Dave Ward's HB 1/35 M4 High Speed Tractor - another stalled build resurrection.

[Dave Ward]

Although it has tracks, and it was based on a light tank running gear, it didn't have any armour, so it appears here in the softskin section!
Another stalled build ( no idea why I stopped ) - I'm now determined to complete a stalled build for every 2 new models - got to reduce the number somehow.
The lower hull & running gear are complete, and painted.

There a a few bits assembled, like the engine & winch


All other parts seem to be on the sprue, and the decals, paint mask & PE are still sealed in their bags.

The engine is important, as it can be seen from both sides of the vehicle. through large(ish) grilles.
I'll be working on this, as well as my Beaufighter TF.X, construction will restart shortly
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Whilst there are bits drying on my Beaufighter, I've picked this up. The tracks were complete & primed, all I had to do was use CA to join them, and carefully fit to the finished chassis.

There was some string, to represent cable, to wind on the winch drum at the rear - it looked very anaemic, so I replaced it with some lead wire..................
The engine is only dry fit, as there is quite a bit of things to add, and it's probably going to be easier to paint 'in hand'.
I still have no idea why I stopped building this - there don't seem to be any bits missing, or stuck in the wrong place - another of life's mysteries
Dave

[Guest]

Something more interesting came along perhaps?

[Dave Ward]

Ready for detail painting on the lower hull & engine room! The cab, and rear load box are essentially separate components, and can be completed by themselves

All parts fitting nicely! No filler will be used - always a good thing!
Dave

[Dave Ward]

A few days not touching this, but now, I've detail painted the engine, washed the engine bay with an oily green/brown. I've fitted the engine, radiator and the ancillary drives & hoses
You'll be able to see the engine from this side, but
The radiator obscures 99% of the view ( yes, that air filter looks a little droopy ). The lower part is now complete, and the crew cab, and load box will now be assembled totally separately
Dave

[JR]

Nice Dave.

[grumpa]

Love those tractors :hugging-face:

[Lee Drennen]

I always like these I might get one in 1/48 scale your doing great as alway Dave

[Dave Ward]

The varnish is drying on my Beaufighter, so a bit more work on this. The crew cab has a divider added between driver & the rear. A dry fit to the chassis reveals that the seats are too close together to allow the divider to fit between them. Solution, prise off the middle seats, and reglue with a gap.

The mg mount ring, and boxes added to the cab, and the dashboard/instrument panel assembled and basepainted, ready for a couple of decals.

The rear loadbox has an open top, and rather than fill it with crates, I'm putting a tarp. over it. A piece of good quality paper is soaked in water, then crumpled up, and then shaped over the rear box. After drying, it's then painted with watered down PVA. When all of that is dry, I can trim it to final size & shape.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Progressing quickly now, the upper cab, engine compartment & load box are up for priming,
just dry fitted for now.


There are a whole lot of tools, etc to add to the roof. plus the .50 mg. There are canvas doors to fit - I'm going to fit one side closed, and the drivers' side open.
This tractor is configured to tow the 3in/90mm AA guns. There isn't a 1/35 model of these available - only an expensive resin version. The other M4 version produced by HB is for the 155mm/8in/240 howitzer - it would be a better choice, as these are available in plastic!
Dave

[Lee Drennen]

Very nice Dave

[minitnkr]

Coming along smartly. I've no clue where they stuck the radio when equipped. I put mine in the rear passenger area. Some trivia. I think the only differences between the versions for 3" & 155/8" are in the cargo area to accommodate the different ammo. The 240mm required the heavier stretch version M6, M35 (turretless M10), M32 (ungunned M3) or initially Mack NO prime movers. First cuppa ramble. PaulE

[Guest]

This tractor is configured to tow the 3in/90mm AA guns. There isn't a 1/35 model of these available - only an expensive resin version. The other M4 version produced by HB is for the 155mm/8in/240 howitzer - it would be a better choice, as these are available in plastic!

If you’re finishing it as a US Army vehicle, then a popular fit among modellers is to put an 8,8 cm FlaK 18, 36, or 37 behind it. There are a good number of photos of this combination during the winter of 1944–45, and as I recall, all it required was a little tinkering with the pneumatic brake line couplings (says the US Army Tech Manual for the FlaK — yes, there is such a thing, and I have an original copy ).

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
I do have a built Flak 36, but it is in an emplacement, and doesn't have the transport wheels..............
Still, my intent to finish stalled builds seems to be working - although there are several part builds that are in the stash to remind me of how bad things could get during a build ( I still have a Panda JERRV Cougar that drove me to distraction ). If I think a models going badly, then I get out one of the horrors to show that it isn't that bad really! ( I'm not talking about my mistakes, but c**p models! )
Dave

[Guest]

I do have a built Flak 36, but it is in an emplacement, and doesn't have the transport wheels..............

I’ll hazard a conservative guess that that would somewhat, kind of, rule out hanging it behind an artillery tractor

But just in case: US Army Technical Manual E9-369A, 29 June 1943, says:—

19. BOGIES
(…)
c. The mount is equipped with air brakes on all wheels. (…) The stop lugs (fig. 22) on the German air hose connectors must be filled slightly to allow the ones on American prime movers to be inserted. At best, only a loose connection is possible, thus resulting in leakage of air.

In other words, for modelling purposes all you need to do is run lines from the air hose connectors on the tractor to those on the gun carriage.