M4A3 (76) HVSS just off the boat

[Guest]

Thanks I hope to finish the build part this afternoon … well, other than the tracks, as I have a set on order but it hasn’t arrived yet.

[Guest]

The sand shields:

[ATTACH]407358[/ATTACH]

These are from the Asuka M4A4 kit, which means they were too narrow for the HVSS, so I had to widen them by 6 mm. On the front, I had to sand it all smooth, but at the back, the real tanks had a separate section bolted on.

Those knowing their Shermans should now go, “Hang on, isn’t the M4A4 longer? So how do these fit?” Simple: all types of M4 medium tank used the same sand shields, with plates bolted behind the joints of the front, middle and rear sections. Those had elongated slots for the bolts, allowing them to fit both hull lengths. What I needed to do with these was cut down the tab on the front part and remove the bit of strip a the top sticking out at the front of the middle part, and that was it.

As I’ve also added a few other missing details, I think construction is now done (other than the tracks, which I don’t have yet), so here’s an overall view:

[ATTACH]407359[/ATTACH]

The gun crutch is separate and still attached to a bit of sprue to ease painting: its top will lie over the tape that covers the drivers’ hatches, but that needs to be sprayed black while the crutch should be OD.

[Guest]

As I didn’t feel like making Azeroth unsafe tonight, I decided to spray the model with Tamiya XF-62 OD instead:

[ATTACH]407362[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

I like to put a figure onto AFVs, to show their size and add some human interest. For this one, though, that’s somewhat harder than usual, because you can’t just add a tanker in a hatch. I could have put one somewhere on the tank, as if he’s checking it over or getting ready to unpack it, but I decided to go a different route:

[ATTACH]407953[/ATTACH][ATTACH]407954[/ATTACH]

A railway, tank depot or dock worker (I like to think of him as the latter) gesturing to a crane operator to come in closer.

The figure is mostly from the Master Box set Civilians, Western region, WW II era:

[ATTACH]407955[/ATTACH]

It’s the body of the bearded/Jewish man with a Hornet British head from which I cut down the beret so the farmer’s flat cap fits, and arms from the Tamiya crew figures for their Famo half-track, using hands from some arms mated to different actual arms (if you understand what I mean ) so he appears to be gesturing to come closer. The putty is simply filler from a tube, as I don’t really like mixing up two-part epoxy putty even if it would probably be a better choice

[Neil Merryweather]

that's a great figure, Jakko- full of character

[Wookie2486]

I like the pose of your figure there Jakko.
Marty

[Jim R]

Hi Jakko
What a great idea for a figure and well done putting him together.
Jim

[Guest]

Thanks I’m kind of wondering what colours to paint him in. I guess this requires some research into 1940s clothing colours.

[Guest]

Hi,

@Jakko Would you by any chance have instructions for this model ? I've started mine last year, and we've got flooded and they were lost. I would like to finish it, but it's a bit hard without the instructions. If you could scan yours, or at least take pics of each page, it would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Tomasz

[Steven000]

...Would you by any chance have instructions for this model ? I've started mine last year, and we've got flooded and they were lost. I would like to finish it, but it's a bit hard without the instructions. If you could scan yours, or at least take pics of each page, it would be very helpful...

Hi, You can find a lot of instructions on scale mates, see this page, scroll a bit down :thumb2:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/tamiya-35346-m4a3e8-sherman-easy-eight--959297

[Guest]

@Jakko Would you by any chance have instructions for this model ? I've started mine last year, and we've got flooded and they were lost. I would like to finish it, but it's a bit hard without the instructions. If you could scan yours, or at least take pics of each page, it would be very helpful.

I’d be happy to, though Steven has already linked to a page where the instructions can be found, so I suppose you have what you need already Looking forward to seeing what you make of this kit!

[Peter Gillson]

Gets better and better, nice figure.
Peter

[Guest]

Thanks I made a few tweaks to the figure since, mainly bulking up his coat a little under his arms and turning his waistcoat into a sleeveless sweater by scraping off the details. A waistcoat seemed out of place for a dock worker.

[Guest]

After spraying the model Tamiya XF-62 OD and adding higlighted areas on the larger panels (by mixing in some lighter colours), I put an overall wash of Humbrol 33 matt black enamel over it, which darkened the overall appearance notably. Too much for my liking, really, so when it was still drying, I removed as much as I could again with a soft brush from the centres of panels etc. Once it was fully dry, I drybrushed the whole model with Revell 42 yellowish olive and then more lightly with 45 light olive (both acrylics) to highlight everything. That resulted in:—

[ATTACH]408477[/ATTACH]

After that, I began applying markings from Archer dry transfer sets:

[ATTACH]408478[/ATTACH]

I began with stars in the positions they usually appear on these tanks: hull sides, turret sides, hull front and on the right rear sand shield. I then also added a shipping marking, actually one for a T26E3 Pershing, but I wanted the HAIL prefix that indicates the destination as the port of Antwerp.

After that, things went wrong I’ve also got a set of shipping stencils with dimensions, but the only suitable ones for this tank refuse to come off the sheet …

[ATTACH]408479[/ATTACH]

In fact, my rubbing them has taken some of the paint off the model, rather than applying the markings to the tank A few tiny specks of yellow stuck to the model (just visible in the second photo above) but that’s it — no matter how hard I rub, or the tool I use, they stay on the sheet and won’t go onto the model.

I’m out of ideas for this, as those dimensional markings really need to be on the model, but I don’t have any alternatives for the ones in the photo. Thoughts on how to do this anyway would be appreciated.

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on nicely Jakko. Pity about the transfers.
I have read this somewhere, but many years ago, so please only practice on spare transfers off the model....I have never tried it.

You can use life expired rub down transfers as if they are Methfix transfers. To do this, moisten the surface of the model with a 50% water/methylated spirits mix and press the transfer into place. Soak the transfer backing paper with the meths mix and let it dry. Once it’s dry soak the backing paper with water (only) and remove it when it works loose.

Good luck, it may be total rubbish