WWII Allied Tanks. Click on pictures to view.
At last I have finished my Centaur CS from Tamiya with their British Infantry on patrol set. I must say that in the end I think it all came out very well! The vehicle is lovely to start with, except for the tracks, and I really like the "glomping" figures. As always when building models, not everyhting goes right. In this case the tracks disintegrated when I used paint thinner on them! I had not realized that Tamiya had changed the track material. I complained and Tamiya were nice enough to send me a new set. The trouble is, you have to use acrylic paints on these tracks, and I cannot get a flat enough finish - it just looks too "plastic". So I eventually decided to splurge on a set of Modelkasten tracks. When I finally finished working in Las Vegas and got back to my "old" Centaur which had now spent many months if not years in a drawer, I found that one of the tracks had broken! Just fell apart sitting in the drawer! So, while I have a real soft-spot for Tamiya, and certainly appreciate the British subjects they have produced over the years, I really feel they should be including individual or link 'n' length tracks with their kits. End of lecture! Approximate year of construction: 2006.
The CHAR B1 tank used by France at the start of WWII. Many were captured by the Germans who used them mainly for training. The CHAR B1 was actually much more heavily armored than the German tanks and had heavier armament, It was slow and somewhat awkward to use, however, with a small turret and large gun mounted low. Unfortunately it was also tied to an infantry doctrine and employed piecemeal. Approximate year of construction: 1997.
Churchill Mk I (1/76 Fujimi) Nice early version of this tank, with echoes of WWI armor what with the exposed tracks and hull mounted cannon! Approximate year of construction: 1997.
Churchill Mk VII (1/76 Airfix) I can still remember when Airfix re-tooled this kit and added extra detail. Since the original was probably the first tank I ever built. I carefully constructed this version, relegating the glue-spotted original to my wargame fleet! This is a straight kit build. If I built this today I would add some extra detailing. Approximate year of construction: 1968.
Comet (Matchbox 1/76) Quite a nifty little tank but of course too little and too late to really affect the outcome of the war. Check out the real Comet from Bovington in the real tanks section. Approximate year of construction: 1998.
Italeri Crusader I tank finished as an early example. Constructed in 2008.
British Crusader III in the western desert. This is an old Airfix 1/32 kit, but still looks OK. The Crusader was rushed into service and this was all too evident in its operational service. It was fast, but mechanically unreliable. Approximate year of construction: 1971.
Canadian Lee with mud chutes. From Airfix kit 1/76. This simple conversion was detailed in an issue of Airfix magazine, probably by Chris Ellis though that is just from memory! Also added were fuel tanks. These came from the Airfix T34 I think. Again, a simple embellishment of a standard model that make it mine. Approximate year of construction: 1970.
Airfix M3 Grant in the western desert. This is an early model which is built straight from the kit and lacks the side skirts which were installed for the desert. Compare this with the 1/35 Tamiya Grant shown below. Approximate year of construction: 1970.
Another M3 Grant. This one is the Tamiya 1/35 with sand bags and camoflage paint. Other details include the side rails hung with bags, helmets etc. Note also the canvas around the side-mounted gun. This is very common on desert tanks - to keep out sand, obviously! Approximate year of construction: 1997.
Nice new pics! Two views of an M3 Stuart, modified from the 1/72 Hasegewa kit to represent an M3 used by the British. Approximate year of construction: 1997.
Fist picture is an Airfix Sherman conversion to a VC Firefly armed with the British 17 pounder. This is a restored version - yes! because of the dreaded track-rot in the original. I was able to replace the rubber-block track with chevron track. I also replaced all the light guards with wire and plastic strip. Last picture is the Revell (Matchbox) Firefly. Middle pics show a comparison between the two. Airfix conversion originally built in 1969. Restoration and Matchbox built in 2007.
M4 covered in Italian dust! With the help of some Armourfast models I am finally getting the range of Shermans I always wanted. Approximate year of construction: 2004.
M4 Sherman. The venerable Airfix kit that has been accurized (is that a word?). Vision slits have been built up, lifting hooks and headlight guards added. The lifting hooks were made from stapler wire, and tiny holes drilled to accomodate them. On earlier models I used heat-stretched sprue but this is far stronger and neater. I used 2mm styrene plastic strips for the headlight guards, which nicely duplicates the flat metal of the original. The addition of spare tracks to supplement the frontal armor was very common on Shermans, as was the stowage on the rear deck. Approximate year of construction: 2001.
