Codename: Sherman 2016 - 3pc Differential Housing Conversion 210122

[Pinky]

Of course I do want one more M4A3 for a post war Yugoslavian film star to go with the Artisan figures.

This film star?

http://oi59.tinypic.com/2zibrzq.jpg

[ultravanillasmurf]

Of course I do want one more M4A3 for a post war Yugoslavian film star to go with the Artisan figures.

This film star?

http://oi59.tinypic.com/2zibrzq.jpg

If it is the one in here:
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/m4a3e4/m4a3e4.html
Then yes.

Company B do the decals, but where can I get a milk churn and the tannoy? It will have to wait for the allied stowage for the spare track.

[Pinky]

That's it - I can't post images at the moment (no idea why). 

That's a cool idea.  I hadn't known Oddball's tank was an M4A3E4 until I saw it on the Shadock site. Hunnicutt says this conversion was done in Japan prior to the Korean War, and doesn't refer to the "M4A3E4" designation, but the Shadock site is presumably more accurate on this.

The tannoy is tricky.  You're good with greenstuff - maybe sculpt it?  Its was pretty beaten up in the film.

[ripley]

The milk can should be easy to build  using a couple of sizes of Plastruct tubing , a little Green Stuff and some file work  or maybe you could find one in a  O scale model railroad  shop . The loud speaker - scratched out of thin plastic sheet    , kit bashed out of a 1/35  scale  rocket or missile nose cone  or  IRC , someone ( ? ) makes one that's included   with their  resin / white metal Oddball tank crew .

[ultravanillasmurf]

I wondered about cake decorations.

[Rubicon Models]

With good intention to revise the T23 (76mm) turret on our M4A3 Sherman kit had turned this tiny update into a monster of her own!

Now it has an early and a late turret variant... plus some minor update & additions to the M4A3 itself!  Can you spot the changes?











Enjoy!

[H0ffmn]

Nice work!! Although it isn't turret related, I definetly noticed the extended end connectors on the tracks.Nice!! Are you going to add these and re-do the rubber pads and add the chevrons as in the picture?

[Rubicon Models]

Nice work!! Although it isn't turret related, I definetly noticed the extended end connectors on the tracks.Nice!! Are you going to add these and re-do the rubber pads and add the chevrons as in the picture?

We have many plans for the M4 Sherman components... basically the only chassis you needed for the US (and her Allies) throughout the war!

We are also exploring different manufacturing techniques to improve our product quality without sacrificing the "easy-to-assemble" objective!

[Pinky]

Superb - that totally captures the look of the M4A3 (76mm).  The extended end connectors are a great addition - they were very common in late 1944.  And you'd then have the basis for an M4A3E2 Jumbo as well.  Maybe re-do this kit as a late war M4A3, with parts for the Jumbo instead of the 75mm turret?  I guess that's asking too much.  But you could then do a separate kit of a 75mm and 105mm Sherman

Are you going to fix the exhaust deflector?  It's not quite the right configuration.

[Rubicon Models]

@Pinky, time will tell.

We are currently quite tie up with all these open-end projects.  Need to finish them off before starting new ones.

We also just ordered two new Digital Sculpting Workstations for month end delivery... feeling excited!

[Rubicon Models]

Some more thoughts on this unseeming monstrous M4 project:

1. Will eventually cover all M4 variants – M4 / M4A1 / M4A2 / M4A3.

2.  Will not cover the M4A4 (need a new hull – will eventually do one as a new project).

3.  Will cover Commonwealth variants for these M4 variants when appropriate.

4.  Will cover land lease variants for other Allies when appropriate.

5. Will include all bogie suspensions – VVSS (early & mid) & HVSS.

6.  Will include all transmission housing (differential covers) – 3 variants.

7.  Will include both small and large hatch for the various hulls.

8.  Will include various rear engine back doors & filter systems (most common ones).

9.  Will include 75/76 mm and 105 mm turrets (and variations) when applicable.

10.  Will include “extra” armour plates for the M4 when applicable.

11.  Will include both “standard” and “duckbill” tracks when applicable.

12.  Will include different engine decks for various variants.

13.  Will look into openable driver and co-driver hatches.

14.  Will include tank crew whenever is possible.

15.  Will include a new waterslide decal sheet to cover this new project.

There is no definite release date for this project as it will cover at least 4 to 5 different plastic kits at the end.

This is a proposal only at this point.  Work will commence when our studio have the resources to start it – that includes $$$.  Buy more of our kits, people!

[Pinky]

This is very ambitious and exciting, but it's not quite clear what you're thinking.  Will be it a range of Sherman versions with interchangeable parts?  Or upgrade sets?  I realise that you can't make an individual Sherman kit too big, because in the end it's just one tank. 

[Rubicon Models]

This is very ambitious and exciting, but it's not quite clear what you're thinking.  Will be it a range of Sherman versions with interchangeable parts?  Or upgrade sets?  I realise that you can't make an individual Sherman kit too big, because in the end it's just one tank.

Very true indeed.  Our objective is to create a 1/56 M4 Sherman digital library of various parts and components where we can readily assemble any M4 variants with minimal effort to create a plastic kit for release.  Each kit will still be 3 sprue at most but with the subtle details that represent each variant.

Basically is for us to create products in a more efficient manner.  These parts are also compatible with many US armoured vehicles, including the M3, M7, and the M4A4.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Sounds like a well thought out plan.

[sandsmodels]

looking forward to it all