M3A1 BY ILOVE KITS IN 1/35 SCALE LEND LEASE DIORAMA

[JR]

Small thing: you seem to have sanded away the seam between the flanges with the bolt heads. On the real tank there was a seam running down the middle of that, because it’s where the left, middle and right parts of the transmission housing bolt together. Though it’s not a big deal, the joint is often hard to see in pictures.


You’re welcome :smiling3:


I try not to have them too often

But another small tip, then: count ten links from the start of the track and write a 1 on it, then count ten more and write a 2, etc. I do this every time I add a tenth link, as it saves a lot of wondering how far along you’ve gotten: you can just count from the last number.

Damn, there's me thinking it was a moulding line !
Yes forever counting tracks as you go , that is some thing I will do tomorrow.

[Si Benson]

Good to see you have got the tracks thoroughly under control Mr Race :smiling4:

Hoping you get through the rest of the track build problem free, I’ll make a sacrifice to the god of plastic tracks for you in advance

[Scratchbuilder]

What's this???????????? Not Russian....... A veehicuule from across the pond.....
So to keep an eye on you I will sit at the back, not because I do not want to see the build or eat the Oaties, but because if things get out of hand and there is fire involved then I can get out the door first before the stampede starts....
Wish you had said about the tracks I could have sent you my track jig for Shermans, been sitting in the drawer for ages. But Jakko's has the build underway, which is good, once you get over the tracks then the rest is easy. And if you need advice Sherman wise then Jakko is your man.
So on with the build....

[Guest]

Damn, there's me thinking it was a moulding line !

A raised line would be incorrect, so removing the moulding line was the right move

Here the equivalent area on my almost-local Sherman, before it was restored a few years ago:

[ATTACH]501522[/ATTACH]

The middle and left parts (the one on the right in the photo) are identical to those on the M3 medium tank, the right-hand part (left in the photo) only differs in a small area at the top, most of which isn’t in the picture here. As you can see, there is a seam between the parts, but it can be hard to see depending on the way light falls on it. The parts as you have them now look fine to me

[JR]

Good to see you have got the tracks thoroughly under control Mr Race :smiling4:

Hoping you get through the rest of the track build problem free, I’ll make a sacrifice to the god of plastic tracks for you in advance

How kind of you Mr Benson , :smiling3:yes at long last progress has been made .

What's this???????????? Not Russian....... A veehicuule from across the pond.....
So to keep an eye on you I will sit at the back, not because I do not want to see the build or eat the Oaties, but because if things get out of hand and there is fire involved then I can get out the door first before the stampede starts....
Wish you had said about the tracks I could have sent you my track jig for Shermans, been sitting in the drawer for ages. But Jakko's has the build underway, which is good, once you get over the tracks then the rest is easy. And if you need advice Sherman wise then Jakko is your man.
So on with the build....

Wibble I know , but its Lend Lease so it counts on 50%
.Sorry I didn't mention it but as you can see I'm being led in to the dark side (for me) .

A raised line would be incorrect, so removing the moulding line was the right move :smiling3:

Here the equivalent area on my almost-local Sherman, before it was restored a few years ago:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

The middle and left parts (the one on the right in the photo) are identical to those on the M3 medium tank, the right-hand part (left in the photo) only differs in a small area at the top, most of which isn’t in the picture here. As you can see, there is a seam between the parts, but it can be hard to see depending on the way light falls on it. The parts as you have them now look fine to me :smiling3:

Think I need to look at a walk round ! Before I remove any more seams :worried:

[Andy the Sheep]

Late as always... a back seat near Mike will do.

[JR]

Late as always... a back seat near Mike will do.

Right Andrea, thanks for joining, seat to your left.

[JR]

I've sent for some Mig double-sided tape, which has one side with a very strong grip, and a lesser top side. When removing the tracks form the jig this morning :disappointed: they broke , but :smiling3: the pins were ok eack side so just had to re glue the top and base plate. Will wait for the new tape to arrive.

