Medium Tank M3 from MiniArt — not a Sherman for once!

[Guest]

Thanks. I just need to do a little detail painting now, and build the tracks …

[Isitme]

Jakko,
Excellent build and paint finish, looking forward to the final pics.
Mike

[Guest]

Thanks That may take a while, though …

[Guest]

Track number one done:

[ATTACH]419957[/ATTACH]

Though MiniArt says 79 links, like on the real tank, this is 77. The idler wheel, though, is fairly far forward so perhaps 78 would be better — however, I can’t seem to pry the link halves apart anymore, so this will have to do.

[GerryW]

Might give a lot of sag with the 79 links :thinking:

[scottie3158]

Jakko,
Nice work I think your right one more link would have been better but they still look good.

[Isitme]

Track number one done:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

Though MiniArt says 79 links, like on the real tank, this is 77. The idler wheel, though, is fairly far forward so perhaps 78 would be better — however, I can’t seem to pry the link halves apart anymore, so this will have to do.

Leave it, it looks ok from here.

[Guest]

It would fall right off the tank with 79 links, I’m fairly sure As I intend to have the tank look brand-new (it won’t be weathered at all, for example) I’ll go with these very tight tracks on both sides.

Altogether, these aren’t the easiest Sherman tracks I’ve built, but they’re not actually as bad as they may seem. You will, however, need to build or find yourself an assembly jig, else you’ll never get them together. I doubt I’ll buy a set of these for any future Shermans etc. I intend to build, though — the Panda Plastic tracks are by far my preferred type so far.

[Graeme C.]

The tracks look fine Jakko, the 'live' tracks on these didn't sag, if you added another link or two it would be too slack.

[Guest]

Exactly, though the idler can swivel like on the real tank, so it can probably compensate for the length of one more link — though I doubt it will for two.

[Guest]

After painting the tracks and adding the engine bay doors and a aerial, this model is now finished.