M10/M36 help needed.

[cptjake]

Has anyone figured out a method to allow an M36 turret and an M10 turret to be used on the same hull (so you could switch out turrets and only have to buy one kit/build one hull)?

I would love the ability to field one or the other, but the way you need to add a piece to the hull to allow the M36 turret to fit on seems to limit the build to one or the other.   

[ultravanillasmurf]

I do not possess the model (I hope to get one at Salute).

Looking at the instructions, the method of joining the upper and lower hull appears to be different from all the other Rubicon kits I have assembled - the others have two plug and sockets which allow you to take them apart, great for spray painting and when you decide to make last minute changes (see my Panzer III). This is true of the M4A3 kit which also has a removable differential cover.

If you can assemble the hull in a similar manner, you could modify the ammo racks to allow swappiing, however the gun's travel lock is different

You might be better off just building an M10 and an M4A3 and swapping the M4 turret for the M36 turret, giving you an M4A3 or an M36B1.

[cptjake]

I'm not too worried about the travel lock, I'm more worried about switching out the turrets.

[ripley]

I don't have this kit either , yet . But from the plans it looks like the M 10 turret hole is larger than the M 36 , so you add a spacer to the kit . I assume that's because the turret hole on the M4A3 is smaller and this is an easy fix for Rubicon so the M 36 turret  will fit both kits . Smart     Now , you might get away with adding a small shim strips of plastic at half a dozen places around the turret race of the M 36 . That might make it a tighter fit on the M 10 hull . Not having the kit I don't know if the upper hull is going to be flush under the M 36 turret with this kit bash job .  I have used this method before on adapting various 1/35 scale turrets to other companies tank bodies , sometimes it works great , other times ..not . Hope it works for you.

[stevepalffy]

Having built both kits....I wouldnt unless you want to modify the ring on one of the turrets plus rear deck plus travel lock...just buy 2 kits.

M10A1 & M36 B1

[ultravanillasmurf]

With many of the kits, including the M4A3, you do not have to glue the upper and lower hull together:
.

Do you need to glue them together on the M10/36?

[stevepalffy]

Yes Part B03 has to be glued in from underneath upper hull to use m36 turret on the tank destroyer kit

[Pinky]

Do you need to glue them together on the M10/36?

Yes.  Unless you're very clever with magnets...

The turret ring on the M10 is much bigger - I don't know if adding spacers would do it.  There are also 2 obvious slots which the M36 turret doesn't hide.  The M10 and M36 also have different engine decks - although I guess you could have an M36B2.

UVS's suggestion is a good one.  The M36B1 is a nice alternative to the M36.

[cptjake]

Okay, so I am too cheap to buy another model, and too stubborn not to be able to use both turrets.   I used a razor saw to cut off the ring with tabs from the bottom of the M36 turret (the one with the narrower ring) and then repositioned portions of the ring with tabs, using some sheet styrene to add a bit of height.   I also had to remove parts C37 and C38 so it would rotate correctly.   Those parts are about invisible once built anyway.   







Seems to work fine.   Now I need to decide which travel lock to put on the hull (keep on the hull), but frankly, having the wrong one part of the time (when using the 'other' turret) is not going to bother me all that much.

So I'll have an M10 or M36B2 (same back deck) but one will have the wrong travel lock.

Jake

[ripley]

 Nice job on getting the turret to fit . Regarding the travel lock , just add a stowage shelf on the hull rear ( like on Shermans ) and pile it a little  higher than the engine deck ( gas cans , ammo boxes , spare wheel etc ) . Cover  stowage with a tarp or cammo net . Problem solved , travel lock , covered / hidden

[Pinky]

Agreed - nice job making this work.

The M36B2 was a very late version of the M36, and had the folding travel lock rather than the M10-type gun rest (early M36s had the gun rest).  In fact, the M36B2 didn't see active service in WW2, but that won't matter for wargaming purposes.  Maybe just cover the area with stowage as Riply suggests?

[Patrick R]

I noticed that the M36 turret simply fits on top of the M10 turret ring, it's not secured, but I doubt it will be a problem.