alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 687 
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Post by alexb on Feb 23, 2018 20:31:57 GMT
With the Wildcat finished, I'm looking at my next what-if project. I had planned on doing the StuG VI...a StuG based on the Tiger 1 chassis and armed with the 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 anti-tank cannon, or rebuilding the JagdSherman into an Assault Sherman. Instead, I'm going to go with a Stuart-based what-if I batted around a bit years ago. I hope to tackle some of these old suspended builds this year and this one looks to be pretty straightforward. I'm going to let yall guess at what exactly I plan on doing with this one. The first clue is the name, I'm calling it Little Stewie the Slayer. The second clue is this picture of the base kits I'll be using. That's the AFV Club M5a1 Stuart (#35105) and a Tamiya 6pounder.  And no it's not an assault Stuart. I already did that years ago.  I'll give it a couple of days, start breaking down the Stuart, and see if a can work up a line drawing of what I have planned. |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 687
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Post by alexb on Feb 25, 2018 0:44:59 GMT
No takers. Well I'll jump ahead and reveal the idea.  This idea has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. I wanted to make an Allied Marder using the Stuart chassis. Originally, I was going to remove the turret and mount the gun there. The problem was the size of the fighting compartment. That basically held up the project. I came up with a new idea while building the Wildcat. The engine will be moved forward and the fighting compartment moved to the rear and left open-topped. The 6pdr. will be mounted towards the rear. The rear will be left open to allow more room for the gun's crew. It looks to be a pretty straightforward project so I decided to go ahead and start on it. |
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Post by SteveM on Feb 25, 2018 8:09:16 GMT
Sorry matey, missed this. It’s a interesting idea and great to see it’s not the German version, bring it on I say  |
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Post by JEFF on Feb 25, 2018 8:41:27 GMT
I was sure I commented on this yesterday. Anyway, I like the idea, Alex. I'm on board.
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Post by Snipersmudge on Feb 25, 2018 11:11:52 GMT
Ok bring it on, looks interesting  |
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Post by Robbo on Feb 25, 2018 11:33:29 GMT
OK, I'm watching
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 687
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Post by alexb on Feb 26, 2018 21:11:20 GMT
I had built the AFV Club M5a1 kit, a few years ago, for a D-Day Campaign over on Armorama. It had some nice touches but it kind of let me down. They added some interior detail but had left out alot. Maybe they had planned a full interior but decided against it for a faster release or something. I had this idea of an upgunned Stuart for a while. The problem is the relatively small fighting compartment. I've seen a couple of builds with a late Stuart with a pak mounted in the turret ring, again it's pretty cramped. I decided to move the gun back and the engine forward. The width is the same but the back can be open to give more floor space. This should be a quick conversion project so I decided to go ahead and knock it out before getting started on other projects like the Scuba Duba Boat. So getting started. I broke the kit down to where I needed it.  I cut the driver and co-driver's hatch section from the center upper hull. The kit came with a firewall for rear of the fighting compartment. I'll flip this around to serve as the exterior firewall between the engine compartment and the rear fighting compartment. I used the firewall to cut a second one to use as a firewall between the driver/co-driver and the engine compartment.  Firewalls temporarily added.  The 6pdr. was placed for mock-up. I'll be changing the gun-shield out. Even then, there isn't much elbow room one either side of the gun. There still needs some reasonable ammo stowage.  I cut the upper rear sides. This should open the rear up some and provide some room for ammo stowage. I do plan on adding a floor and a rear tailgate that can be lowered to increase floor-space for loading and the gun commander.  I'm currently making a new engine deck for the middle, which will also include the gun's mount. |
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Post by JEFF on Feb 26, 2018 22:29:26 GMT
More hackin and slashin'. I like it.  |
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Post by SteveM on Feb 28, 2018 7:54:38 GMT
Getting serious now fella  |
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Post by Paul B on Feb 28, 2018 12:01:09 GMT
That is pretty cool Alex  . |
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CarlRF
Plastic Connoisseur 
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Post by CarlRF on Feb 28, 2018 17:57:30 GMT
Nicely done |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 687
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Post by alexb on Mar 2, 2018 18:51:49 GMT
More work. I sort of put the brakes on Stewie for a few days while I worked on some other builds. I got the engine deck reworked and mounted mid-chassis. I prepainted under the grills, which are elevated to give them some depth. I did a pretty simple mount for the gun.  A shot from the rear...fighting compartment got its floor. I gave it a tailgate that can be lowered to give the loader a place to stand. The outside of the tailgate will also serve as the mounting spot for the Stewie's pioneer tools. I'll probably add an armor strip to fill any gaps between the mount and the bottom of the gun shield. I'll have to see how that goes.  I'll rework the gun next...at least give it a new gun-shield that better fits this vehicle. And ammo stowage. That should about wrap this build up and set the stage for painting. |
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NEMO
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Scratcherist
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Post by NEMO on Mar 2, 2018 21:12:39 GMT
Nice project starting off in the right direction!
