Tracks' M4 Medium tank thread

[ripley]

I  wonder if Rubicon would consider a Sherman add on kit like the have for their German half tracks ? You could have a bolted and the 2 versions of the cast nose , separate pieces for the front and side applique armor , extra single spare track links , as well as some in the Brit style 3 link holder found on the glacis plate and the verticle one the US mounted on the hull rear . They could even include a set each of the early and late style bogies . It would be more a modeller kind of kit as you'ld have to rework bits to fit the paticuler kit you were using , but  there seem to be a few of us can't build it out of the box guys out here 

[H0ffmn]

Rubicon have addressed this previously, I tried to send that post to this topic, which I wasn't able to  but it is up in the works in progress section

[Tracks]

I'm sure Rubicon will amaze us with their M4A1 kit. After all, look at the M4A3E8 kit. It comes with three different (one piece!) track and bogie choices!

[Tracks]

I just picked up a Rubicon Models M10 / M36 Tank Destroyer (Product Code: 280029). This looks like a very nice kit, but since I only have one, the question I was pondering was should I assemble it as the M10 or M36. But after looking at my collection I realizing that I already have two M10s (see picture below), it was clear I will be assembling this kit as the M36.



So why am I listing this here in our M4 Medium tank thread? The answer is simple. The M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers share a lot with the M4 Medium tank (lower hull and power plants). Also, there is the M36B1, and over 180 of these were produced using normal M4A3 hulls from October to December, 1944. With Rubicon Models, you can make the M36B1, but this requires kit# 280012, and is is no longer available.

[ultravanillasmurf]

You should be able to use the 280042 M4A3 kit as the turret rings are (supposed) to be compatible (they are undersized  for the real turret ring hence the different hull top for the M10).

@Rubicon, you might want to mention that on the instructions page http://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?topic=588.0

You might want to check Pinky's comments on the M10/M36 instructions thread.
http://forum.rubiconmodels.com/index.php?topic=407.0

[Pinky]

So why am I listing this here in our M4 Medium tank thread? The answer is simple. The M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers share a lot with the M4 Medium tank (lower hull and power plants). Also, there is the M36B1, and over 180 of these were produced using normal M4A3 hulls from October to December, 1944. With Rubicon Models, you can make the M36B1, but this requires kit# 280012, and is is no longer available.

The M36 turret fits perfectly on the current M4A3 (76mm) hull.  I just checked.  But the tracks from that kit don't fit the M36 hull.  And the detail on the M36 kit is a bit inferior (the turret is fine though).  So you can build a very nice M36B1.

[Tracks]

I have confirmed that the 90mm gun M36 turret you get with the M10/M36 model kit will indeed fit on the new M4A3 kit (280042), so you can easily use your M4A3 as an M36B1 just by switching out the turrets. This gives you a lot of flexibility with Rubicon models.

I will assemble my M10/M36 kit as an M36, but if I want I can use the M36 turret on one of my M4A3s to have an M36B1. I just need to paint my M36 so that it has the same tones and weathering as my M4A3s, which will be easy enough.

[Tracks]

If I had access to a good 3D printer, I would be testing how it works with these .stl files:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2926163

Rubicon's M4A1 model kit would be so much better than this 3D printed M4A1, but a Rubicon Models M4A1 is still a long way off. As a temporary solution, maybe finding a good 3D printer could help. Has anyone else tried 3D printing at this scale before? If so, what do you think?

[ripley]

While I marvel at the ability of guys to make these 3D printed models , I also shudder at the amount of things I find wrong or just Yuck that I would have fix or replace in the one posted  . Now I have seen awesome scale 3D kits with interior even , but the price , at least for me , is way too high .  Now price does  depend on the quality of plastic/ resin  used , I  looked at some 1/35 wheels for an Armored car ,lowest price for a set of 4 was $24 , the top of the line , best quality plastic/ resin and pretty much zero  for those pesky lines was $85 , yikes !   The kit they were to go on was $30 . . I would rather wait for Rubicon and pick up their M4A1 .

[Ballardian]

 The current state of commercially available 3D printed models is certainly a mixed bag, but there have been better examples - this chap ran a KS for the files for an assortment of WWII tanks & they aren't bad:








The Tiger has a few issues, but the T34 is pretty good & the quality is only likely to increase over time.

[ripley]

I think 3D can be a boon to the war gamer , you need more of something for a game , you just make it .  But the cost of a good printer is the obstacle , IMO . One of my friends has one that cost about $700 US . Makes nice brick rubble piles and stacks of barrels but the buildings he's attempted , well lets say , they make a great village ruin  . Now , it could be operator error , or it could be the 3D share ware or whatever  the programs are called , might not be 100% compatible with his machine . I for one am going to wait  till the price comes down and the programs are just plug and play so to speak , really this tech stuff is beyond me  . And the price will fall , I remember my 1st micro wave , $800 , you can get the sames ize now with more features for $40  .Of course its taken 25 years and I might not live that long .....

[Tracks]

No here's something you don't see everyday. A laser cut wooden M4 Sherman tank.

I think I will stick with the Power of Plastic.

[Tracks]

For those that do not know about this yet, there is a new 1:56 Sherman kit available. Actually, I should say that its an older kit, but with new parts to make the crocodile variant. I say this because the "new" kit is the same original M4 Sherman kit that Italeri made for Warlord Games sometime ago. The M4 Sherman itself is plastic, but the crocodile bits to make the variant are resin and metal.

[Tracks]

In other M4 Sherman news, we recently learned more details about the M4A1 that Rubicon Models is planning to release. More information can be found in the "Work In Progress" section. There are several plastic Sherman kits on the market now, but this will be the first 1:56 (28mm) scale plastic M4A1 ever made. I hope this kit sales well for Rubicon Models.

[Pinky]

Well let's hope they deal with the hull issue, or it's going to be a kit of a very rare M4A1.