1/35 HobbyBoss M4 High Speed Tractor, WIP Updated 01/20/16

Modeling Subjects Armor
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Guys:

Well I’m finally back to the workbench!

After a thoroughly enjoyable sifting through the stash I decided to start an M4 High Speed Tractor. I have both of the HobbyBoss offerings of this vehicle but decided to go with the 3in/ 90mm version. If you’re not familiar with this kit here is the boxing:

I also thumbed through some research material and found some interesting ideas to scratch-build to customize the build.

Scratch-build #1:

The text for this photo says that the wood blocks were experimental and were added to further distribute the weight of the vehicle. This vehicle was based in Oahu so I imagine it worked in boggy areas due to the amount of rain. Close inspection reveals that this is the 155mm/ 240mm version (other HobbyBoss Kit) of this vehicle but oh well…I like it so I decided it would be plausible for my 3"/90mm version to have this same experiment and so it shall! I’m still pondering how to best make the wood blocks. Balsa wood is the obvious choice but I think styrene blocks would glue-up better and bond better…we’ll see. Either way the kit-included vinyl tracks will NOT work, so they have to go! I’ll be buying some replacement Bronco indies real soon.

Scratch-build #2: After seeing this photo of the M4 WITHOUT the storage box on the back (note the background vehicle):

AND this photo:

I thought it would be REALLY COOL to build a small version of the flatbed of the M8E2 and replace the kit included mortar rounds storage box. I’m thinking something about 1/2 the size but with the same look. I’ll use to-scale 4X’s for a wood deck surrounded by a metal frame. The wood WILL be balsa with extruded styrene pieces for the frame. I’ll simulate the handles/ hooks by bending small gauge wire.

Anyway…that’s the plan! I am well along on the build portion and will be posting some progress pic’s soon. For anyone following along who hopes to build this kit, I’ve found some discrepancies in the instructions so I’ll copy/ post those too.

Here’s a sketch of the flatbed and wood block tracks idea, this is going to be fun!

Thanks for checking in…

SMJmodeler

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Nice project Steve,will be checking in.

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Go for it! You can’t go wrong with Ampersand Pub ref materials either [I]

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!http://www.skepticalscience.com/images/cool_smiley.gif*Good 'ta see 'ya back Steve!*

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Should be a good build. Drive on.

This one looks like the grand daddy to the M993 Carrier.

M993 Carrier

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I wouldn’t use balsa. Basswood is a better choice. Midwest has a kiosk of it in most Ace stores. It saws well, sands well, takes paint or stain well.

Or styrene. But at 1/35 basswood is pretty good.

IMO balsa is good for one thing only- it flies at scale.

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Steve…nice to see you back at the bench. Bass wood or even thin plywood. Much tighter grain and harder wood which looks more to scale.

Rounds Complete!!

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Tojo 72: Thanks for checking in.

SprueOne: The book I’m using is great! It was very helpful to check details during the model construction.

Sir D: Thanks, this forum is like an old friend.

HeavyArty: “drive on” I like that!

GMorrison: Great suggestion! I was concerned about the brittle edges of the balsa while cutting. I have an Ace nearby, hopefully they’ll have basswood.

redleg12: Thanks for the confirmation on the basswood. Never thought about plywood, I’ll keep that in mind. BTW: I recall you building the 155mm version and then winning some hardware to boot! Can you please give me the link to that thread if it still exists…I could use some references on the engine & interior of the cab. Hey, you’re knowlegeable on US AFV’s…Question: what color(s) were used for the engine block? I’d love to use orange!

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Not my brother by another mother Redleg12, but a Redleg none the less…

Like all other things that don’t move in the US Army, it was painted a shade of OD Green.

Pretty much all US military engines in WWII were either OD or medium gray. I have seen no original WWII engines in orange.

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HeavyArty: The orange was wishful thinking[:$]. Thanks a TON for those pics! They will be a HUGE help when it comes to weathering the engine!

I think you just made it easier for me too. The instructions call for flat black tubes, metal gray on that exhaust manifold(?-top thing with fins), etc…By the looks of the things EVERYTHING was OD green or gray. I expect the belts will be the only thing I’ll have to make flat black.