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Post by JEFF on Mar 3, 2018 10:26:41 GMT
Coming together well, Alex. |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 687
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Post by alexb on Mar 4, 2018 6:58:14 GMT
Jeff, just wait...I'm fixing to throw a horseshoe in to the works. Scratched up a new gun shield. I wanted to keep it simple. It still needs cleaning up and I had planned to add some bolts.  And inside view. The gun is pretty simple and crude. I had planned on reworking parts, like the sight. The more I look at it, the worse it looks.  Other problems are the height of the gun. The fighting compartment is still pretty tight. With the gun fitted the gunner and loader are in for tight squeezes. The gunner has to stand to look into the sight. The commander cannot see over the gun shield. And there isn't a great deal of room for ammo storage. My first thought was to raise the fighting compartment floor, so it's level the full width of the rear. This would double the space, allow the gunner to sit, and allow the commander to see. I guess I could stow extra rounds underneath the flooring.  With that in mid, I went ahead and cut the sides again. It would clean up the rear area a bit.  Then I got to thinking. The 6pdr. is a weakness. With the rear being redesigned and raised I decided to try to go with a 25 pdr. and make it self-propelled artillery. I have a Tamiya 25 pdr. assembled and base coat painted. This will give me something do with it as opposed to it sitting in a box in a closet. Plus, I think it will look better. I'll sleep on it and see if I want to go with that or stick with the 6pdr. |
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Post by SteveM on Mar 4, 2018 7:59:01 GMT
I like the 6pdf idea as it looks like a possible field modification, 25pdr will be cool too though |
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Post by JEFF on Mar 4, 2018 9:28:51 GMT
Bigger is always better. |
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alexb
Glue slinger
Posts: 687
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Post by alexb on Mar 5, 2018 6:36:45 GMT
I decided to go ahead with the 25 pdr. I had a nice build session. I cut off the gun's base...trailing arms? Scratched up a new fighting compartment floor and a crude base for the gun. The crude base will serve as a core framework for some decorative panels. I used the optional opened panels for the Tamiya kit's ammo limber. I had to cut the bottom row of round cases to get it to fit. Framed that up and mounted that. I still have to cut down the doors and add them. I also plan on adding a fold-down platform to the rear of the fighting compartment to give the loader some room to load the howitzer. And then there's the assorted clean-up and adding some details like seats and intercom/headset for the gun commander to direct fire.   For camo, I was thinking late-war Europe or Northern Italy. I remembered that I had a set of Dragon's Commonwealth Infantry Italy '43-44. They are in tropical kit so I might use those and give it a simple base. Then again, the PTO is often forgotten about so maybe I'll do something there. A lightweight SP howitzer would probably work well there. I'll wrap up the build and see where it goes from there. |
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Post by Snipersmudge on Mar 5, 2018 17:33:45 GMT
That's really clever |
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Post by Robbo on Mar 5, 2018 18:19:44 GMT
Looks like you're still having fun with this, it works mate
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