After many searches and studying both the film and photos I haven’t been able to definitively determine the barrel length for Bogart’s M3 Lee Lulubelle. Most pictures show the front in some sort of angle perspective. Without a good sideview, I really don’t have a refernce to compare the barrel lenght to the front of the tank.
To me it looks like the early short barrel M2 75mm L/31 gun. As most of you know Acedemy includes a long and short barrel. I want to be sure I use to correct one.
I bought the wrong kit! At Modelpalooza I found the Tamiya M3 Grant tank and bought it thinking it would be Lulubelle. The Grant has a different top turret than the Lee. Now I have to track down the M3 Lee kit.
Some years older I’d be at the time of the blogger here; Hawk Weird-O kits shown date this photo sometime after November 1963 when they’d hit the market - note what looks like a Christmas paper wrapped parcel he’s carring, could indeed be December that year. That month or for sure by mid-December I’d bought & built Kit 16004 “Daddy”, even painted it “after a fashion”.
It looks like a M3 barrel to me. I don’t see any flaring at the end of the barrel like you see with a M2 barrel.
I believe there are many shots of the tank that one should be able to get a clear view. I am going to have to see if I can a copy of the movie just so I will know…LOL
The Acedemy M3 Lee 13206 kit is close. So far I’ve had to scratch build the exhaust, air cleaners, and tool boxes. If you watch the movie or look at stills you’ll see the differences. I’ll try to post pics of my progress.
