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Post by SteveM on Mar 5, 2018 19:12:17 GMT
Yep, 25pdr looks great 
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Post by JEFF on Mar 6, 2018 23:32:34 GMT
I like it. 
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alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 719
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Post by alexb on Mar 8, 2018 19:31:56 GMT
Thanks. It's been a fun build. The fighting deck is basically done. I still have some cleanup to do, as well as add some details like bolts, seats, and comms for gun commander. I extended the deck out to give the crew more room. Originally, I was going to do a fold-down platform but shelved that idea. I went with a fixed extension.  The under-deck ammo stowage was to have a pair of doors...modified from the kit's optional doors to pose the limber open. I decided to shelve that idea and make a single fold-down cover. This gave me a place to mount some of the pioneer tools. I still have to add handles and some sort of latching mechanism.  Speaking of under-deck ammo stowage cover plate that also mounts pioneer tools...there it is. Also the 25pdr and it's mostly assembled mount. I still need to add mounting bolts and the gunner's seat.  The pieces placed to show how it should all come together.  I've still got some bits to add...like the rear running lights. And I will need to prep it for paint. I usually mount vehicles with trailers on a simple wood base. It keeps every thing together. I'll probably do that with this one until I decide how I want to do a more permanent base/diorama for it. I have a set of British Troops in tropical kit so I'll probably go with that. Probably Pacific Theater, since that isn't depicted as much. I'll see how it goes.
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NEMO
Plastic Connoisseur  
Scratcherist
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Post by NEMO on Mar 8, 2018 20:25:18 GMT
Hmmmmmmm Sorry for the negative waves here Alex but I preferred the original arrangement - the new layout has blanked off the forward access hatches from the fighting compartment and the crew have lost the minimal protection they had previously where they were down in the body of the vehicle. Also it would appear the loader has to get down off the vehicle to access the ammo stowage which is now beneath the fighting compartment? Having said that, it's just my opinion fella and your work is of your usual high standard and besides it's WW2 and I know absolutely ferkall about that stuff!  Disregard!
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alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 719
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Post by alexb on Mar 9, 2018 4:53:52 GMT
No worries. I value feedback.
I'd agree with you if I were still using an antitank gun. However, this has become self-propelled artillery. If I had had a better 6pdr. I might have kept that concept. I wasn't a fan of how the gun shield turned out. I think going arty opened things up a bit and gave me room on either side of the gun. I could raise the profile and enlarge the fighting area. The lower floor also forced the gunner to stand to sight the weapon.
The Stuart is a tough tank to work with because it is such a cramped layout. That's why the engine was moved forward to begin with. I would prefer the gun to be forward a bit more, also allowing more room behind it. I actually trimmed off about a cm from the bottom of the gun shield to get it forward a little more. If I moved it forward any more, then the gunner doesn't have leg room.
The driver and co-driver hatches are workable. There's no fighting compartment for them to access...the engine is now at the backs. The driver and co-driver will have to button up when the gun is being fired. The rear lacks armor protection. This is an artillery piece so I figured it wouldn't be on the frontlines. I had thought about giving it front, side, and roof armor. I'd have to rework that gun shield and I hated to do that on the 25pdr.
The under-deck ammo storage was a way to use what would be wasted space. It's a bit awkward. Plus, it gives me a place to store ammo without eating up the limited fighting deck space. I figure that when it is firing they'd have a crewman on the ground passing ammo up to the loader from the under-deck stores or from the limber. I figure a six man crew, five if the co-driver does gun crew duty. If it wasn't for the limber with its ammo stores, I would not have tried to use the 25pdr.
Anyway, it's always a bit of a push on things logical with the what-ifs. If it was truly the best solution, it would have been pressed in to service. I tend to use what-if builds as stop-gap vehicles. I could see this running the mountain roads of northern Italy or slogging through the mud of Guinea.
Sorry that got a bit long-winded.
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Post by SteveM on Mar 10, 2018 17:50:48 GMT
I like a what-if that could have been a field modification, keep it up 
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Post by Paul B on Mar 10, 2018 18:54:19 GMT
The 25pdr certainly adds a new dimension to "nasty surprise"  . I like it, keep coming Alex
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alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 719
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Post by alexb on Mar 12, 2018 5:33:33 GMT
I'm re-workign a few things. It probably won't get any side protection but it's gotten a different badunkadunk. I got rid of that rear overhang. The storage is still there...it's just been remodeled a bit. I think it looks better now and actually makes it look longer and now they have a little step platform too. I'm going to go ahead and wrap-up assembly. I'll probably wait on paint a bit until I set my sights on who the crew is and where it'll be fighting. I'm debating between Guiana and Northern Italy.
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Post by SteveM on Mar 12, 2018 7:51:32 GMT
Guiana would add a bit more interest to an already great idea . That my pennies worth anyway 
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alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 719
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Post by alexb on Mar 18, 2018 4:58:37 GMT
A quick update. Actually, I had thought that I had posted this but found it still on my camera. Stewie's new badonkadonk. I re-worked the rear-end to extend the under-deck ammo storage and get it out from being stuffed under that rear overhang. I made a fold-down platform to cover the ammo and to provide a place to hang much of the vehicle's pioneer tools. It think it's cleaner and doesn't look so haphazard to access.  Not much beyond that. The Stewie is basically done. It's sitting in a box top with a scattering of stowage items. It's ready for paint, I just have to...well, paint it. I'm not planning anything out of the ordinary....an overall green using coats of dark green and bronze green. It may be a few days before I can paint though.
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Post by Snipersmudge on Mar 18, 2018 6:56:14 GMT
nice work old chap 
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Post by JEFF on Mar 18, 2018 10:33:51 GMT
Good improvements, Alex. 
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Post by Paul B on Mar 18, 2018 16:44:31 GMT
Nice layout indeed, and makes sense considering the vehicle size 
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Mence
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Post by Mence on Mar 29, 2018 19:27:04 GMT
Insanely cool, super idea well done. 
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alexb
Glue slinger 
Posts: 719
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Post by alexb on May 12, 2018 4:11:11 GMT
Sorry for no update on this one for quite a bit. I've put it on the back-burner until I can decide on whether I'll keep the fighting area open or box it in (sides and roof). I've shifted gears and started work on some other projects.
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