Fujimi M4A1 kit with interesting camouflage. This vehicle is a M4A1 of HQ company, 2nd Bn, 13th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Tunisia, February 1943. Commanded by the battalian executive officer Maj. James Simmerman, which is how it got to be called "Major Jim". The camouflage pattern on the real vehicle was created by mixing local mud and clay and applying with a broom! So this is what I tried to replicate on the model, of course. Reference: The M4 Sherman at War, Steven J. Zaloga, Concord Publications 1994, p33. Approximate year of construction: 2006.
Time for more Sherman variations! Especially ones used by the British. This is the Fujimi kit with early suspension from a Matchbox M7 Priest, sideskirts cut down from a Hasegawa Sherman, AB figures commander and lotsa extra 'junk'! I think I wanted one of these from when I was about 12, so it only took 40 years!!! Reference was the cover painting of an old Almark book on the Sherman, plus a photo found on the web that seemed to be the inspiration for the painting. Approximate year of construction: 2007.
Revell 1/72 M4A1(76)W. This kit is only worthwhile if you are prepared to spend some time detailing and fixing. It took quite a bit of work, including reshaping the turrret sides and mantlet, re-building the pistol port and adding all exterior details - lights, guards, lifting hooks, tools. (Yup, no tools provided!) Best part is suspension, but even there Revell only includes track guides on the 'length' part of the link and length tracks, leaving you to add that detail. Darned tricky trying to match the original shape and just anther example of how annoying this kit was! I added a Cullin's hedgerow device on the front, AB crew figures and Revell soft-plastic US army figures to closely match a picture in the Squadron-Signal 'Sherman at War' book. Approximate year of construction: 2007.
The Airfix Sherman rides again, this time as an early M4A2. This has M3 suspension and an enlarged turret. Approximate year of construction: 2007.
Airfix M4 converted to M4A2 assigned to French unit, the 2e Division Blindee, 12e Regiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique. Reference: The M4 Sherman at War, Steven J. Zaloga, Concord Publications 1994, pp20,21. Markings were hand-painted on this model. I recently got some rub-down lettering made by Woodland Scenic (from Internet Trains) so I can replace the "TARENTAISE" lettering which wasn't quite neat enough. Update! I moved house over a year ago and still have not found my box with all my decals! September 2006 update - found them in a box of Star Wars figures along with 2 'missing' Revell models. Approximate year of construction: 2002.
Scots Guards M4A2. This is a modified Amourfast M4. The last picture is the inspiration - a drawing by Kenneth M. Jones from 1970 Almarks publication on the Sherman. Approximate year of construction: 2007.
M4A2 Sherman. This is the Dragon 1/35 British Sherman III paired with the Italeri British tanks troops.
Building the M4A2 Sherman. Various internal scratch build shots. I had decided to show the tank with the figures outside, and I figured the hatches would be left open for cooling in the sun.
Well, when you do that in 1/35 there is an awful lot of blank internal space visible! So, I had to build some internal details, at least sufficient to have something to show when you peer inside! I only built where it would be visible through the hatches. I replaced the oversize brass side rails with plastic card. Dragon give tools with molded-on brackets, which given the level of detail in the rest of the kit looked really funky. So I made brackets from scrap brass.
This is a conversion based on a late-model M4A3 Sherman from Armourfast in winter camo with a T1E1 (Aunt Jemima) mine-roller from the Forces of Valor set. Add some AB Figures, match it to a picture in the Squadron-Signal Sherman in Action book, factor in a subdued sky curtesy of fires in Plumas County, give it some baking-soda "snow" and a nice frame and voila! Another masterpiece from yours truly! Approximate year of construction: 2007.
Sherman with mine rollers. Forces of Valor die cast model with original "Battling Bitch" slogan on the sides. I did some turret clean up and detailing and repainted this model in olive drab as the original was very dark green. I think it fits in very well with the other Shermans with the exception of a rather horrible molded-right-into-the metal tow rope.
Three views of the M4A3E2 "Jumbo" Assault tank. This model was converted from the Airfix Sherman (1/76). I made this years ago by cutting the shape of the top of the turret from a 1/76 plan, gluing it to the top of the Airfix turret and building up the sides with body putty! Front and back were also built up and the tracks replaced to simulate the wider tracks installed on this vehicle to cope with the extra weight. Approximate year of construction: 1970.
An Airfix Sherman conversion. M4A3 (105 mm) with HVSS. The M4A3's HVSS suspension was from a Roco Minitanks M40. Approximate year of construction: 1969.
