My first in 19+ years: Tamiya M4A3 Sherman

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hello all,

I’ve posted a few times in the airplane forum regarding a Hasegawa P-51 I have been working on. Yeah, I’m still working on it but I needed the gratification of a finished kit. After reading an article in the Feb 13 issue of FSM on a weekend tank build I decided on a the Tamiya kit.

Prior to the Tamiya and the Hasegawa kits I hadn’t built, let alone completed a kit, in about 19 years. I essentially had to reteach myself how to build. But with the help of FSM, the forum, countless internet pages and doogsmodels.com I jumped in feet first. So here are the results. It is by no means an award winner and I could pretty much detail every damn mistake, but boy did I have a blast. I think what I liked best was the “let’s try this and see what happens” philosophy I adopted for painting and weathering. Prior to this I had never done anything other than a straight paint job. With this kit. I looked at the previously mentioned resources and tried everything. Critically, I think I overdid it and killed the olive drab. But now I know. As I said, it was fun and I can’t wait to do more amor…after I finish the bare metal Mustang. Pleae let me know your thoughts and let me know what I can do better.

Thanks,
Pete
Buffalo, NY

2

Awesome Sherman, Pete! Details are spot on! As for the weathering, I don’t think you killed it at all. In fact, I personally would’ve done a tad more. Great job!

3

As far as the paint goes… don’t use the camera flash when you take pictures.

The flash will wash out the appearance that you are looking for.

!http://www.thedawgpound.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/butt_flashing_smiley.gif

I never use the flash.

4

Not bad at all Pete. Welcome back to the hobby. The only real thing that I suggest is to tie-down the stowage on the rear deck.

5

Nice work,I do like your handling of the tracks,and the wood crates look good.I think your tracks are floating,glue them to the return rollers,but good job overall.Remember,it’s in the details

6

Nice Sherman, Pete! This kit was my first serious attempt on an armor model and I loved building it as well. It’s a nice kit… I think the weathering is just right and the olive drab has a nice shade. I weathered mine like it drove through a giant hole filled with mud [;)].

Clemens

7

Good model! Good comments! I love the weathering on the “stars”.

8

Yep – looks great. I concur with the advice about tying down the engine deck stowage and spare ammo cans. Imagine if you had stuff lying in the bed of a 4x4 pick up truck and the rear gate was down. Now go 20-25 mph over some farmland and across streams and ditches. How much stuff do you have left in 10 minutes?

Apply the same logical eye to your stuff too. Keep up the good work

9

Very nice…

10

Thanks to all for the positive feedback. I will take all comments and apply them to my next armor build!

11

Yeah, other than the floating tracks and the loose storage very nice work! I too really like how you weathered the stars.

I hope you’ll be posting more of your work in the future!

12

Ditto all the above and add “good job”.

G