Sherman M74 TRV

[jeaton01]

OK, here is a progress report.. I started non May 19 and then stopped on May 23 to work on other projects and to wait for some Fruil tracks for the M4A3E8 flavor of Sherman. Here are the progress pictures.

First, the M74 down the street:

This one was in West German markings when it came to town. It is part of parades now and then. Who doesn't need a Sherman in the Christmas Parade!

This is the Legend Conversion set. When I bought this I was glad to find a conversion, but when I opened it up I remembered about Legend sets for airplanes I've used. The parts are very nice, but the instructions are not. I mean not in the absolute sense. There are no instructions, just pictures of the finished model. So far it's been mostly forward progress, but there have been a few disassemblies necessary when it became obvious that "that" can't be "right".

The running boards had to be narrowed and shortened.

Some trimming was done on the rear upper hull.

The front of the hull was cut so the resin glacis could be fit in place.

The lower hull and the superstructure? all fit together now, and the running gear is being assembled.

Undercarriage parts are painted. This is where I stopped on May 23.

These are the Fruil tracks. Five parts to each track link. Will thin CA really be adequate to hold this together? I've cleaned the parts with soap and water. Now what? Should I do the blacking process now, or after the parts are assembled? Will the CA work after the parts are blacked? I know the left and right runs are supposed to be different and I have kept them separate, but I can't see any difference between them. Woe is me!

 

[moon puppy]

Wow, great subject and off to a good start

 

[errains]

That sure looks like an involved and detailed build. Your making great progress!
Wow them Fruils are crazy. I would have thought they would be one part per link My suggestion for the blacking is do a short test run of 5 links and see if it effects the CA or not...my guess would be it wouldn't.

Keep up the great work!

 

[centaur567]

Looks like a career build to me. Good luck. Gary S. XLV MMXX

 

[Iron Mike]

I'd suggest a wash in vinegar and water prior to the blackening and scrubbing the tracks during the blackening process. On Allied tracks, I'd be inclined to prime and paint them. The wire Friulmodel provides is hard to work with in my estimation, I'd substitute brass wire as it's easier to push in a straight piece. .020" seems to work well with most German subjects and fits tight enough that you don't need to glue it in. Good luck.

 

[sharkman]

John, what are you doing building a tank??

Great looking work on the conversion. Those tracks look scary!

 

[jeaton01]

I once taught a ground and flight class for the Citation 500 type rating. There was a Japanese fellow in the back row and he kept mumbling the same short phrase in Japanese. Finally I asked him what he was saying, and he said "Big Trouble". I wish I could remember the Japanese, I could use it now.

I need a smiley face for Big Trouble. I could just post it here every day until I get this done!

 

[Iron Mike]

If it were easy, everyone could do it.

 

[jeaton01]

Well, Mike, I hope I don't prove to be one of those who can't!

After many hours, I am this far into it. The hardest part is to get the guide blocks on and glue them well enough. I have to work on them in intervals because my eyes get pretty tired. I've developed an order that seems to work. Step one is to drill the holes for the pins, and then fit the pins. In this case it doesn't matter if the pins are bowed as that helps hold them in place in the assembly process. Next the assembled pin and link is set in place on the adjoining link. A length of links is placed on masking tape fixed to the glass plate on my bench. CA is applied to the center of the pin, the rotation will be in the ends, not the center. More Ca is applied where the pads on the left and right go, and then they are put in place. That process is repeated forever. Once the track is assembled this far in sections, it is removed from the tape and checked for movement. Often I have to pass a #11 blade between the links to free them. Next the guide blocks are installed.

I am finding this task completely fatiguing and tedious, but they sure look cool. I hope they don't all fall apart, at least not until I get a picture of the finished model.

Dang I wish I had stuck to things that use these for targets!

 

[Skinny_Mike]

That’s a heck of a conversion John!
nice work so far.

 

[errains]

Hang in there John!!!...and push through this it will pay off in the end!
I agree they sure do look nice. Are you finding that the CA is working or are there problems with it holding?

 

[moon puppy]

If it were easy everyone would be doing it. Press on John!

 

[jeaton01]

Eric, it seems to hold OK, except I'm not sure about the guide blocks. There's not much gluing area and when the tracks bend they are the movement limit. The thing about CA is it doesn't like to stick to itself very well so if something comes off it's hard to re-glue. I wouldn't know what other adhesive to try. Epoxy is something I usually make big messes with on things this small.

 

[Duke Maddog]

Hang in there John! You got this. I do have to say though; this is one of the reasons I stay in 1/72 scale!

 

[jeaton01]

After years of subjective time I have one track run assembled and fit. I have a temporary master pin in the track. I can put it on assembled but I am not willing to try to remove it with it joined so I pulled the temp master pin to do that.

The Russians own Fruil and these things are a Kremlin backed plot!

 

[errains]

The Tracks look Great... ...but I do feel your pain
I agree an evil commie plot for sure...

 

[moon puppy]

The Russians own Fruil and these things are a Kremlin backed plot!

Well you whipped those pinko SOBs...

 

[Brokeneagle]

Wow, thats a big conversion!
Looks very interesting and a subject I have never seen.

 

[jeaton01]

Thanks for looking in, Ian, Bob, and Eric. Except for paint, these PSOB's are pretty much vanquished. I sorta like how they look, too. I decided to paint them as I have not done the blacking process before. I'm going on with adding parts to the upper hull and will not join it to the lower hull until I have to.

In the last photo I can see that I have the right track on backwards, hopefully I'll get that right when I do the final install.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Overall it looks good John! You might want to check into the track on the right side as it is backward. The chevrons should angle up at front like the left side.

It is a little clearer on this regular Sherman.