Hasegawa M4A3E8 Sherman with extra sandbag armor. Adding extra armor to Shermans was a common practice. A steel cage was welded on and sandbags added. This vehicle belonged to the 14th Armored Division. 1945. Reference: The M4 Sherman at War, Steven J. Zaloga, Concord Publications 1994, p61. Sandbags made from putty came out a bit squashed-looking. I think a little paint to emphasis the shadows might improve the look. Approximate year of construction: 1999.
Another model of the M4A8E8, this time an Aurora 1/48 scale in a mini-diorama setting with scratch-built wrecked building. This is an early attempt at a simple diorama. The building was wood covered with plaster and the brick work etched in. Timber frame was added using wood strips. The figures look a little stiff but the model is a very accurate kit, though unfortunately missing a turret hatch. (Meaning it got lost over the years, not that the kit missed it!) Some details were added, such as roughening the surfaces, "canvas" cover around the gun mantle and rolled tarps in rear. The gun can still elevate which is why there is a slight gap around the mantle. If I were building this kit today I would cement the gun in place so there would be no gap! Approximate year of construction: 1970.
D-Day 65th anniversary June 6 2009
M4A4 Sherman DD with swimming screen erected. This is a 1/76 Milicast resin kit. I have wanted a DD for quite a number of years but I was always intimidated by all those struts and tubes and whatnot and never felt I had enough research materials to do the beast justice. Came out quite well but I did have to scratch build the propellers as Milicast had made them way too small. I've also never seen a picture of a Sherman DD that also had canvas sealing the mantlet and MG, so I decided to finish this model as a test subject. The black marks on the outside of the screen represent Bostik, a tar-liek sealant used to ensure watertightness where the inflation tubes were attached to the screen.
M4A4 Sherman DD of the 13th/18th Hussars with swimming screen folded moving inland with infantry. (Ref: "Swimming Shermans", David Fletcher, Osprey Publishing 2006, p. 21) This is a 1/76 Milicast resin kit. For this version I following a specific reference picture so I had to carve off the canvas mantlet covering and the MG cover. Never worked in resin before so this made me a bit nervous. At $40 this was definitely a build I wanted to get right! Actually it went quite smoothly, and Milicast had included the regular mantlet and MG mount so on they went. Figures are ESCI Britsh troops with helmet covers and extra backpacks to better match the reference. Note the green and white checkered cloth hanging off the back.
Airfix Matilda II tank in the western desert. I think the only added detail was the mirror. The painting still stands up even though this mdoel was completed over 30 years ago. Approximate year of construction: 1975.
ESCI Valentine. Straight kit build with an AB figures commander. Still a nice 1/72 model though. Approximate year of construction: 1996.
On the workbench! A Valentine MkIII from Maquette, with crew (all headless right now!) being modified from the Tamiya British tank crew. I am trying to match a reference photo with regard to the crew poses. This will be in desert finish when done. The kit is fairly accurate, though I am having to re-build the gun mantle which is not right at all. Since the turret hatch is going to be open - and the Valentine has a huge hatch - I decided to mock up an interior. References included the late, great, AFV Interiors, without which this detailing would not have been possible. It is hard to photgraph the inside of a finished model so I tried to get some shots during construction. Here you see the bottom of the turret basket with ammo, seats, boxes etc. As you can see this is not super-neat modeling here but enough to give the right impression when looking into the top of the turret hatch! Next you can see the completed interior with the turret basket, number 19 radio set in the turret rear and the canvas bag over the gun breech to catch empty shells. (It is in the raised position here)
Here is my finished model in all its glory! The last picture shown was published in the book "The Great Book of Tanks" (Salamander), by David Miller. I have requested permission from the publisher to show this picture, but have not heard from them. This was my inspiration photo and I tried to get as close to this as possible with the finished model. Approximate year of construction: 2003.
This Valentine model was missing a sprue, and I didn't feel like making all the modifications to make a Mk X or XI. So I decided to go with the earlier fittings and make a Mk VIII by eliminating the co-axial machine gun. Note the rough and authentic (check any close-up pictures) finish, achieved by stippling with a brush. I also added the fuel tank, originally from a Tamiya T34 but the mounting bracket was added. I really wanted a green Valentine after doing the desert version! None of the pictures I saw showed markings, so right now it is without. I figured it is better show a "just out of the factory" model than to put totally erroneous markings on it. Whatever, eh? In the end, in the immortal words from Monty Python's Holy Grail, "it's only a model!" Built in 2006.