Hey, Shermanfreak! I finally got some pix of my old Rikujo Jieitai (Japan Ground Self Defense Force) M4A3E8 Sherman for you and all the Shermfans out there!
It’s the Dragon kit, and it was the first time I ever dealt with any kind of single link tracks. They weren’t that hard to build, but OY! The ejector pin marks! On every single link!
I also used some pieces from the Aber Sherman PE set. (again, one of my early forays into modern techiniques and materials).
Here’s where the story takes a sad twist: my local club was having a Sherman contest, and I thought I’d try to spruce the ol’ boy up a bit. SO, I removed all the visable ejector pin marks, added some brass handles here an there, added the tow cable, and cleaned up some other seams and nasty bits I hadn’t bothered with in the lazy first build. (Still too lazy to clean up the tires, as you can see!)
So all that was OK.
Then I tried to repaint it, without repainting the whole thing.
Big mistake.
With the identical Tamiya enamel Olive Drab, I airbrushed over the original spray can finish (no AB when I first built it!), which of course was fully weathered and flatcoated, so it looked just awful. Like a bright flourescent green compared to the very subdued OD of the original finish. You can still see remnants of that earlier finish on the running gear. After various coats of darker and lighter OD, some spot washes and filters, I think I got it somewhat presentable, but I was (and am) still quite disappointed with the color. And of course the decals suffered tremendously at this well-intended yet poorly executed attempt to update an older, finished kit.
Saddest of all, I had to work that day and missed the contest anyway!
What I should have done (and may still do!) is just primer the whole thing and redo the paint from scratch, with new decals.
OR, I might just leave it as is and build a new one!
Anyway, I’d love to hear everybody’s opinions about this build (especially Master of Shermans, Robert!) .
IT really doesn’t look as bad in the pics as you make it out to be J-Hulk! It looks really good to me. I guess if you’re up close and personal and being critical of your own work it might look that bad, but not from here [:D]
Thanks, Eric.
It just felt good to exorcise the demons and insecurities I had about trying to improve that kit! I was quite disappointed with the results, as you can tell, but I still like this model! I wouldn’t post anything that I thought was total crap. Much too embarassing!
JHulk,
Nice looking ride! The build looks really clean, and I really like the weathering you’ve done! I am just starting filters on my armor, and would love to know what you used (colors, technique, etc). It really doesn’t look bad from 7,500 miles away! LOL!!
Hey J-Hulk,
Very nice looking Sherman you’ve got there. The overall appearance is very eye catching.
What technique did you use to get the different shades of green?? Also the weathering job is excellent and not over done.
Same thing for the road whells and tracks, what did you do to make them stand out??
Two thumbs up my friend[;)][;)]
Flaps up, Mike
You’re kicking yourself in the butt over nothing. You don’t think the real Shermans don’t have varying degrees of O.D. on them. Think again … seen it … often.
All in all a very nice looking Shermie … yes the roadwheels could have used a little more cleaning up and the stowage could have used a little rope to tie them down, but other than that she’s sweet stuff.
Thanks for all the kind words, folks!
I guess it’s not as bad as I thought…just didn’t meet my expectations.
Styrene and Butz: I rewashed with a thin blackish-gray over some detail that had gotten clouded with the fresh coats of OD. I applied a darker OD filter over that to tone down what appeared to be a bright flourescent OD finish, mostly on horizontal surfaces. Aside from the wash (Tamiya acrylic flat black, German Gray, and water), I used Tamiya enamel OD, with Buff to lighten it. Then I AB dusted the whole shebang with a very very thin mix of Buff. Prior to the repaint, I had done a ton of normal drybrushing with straight enamel Flat Earth and then Buff. On the original paint job, it was just straight Tamiya Olive Drab in the spraycan. The multihued OD finish must be the result of the repaint, where again I used the enamel OD darkened with flat black or lightened with Buff.
Robert: I suppose you’re absolutely right! With all the abuse and retouching and repainting, armored vehicles are usually a hodgepodge of colors, eh? The Japanese do tend to keep their stuff nice and pretty, though…
Yes! Ropes! Hit the gas, and that roll and all those jerry cans go a-tumbling! Well, let’s just say Takagi Sensha-cho just had the loader (who is off trying to scrounge up said rope!) set those up there for a moment. Just for a moment!
I really want to do this vehicle in 1/16. Anybody now if an aftermarket turret (is this the T-23?) exists?
great job on the sherman!!! It has that " I’m down range and I’m workin’" scruffy look on the tracks and road wheels. Thats acutally clean in some ways, but a darn good looking tank!! All you need is “godzilla” in scale! Bob. P.S. I love “godzilla” movies!
You and me both, Bob!
I actually got the bug to build this while watching “War of the Gargantuas” at a rare theater showing here.
Gotta finish that Chaffee and Type 61 now!
Already did the Walker Bulldog.