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A different vehicle and a great project, please post pics as you go. This one sounds cool, and welcome back.

Terry

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Really neat, looking forward to seeing her come together.

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Well here is a link to pictures and has a link to my build log

http://www.redleg2scale.com/model%20gallery/M4%2018T%20HST.html

My younger brother by another mother , Heavy, gave you some nice engine pics. In general, when in doubt, go OD!. The radiator could be black.

Rounds Complete!!

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redleg12: Thanks for the link…it was helpful.

Guys: I’ve made a lot progress on the M4 and thought I’d post an update.

The build portion went very well. This is a real nice kit with good engineering. My only gripe is the amount & placement of ejector marks. There are several of them along the fenders, inside the cab and the dashboard, some of which are deep and required filling & sanding. The instructions are clear & concise but I did find a couple omissions. The highlighted items need to be addressed:

NOTE: Be sure to mount the front bumper JUST BELOW the fender!!! I didn’t catch this until AFTER a test fitting and checking of my reference material. I had to do a good bit of sanding to the front-bottom of the cab to get it to nestle-down correctly.

Moving right along…I did a little scratch work at the back of the engine compartment to get ready for the flatbed and fortunately found a great reference photo to work from. I added the lower bar, just above the belt pulley, made from an Evergreen styrene “L angle” and the vertical bar from a spare part. The added PE plates at the bottom corners were sawn from spare PE parts. Note: Along the way I decided that my other HobbyBoss M4 kit would be helpful as a kitbash (spare parts) and since I picked up this M4 for so cheap I felt it was worth it. I’ve pillaged a bunch of other things which I will note along the way.

Here’s how it came out:

I wanted to make the flatbed area bigger than the kit included ammo box area so I shaped two 15mm long “plate steel” angles from spare parts and added them to the back of the hull. I stole the bumper from the other M4 kit and added it to the top of the angles. I had to add a filler from where the fenders ended to reach to the bumper but the sheet styrene I bought for this task was too thick. Again, kitbash to the rescue…(maybe I should buy two of every kit I work on!) I sawed-off two lengths from the other kits hull and of course the thickness was perfect. Lastly, I had to extend the gas tank filler tube (not in photos) to get past the back of the bumper…again, a kitbash. Here’s how it all came together:

To make the flatbed I reviewed my design idea:

The perimeter frame was made from Evergreen styrene 3/16” “c channels” and the divider plate was made from an Evergreen sheet. I needed to raise the divider plate a bit to clear the engine belt pulley, that was done by adding a 3/16” Evergreen “L angle” I think it came out nice:

Last but not least I needed to make the bed surface. I wanted to have it look like laminated 4X8’s standing on edge (like a wooden cutting board) so what better than real wood! I bought some small ,to scale, basswood strips that would fit in the 3/16” c-channels . I intentionally cut them a bit long for fittng later and then sandwiched/glued a bunch of them together. After a night of drying in the clamps here how it looks:

That’s where I am so far, more to come later…

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Well, look who showed up. Good to see you back Steve. Interesting looking project.

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Dry spells are quite annoying, to be polite. i have one of these. was thinking of painting it turquoise with NUMA markings ala Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt. of course that assumes i live long enough to get to it.

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Hey Bish!: Thanks for dropping by…

waynec: Turqouise?![:|], Interesting. I know the name Clive Cussler but I’m not familiar with Dirk Pitt.

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Looking good…love the wood!

Rounds Complete!!

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Great work, Steve! Nice to see you bacl!

You get internet in that bomb shelter yet? [:D]

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Thanks doog!

If you mean the bomb shelter of the Adirondacks…yes! I actually have high-speed net service at home these days…but I rarely use it. I spend a lot of time on the computer at work so I don’t use it much at night. But my boys love it!!! They are big-time fans of World of Tanks & Armored Warfare and have become quite the tank afficianados, in fact, they call me a tank “newb”!!!..truth hurts[blkeye].

Those games have also rejuvinated their model building interest, which is great! My younger son just finished a Tamiya Leopard 1 and my older son has just about completed a 1:72 Sturmtiger & a 1:72 M60!