Continued with the rear, ok a boob as I glued some bits on wrong.

Didn't see the recesses for the PE to go in, not the end of the world but annoying to say the least.



Decided to cheat and place some of the PE in place after the plastic part was glued on. As the top goes on later most of that section won't be seen. Tried out the new handle jig, pleased as the handle was very small.


also made one of those bar things on the air filters ? Just noticed one of the plastic parts is damaged as well .:anguished:. Think there are some spare on one of the sprues.




At least this part is right.

Standing by for a bl****** from Jakko :sad:.

John.

[Guest]

Think I need to look at a walk round ! Before I remove any more seams :worried:

Not much risk of that, I think. The whole upper hull was cast in one piece, so any moulding seams you see on the plastic parts are safe to remove, and the same goes for the turret and the commander’s cupola. The bogie bodies were also cast steel, but without any prominent seams that you should definitely leave on. Pretty much all other major parts on an M3A1 medium tank were flat plates riveted or bolted together — and that’s little more than the lower hull, really.

When removing the tracks form the jig this morning :disappointed: they broke , but :smiling3: the pins were ok eack side so just had to re glue the top and base plate.

phew I was worried it had actually broken, but that just sounds like the block halves just weren’t glued that well. Lucky escape there

As the top goes on later most of that section won't be seen.

I was about to say: most of those things will be largely out of sight anyway.

also made one of those bar things on the air filters ?

Those are the air filters, yes. There were two types, square like you have here, and cylindrical; both types were also found on M4 and M4A1 Shermans, as those had essentially the same engine and engine compartment as the M3 and M3A1 medium tanks.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1218214[/ATTACH]
At least this part is right.

Oh, that’s a fairly good way to do the idler wheels. It will leave a big seam around the outside that you’ll need to remove, but unlike the MiniArt version, there are no fragile rings to fit to the wheels.

BTW, when it comes to painting, these wheels don’t have a rubber tyre Only the roadwheels do, everything else is entirely steel.

Standing by for a bl****** from Jakko :sad:.

You’re doing very nicely, IMHO

[BattleshipBob]

My groveling apologies John.

Should have posted a lot earlier.

[JR]

Not much risk of that, I think. The whole upper hull was cast in one piece, so any moulding seams you see on the plastic parts are safe to remove, and the same goes for the turret and the commander’s cupola. The bogie bodies were also cast steel, but without any prominent seams that you should definitely leave on. Pretty much all other major parts on an M3A1 medium tank were flat plates riveted or bolted together — and that’s little more than the lower hull, really.


phew :smiling3: I was worried it had actually broken, but that just sounds like the block halves just weren’t glued that well. Lucky escape there :smiling3:


I was about to say: most of those things will be largely out of sight anyway.


Those are the air filters, yes. There were two types, square like you have here, and cylindrical; both types were also found on M4 and M4A1 Shermans, as those had essentially the same engine and engine compartment as the M3 and M3A1 medium tanks.


Oh, that’s a fairly good way to do the idler wheels. It will leave a big seam around the outside that you’ll need to remove, but unlike the MiniArt version, there are no fragile rings to fit to the wheels.

BTW, when it comes to painting, these wheels don’t have a rubber tyre :smiling3: Only the roadwheels do, everything else is entirely steel.


You’re doing very nicely, IMHO :smiling3:

Thanks.

My groveling apologies John.

Should have posted a lot earlier.

No need to apologise Bob, just look in when you can .:thumb2:

[JR]

Hello all , yesterday I achieved this.


I've not glued the idler or drive wheels.


All of the road wheels are able to move, glueing them up when placed on the base.


Decided to chrome the lights before I glue the face on.


Started the light PE guard , bent will glue on after the light is fitted.

Thanks for looking in.

John.

[Guest]

Looking good

[Strenko J]

Keep the magic coming JR

[scottie3158]

Coming on very nicely me old mate.