then I decide to save that idea for the HVSS Shermy hull...I'm thinking of a heavier TD for it, armed with a 90mm. So, what to do....and then it dawned on me on what to go with. A quick mockup and it looks doable. The background story is workable. I checked the real technical data and it will work...they even have the same turret ring size. The donor kit's turret was ho-hum and was slated for a facelift. The turret clears the driver and assist-driver's hatches. Any guesses on it? I'll reveal next update. To be continued.... |
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Post by Paul B on Jan 12, 2018 18:41:41 GMT
You are totally mad Sir  , but I like it that way  . Bring it on Alex  |
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CarlRF
Plastic Connoisseur 
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Post by CarlRF on Jan 12, 2018 19:05:46 GMT
Cool idea .  |
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Post by Snipersmudge on Jan 12, 2018 19:19:46 GMT
that is totally mental and strangely cool at the same time!
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Post by Boots on Jan 12, 2018 19:58:59 GMT
Bring it on fella  |
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Post by JEFF on Jan 12, 2018 23:36:14 GMT
I'm in. |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 766
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Post by alexb on Jan 13, 2018 2:46:32 GMT
Well if you guessed a M18 Hellcat, you guessed right. This is Academy's Heck-Kitty. I dual built it and AFV Club's kit back in the 90s. Academy's version is probably the worst of the two. I've never been all that happy with it, so I don't mind offering it up to the Styrene Gods. And now, I can try my hand at making a M39 with the Hellcat chassis...or something. I actually did some research on this. The M4 and M18 share the same size turret ring. The M18 turret is not as thickly armored as the Sherman's. And the Sherman isn't as fast as the Hellcat. The Hellcat is a bit more expensive to make than the Sherman. The turret armor can be increased. And the speed won't be a factor as the vehicle's role is not the same as the M18. The money part can always be helpful for a war stressed economy.  Mock-up using a Tamiya M4a3 chassis.  And with the M18 turret on a M4A1 upper hull. I think it looks better with the cast hull. The cast hull is Italeri.  I'll start building the chassis this weekend and probably start cleaning up the turret. I don't see a lot of issues, except missing parts. I think I'm in pretty good shape, but chances are I am overlooking something...or some things. I'll cross those bridges when I get to them. |
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CarlRF
Plastic Connoisseur
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Post by CarlRF on Jan 13, 2018 7:10:13 GMT
Will be watching .  |
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Post by JEFF on Jan 13, 2018 15:18:31 GMT
Me too. |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 766
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Post by alexb on Jan 16, 2018 6:19:27 GMT
Busy weekend. I had a set of assembled VVSS in the spares. I don't know why they were assembled, but it was probably some idea I had brewing. Someone cemented the cast wheels to the shafts. I wanted to use some leftover pressed steel wheels from an Academy kit. So I had to do some surgery and cut the cast wheels from the suspension. Minimal damage and no finger lacerations, so it's all fine.  While those thoroughly dried, I started breaking-down the turret. Most came loose with only a bit of X-acto persuasion needed. One of the "oopsies" with the Academy M18 is the crooked gun barrel. I am not sure if you can see it but it's probably 5 degrees and it's really apparent when the gun is mounted to the turret. This seems to be a good time to try to fix it. I'm also thinking about leaving the 50cal off. The ring mount with the MG on is a tight squeeze. I really don't see how the crew can fire it while in the ring. Apparently that is how they were on the real thing. I might swap out a 30cal and mount a 50 cal on the loader's side. I've seen 30cals mounted there.  The real Shermans and Hellcats had the same turret ring diameter. The kits don't. I had to widen the Shermy's ring opening.  Bam! Hellcat turret fits nice.  It's hard to see down in the chassis through the turret, but you can see something. I scratched up a rudimentary interior. Styrene sheet for the floor and rear firewall. I used textured foil to represent the floor surface. Driveshaft is a piece of rod. Boxes came from spares or were scratched. I didn't have any 76mm ammo so I used some 75mm pak rounds I had. They are crude but they'll be hard to see with the turret on. The racks are styrene strips and the seats were made by filing them by hand. I tried to do a wet stowage setup but the racks interfered with the turret basket. Plus, you wouldn't see them.  Bam! Painted using rattle-can white. Grimy wash and drybrushed.   Upper hull mounted. I didn't have an extra set of drive wheels. I do have a set off an older M4a1 that I will try to use. I had tried to do a cut-down hull for a Sherman sunk in a marsh. The drive sprockets are damaged but may work. If it's a no-go I'll use the late Academy sprockets and modify the final drives to accept them, using metal shafts.  That's where the build stands at the moment. |
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Post by JEFF on Jan 17, 2018 11:02:34 GMT
Way to go, Alex.  |
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Post by Paul B on Jan 17, 2018 11:50:47 GMT
A very good start indeed |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 766
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Post by alexb on Jan 21, 2018 2:34:10 GMT
I got most of the chassis assembled. I still have to find a pair of rear lights. The rest is within reach and will be added soon. I did leave off the horn...and it's for a reason that will be apparent soon. The driver and hull gunner's hatches are maybes...they have periscopes inside but those are in the open position whereas the tops of the periscopes are in the closed position. I have another set with position-able periscopes that I might go with. They fit badly but if the hatches are open I'll use them. The tracks are Tamiya and fit a bit loose, even on the Tamiya M4A3. I might swap them out for an Italeri set with the block tread pattern. I'll wait until I decide on that before adding extra track.   One of my issues now is that I found the 76mm gun for the T23 turret.  So which do you think looks better? Hellcat turret or T23 turret?   If I go with the Hellcat turret I'll keep it light and clean. If I go with the T23 turret, I'll go with a heavily modified tank...with a lot of added armor ...pressed into service as an assault vehicle. I have a set of US assault figures that could get used with it. I'd like to hear your opinions. |
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Post by JEFF on Jan 21, 2018 10:06:16 GMT
Coolness. I like the T23 Turret. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2018 16:19:19 GMT
Crazy mad ideas! love it!
your German hybrid looks like a post war 46 paper panzer
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Post by Paul B on Jan 21, 2018 16:37:24 GMT
I must say I like the Hellcat turret more |
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Post by Snipersmudge on Jan 21, 2018 20:42:54 GMT
nice work |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 766
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Post by alexb on Jan 22, 2018 4:52:21 GMT
Thanks all.
I think I'm going to stick to the original plan and use the Hellcat turret.
So the Wildcat lives.
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Post by JEFF on Jan 23, 2018 10:29:50 GMT
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Post by Paul B on Jan 23, 2018 16:04:46 GMT
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, but I like it that way 
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