M4A3 (90 mm) HVSS “what-if”

1
January 29, 2021
Hull rear using late-model M4A3 engine deck (with torsion bars to help lifting the hatches), which went into production in 1945.
2
January 29, 2021
Completed bogie, minus wheels. This is eleven parts and fully moveable (though not actually springing).
3
January 29, 2021
Jig bent from 1.5 mm copper wire (from an electrical cable) in order to align road wheel arms — these are movable, so getting them level is tricky otherwise.
4
January 29, 2021
Bogie on hull, showing complete lack of locating pins or ridges.
5
January 29, 2021
Tamiya Pershing turret with two 0.5 mm plastic strips glued around ring, to fit opening in Asuka hull.
6
January 29, 2021
Right side of turret, with Asuka cupola ring (but Tamiya hatch) because Tamiya ring had been used on the T26E4 conversion that this turret was left over from. Grey bits are from a Dragon M26 Pershing kit, to replace poorer Tamiya parts. Armoured cover over gunner’s periscope added from an old Italeri 76 mm Sherman turret.
7
January 29, 2021
Left side of turret, with putty to fill locations of Pershing-related parts not deemed necessary for this turret on a Sherman.
8
January 29, 2021
Corrected the turret by removing the fittings on the sides, as I (belatedly) realised these would not be required when this turret is on a Sherman hull: those on the right were to hold foul weather hoods for the driver’s hatches, which were stored on the transmission inside the Sherman.
9
January 29, 2021
As on the right side, removed the unnecessary fittings on the left side of the turret. Here, the spare track rack, because HVSS Shermans had spare tracks on the hull sides.
10
January 30, 2021
Hull and turret mostly done, but still needing plenty of detail parts. The white plastic rods represent the gun cleaning rods for the 90 mm gun, mounted in the same place as for the 105 mm howitzer Shermans,
11
January 31, 2021
I had intended to use AFV Club T80 track links on this kit, but after beginning to clean up the set, I can’t be bothered with them. The links are fragile (they want to break in the middle) and each link has two ejector pin marks that need to be filed off — but due to shrinkage they end up recessed, making it much more difficult to remove them, even without the fragility. Aside from that, the end connectors fall off so the track isn’t actually workable. Don’t buy this set if you build models for your enjoyment.
12
February 4, 2021
Straps added to the tools, plus a tow cable (twisted copper wire with the kit’s eyes) and a lead to the infantry telephone box
13
February 4, 2021
Loader, figure from MiniArt with a Tamiya gas mask
14
February 7, 2021
Antenna mount scratchbuilt from plastic rod, tube and card, and copper wire
15
February 7, 2021
Antenna mounts on the turret; left one is the Tamiya part with the antenna cut off and thick section replaced by 0.5 mm brass tube
16
February 16, 2021
Model primed grey, with white on the engine deck, both from Vallejo spraying cans
17
February 16, 2021
Oversized US star masked on engine deck, similar to Shermans on Okinawa in 1945; star is from Tamiya masking tape, cut using printed-out star as a guide
18
February 16, 2021
Overall coat of Vallejo Model Air 71.043 olive drab
19
February 16, 2021
Highlights added with Vallejo 71.139 field drab
20
February 20, 2021
Tank given overall coat of Games Workshop Devlan Mud (hold your nose while using this) and drybrush with Revell Light Olive
21
February 20, 2021
Masking removed from star, with lots of paint bleed under it (no surprise, given the grille on the engine deck)
22
February 20, 2021
Star touched up with white paint and a brush
23
February 20, 2021
Markings applied from a variety of older Sherman kits, including Italeri, Tamiya and Dragon
24
March 28, 2021
Both tracks built, from Rye Field Model set, needing 77 links per side instead of 79 (as on the real tank). Return rollers are not yet fitted, which is why the track sags
25
March 28, 2021
Spare track links made by using plastic rod as pins for Rye Field Model track pads, with clasps from strip and punched bolt heads
26
March 30, 2021
Tracks were first primed black with an aerosol can and then painted dark brown with a large brush
27
April 1, 2021
Tracks painted, weathered and fitted around the wheels.
28
April 3, 2021
Finished model from left front
29
April 3, 2021
30
April 3, 2021
31
April 3, 2021
32
April 3, 2021
33
April 3, 2021
34
April 3, 2021
35
April 3, 2021
The shell casings are turned brass by AFV Club.
36
April 3, 2021

Kommentit

6 29 January 2021, 12:04

Rui S
Very Nice Paint job 👍

3 April 2021, 16:10

Jakko ‌
Thanks 🙂 It's really pretty simple: overall OD with lighter highlights in the middle of the panels (not pre-shaded, the other way around), and then a wash mixed from Humbrol 29 dark earth with some raw umber oil paint, thick on the front and the lower hull sides and rear, thinner elsewhere. Once that was dry I added a wash of straight raw umber over much of the lower hull, plus bits of neat dark umber dabbed in while the wash was still wet. After that it was just a bit of drybrushing with plain dark earth and olive drab in places.

3 April 2021, 20:45

Album info

A model of a proposed American up-gunned Sherman variant, as if it had been taken into service.

M4A3 (90 mm) HVSS

36 kuvien

1:35

valmistunut

1:35 JGSDF M4A3E8 Sherman - Easy Eight - (ASUKA Model 35-024)

1:35 HVSS Type 80 M4 Sherman (Rye Field Model RM-5034)

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