M3A1 BY ILOVE KITS IN 1/35 SCALE LEND LEASE DIORAMA

[Scratchbuilder]

Er, no thanks Wibble, but very kind of you to offer.
Going to keep those tweezers in a carton so I don't use them near CA !
Wobble

Damn!!! thought I'd roped in an innocent....

 

[Jakko]

Can you enlighten me which part to remove please .

Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean. My normal method of installing tracks on a tank like this is to just slide it in from the back, wrap it around the sprocket and idler, and then connect them at the bottom. Something like this:



This is a MiniArt kit with the exact same track you have on your M3A1. To install it, I left the ends of the track not joined, but with a block at each end — without end connectors in. I then cut the tabs off two of the end connectors, leaving on the pins, so they could be inserted into the holes in the two end blocks to connect them.

 

[JR]

Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean. My normal method of installing tracks on a tank like this is to just slide it in from the back, wrap it around the sprocket and idler, and then connect them at the bottom. Something like this:

View attachment 502382

This is a MiniArt kit with the exact same track you have on your M3A1. To install it, I left the ends of the track not joined, but with a block at each end — without end connectors in. I then cut the tabs off two of the end connectors, leaving on the pins, so they could be inserted into the holes in the two end blocks to connect them.

Ok on the fitting, what was part of the track guard needs removing for the Russian version you mentioned. ".there should not be sand shields on a Soviet M3 medium"

 

[Jakko]

Ah, sorry, I see now where the confusion comes from Sand shields refers to the vertical shields added in North Africa, intended to keep the dust clouds down a bit. This is a standard Lee without sand shields:

These two (a Lee on the right and a Grant on the left) do have sand shields:

Those sand shields were a British addition (fitted both in-theatre in North Africa as well as at the factory for tanks paid for by the British) and should not be on M3 mediums in American service. Since the Soviet Union got their tanks from American stocks, they did not have those sand shields.

For modelling, those shields are a nuisance, if you ask me I mentioned them because I’m not sure your kit includes them or not, but if it does, you shouldn’t fit them.

 

[JR]

Ah, sorry, I see now where the confusion comes from Sand shields refers to the vertical shields added in North Africa, intended to keep the dust clouds down a bit. This is a standard Lee without sand shields:

These two (a Lee on the right and a Grant on the left) do have sand shields:

Those sand shields were a British addition (fitted both in-theatre in North Africa as well as at the factory for tanks paid for by the British) and should not be on M3 mediums in American service. Since the Soviet Union got their tanks from American stocks, they did not have those sand shields.

For modelling, those shields are a nuisance, if you ask me I mentioned them because I’m not sure your kit includes them or not, but if it does, you shouldn’t fit them.

Top man , thanks, I shall remove if required

 

[Jakko]

I just checked the instructions for your kit on Scalemates, and it doesn’t include them at all, so no worries there. Forget I ever mentioned them

 

[JR]

Much fun is being had doing the figures sorting through the spares box to find some more so I can have a better choice.

The Commander in the turret is from one box, a change of right arm and torso was required to get him into the turret. I had to cut the rear of the machine gun off !



This was the box art, used this guy.


Had to use the torso of another figure from the set to get him into the turret.

Wired the arm in and due to the position of the arm had to fill.

Mean while I've built up the rider figures, from the kit, think one of them is completely unsuitable . With that in mind I've made up some form the spares box.


In between all this I sprayed the lower hull. Just a base coat from this box of AK 3rd Gen






On ward, l will be looking for a couple of Russian torsos. There's going to be a very crowded tank !

Thanks for looking in .

John.

 

[JR]

I just checked the instructions for your kit on Scalemates, and it doesn’t include them at all, so no worries there. Forget I ever mentioned them

Thanks for looking

 

[Waspie]

For a moment I thought I'd stumbled upon a surgical operating theatre!!! Have you changed your activities to include surgery JR???

 

[Jakko]

a change of right arm and torso was required to get him into the turret. I had to cut the rear of the machine gun off !

That’s partly because that little turret was very cramped, and partly because you have the whole rotating bit at the front upside down, so the gun is on the wrong side and taking up even more space than usual Easy fix: cut off the barrel too, then it will hardly be noticeable that it’s the wrong way around unless you really know your M3 mediums — and crews were likely to remove the gun anyway because it got in the way of getting in and out.

 

[JR]

For a moment I thought I'd stumbled upon a surgical operating theatre!!! Have you changed your activities to include surgery JR???

Doug , I'm still under training by that well know surgeon Mr Neil Merryweather @Neil Merryweather .

That’s partly because that little turret was very cramped, and partly because you have the whole rotating bit at the front upside down, so the gun is on the wrong side and taking up even more space than usual Easy fix: cut off the barrel too, then it will hardly be noticeable that it’s the wrong way around unless you really know your M3 mediums — and crews were likely to remove the gun anyway because it got in the way of getting in and out.

Damn, trust me to get it wrong. Mind you upside down and the wrong way round does take some "skill "

 

[JR]

Well Doug, guess what I'll be attempting in the morning ?

 

[stillp]

Well Doug, guess what I'll be attempting in the morning ?

Setting fire to it?
Pete

 

[JR]

Setting fire to it?
Pete

Well that had been considered Pete, but the amount of sweet and near tears that have gone it to it stops me.
About to attempt taking that turret apart and seeing if I can do it the correct way . This may end in two ways or .

 

[Waspie]

Knee op or a lobotomy???
THAT is the question!

 

[JR]

Knee op or a lobotomy???
THAT is the question!

Unfortunately nothing was done this afternoon, will have another attempt in the morning Doug on the turett.

 

[Jim R]

Great stuff going on John. First rate dio and now figure surgery. I am certain you'll get the crew in and looking good.

 

[JR]

Great stuff going on John. First rate dio and now figure surgery. I am certain you'll get the crew in and looking good.

Thanks Jim. I have plans for this about to ford a river and some very worried riders, who might get wet if they don't hang on .

 

[JR]

Had a reasonable amount of time at the bench. Firstly, last night I had removed the end from the side of the turett by drilling then out. This released that machine gun and I was able to put it in the right way. JAKKO @Jakko eagled eyed had spotted by mistake .I've also put the hatch on again , seems right according to the drawing but are the instructions right ?

Any way added some more figures to the now crowded tank , I'll be able to pick the best when Ie worked out the base




This time I'm going to paint the figures fully kitted out, tried doing them separately before and found it more taxing to fit then after.

Thanks for looking in.
John.

 

[Jakko]

This released that machine gun and I was able to put it in the right way. JAKKO @Jakko eagled eyed had spotted by mistake

Only because you mentioned the figure didn’t fit well in the hatch because the gun was in the way, though Then it clicked that it was on the wrong side. I doubt I would have spotted it the other day if you hadn’t said something about it.