2x 1/72 Armourfast Sherman Fireflies - paint and decals

[adt70hk]

Hi all

Some time ago someone at my model club gave me this kit for free (current cost £8.40) as he knew it's what Junior and I game with.

Whilst I normally don't try and recreate anything specific, I've used some shots online and in a book to draw inspiration for these two. So what was going to be pretty much OOB has morphed a bit...... . The good news is that other than idlers nothing else has been bought specifically for these two builds as I already had everything else to hand.

After I primed it I also decided to make some rudimentary air filters to finish the rear of, so they still need priming.

ACW as usual

Yours

Andrew

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Box art
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Instructions - simples!

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Excluding the 0.50 cal MG , which I'm not using, only 16 pieces!!!

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One of them will be a done as a combination of these two.

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The other one will bear some resemblance to this - hopefully!!!

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Blanking off the insides of the hollow wheels.

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Remember those idlers I mentioned above???

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Nearly there

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These are only meant to be a representation of the real thing. not a faithful copy and are far from perfect. The mesh is print screen mesh.

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[Guest]

Nice work on what are really mediocre kits … I’ve not built these particular ones, but the Armourfast kits I have seen, I was not at all impressed with even as wargames models — I much prefer PSC for a simple, sturdy model

The military vehicle historian in me also wants to point out that the model built from this particular kit probably didn’t exist in the real world It’s an all-welded Sherman I, and I don’t think many of those were used to make 17-pounder conversions — the IC typically had the cast “hybrid” hull front.

[adt70hk]

Nice work on what are really mediocre kits … I’ve not built these particular ones, but the Armourfast kits I have seen, I was not at all impressed with even as wargames models — I much prefer PSC for a simple, sturdy model :smiling3:

The military vehicle historian in me also wants to point out that the model built from this particular kit probably didn’t exist in the real world :smiling3: It’s an all-welded Sherman I, and I don’t think many of those were used to make 17-pounder conversions — the IC typically had the cast “hybrid” hull front.

Jakko

Thanks for stopping by and the support.

I know what you mean about the differences between PSC and Armourfast but for Junior and I they will always have a bit of significance for us as they were the first kits we seriously got to grips with when I came back to the hobby. He was only six at the time and so they were perfect for him.

And I'll have to bow to your superior wisdom on Sherman identification as I still have a lot to catch up on after my 25+ year break ended a few years ago, although I have found this site useful - assuming of course it's accurate http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/index.html

ATB

Andrew

[Guest]

Very nice modelling Andrew :smiling3:.

[Mickc1440]

Nice work on these two, they work great as war gaming pieces, I'm quite happy if it looks something like its supposed to :smiling2:

[Guest]

I know what you mean about the differences between PSC and Armourfast but for Junior and I they will always have a bit of significance for us as they were the first kits we seriously got to grips with when I came back to the hobby. He was only six at the time and so they were perfect for him.

I understand that completely — I have much the same with Matchbox kits, as I got my start in this hobby with those in the early 80s. I still like to build on every now and then, mostly for nostalgia’s sake

I have found this site useful - assuming of course it's accurate http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/index.html

That is one of the premier sites about M4 medium tank details on the net

[spanner570]

Great work Andrew. I just love these 'two in a box kits' Great fun to build, cheap as chips and excellent to use in a diorama..... I think so anyway.

[Steve Jones]

Lovely work Andy. Great to see the additions. Thanks for sharing

[adt70hk]

Great work Andrew. I just love these 'two in a box kits' Great fun to build, cheap as chips and excellent to use in a diorama..... I think so anyway.

Thanks. As you say a nice bit of fun!!

[adt70hk]

Lovely work Andy. Great to see the additions. Thanks for sharing

Steve

Thanks very much. They will hopefully see paint this weekend.

ATB

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Hi all

So these now have paint and decals on.

Both are for Junior's 11th Armoured division units.

One is for the 29th Armoured Brigade's senior regiment, the 23rd Hussars, and the other is for the Division's Armoured Recce Regiment, either the 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomany or 15/19 King's Royal Hussars depending on the time frame. I've also taken a bit of a liberty with one of them and named it after him as I had the decals - I know it's not right but he really appreciated it!!

Also, as Jakko pointed out previously the hull is wrong for Sherman Ic's, which is what they are supposed to be, and the 11th AD apparently only had Sherman V's (M4A4) on landing in Normandy. So although the hull shape is right for these, they're a bit short being a Sherman I hull. That said these are super simple kits and I think you will agree they have scrubbed up quite nicely on the whole. I'm also really pleased with how the air filters on the back turned out.

Next up is a bit of weathering.

ACW as usual and all the best.

Andrew


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The air filters came out ok I think?

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[Steve Jones]

A wonderful pair of AFV's. Once pin washed and weathered they will certainly look the part.

[adt70hk]

A wonderful pair of AFV's. Once pin washed and weathered they will certainly look the part.

Thanks Steve. Not bad for kits that cost £7.50 for the pair at that time are they? Even better that they cost me nothing!!

Let's just hope I don't make a hash of them!

ATB

Andrew