Sherman 18
Master at Arms
Trying to finish up projects to take to the Eaglequest show is not happening like I hoped. Last week the local club put up a display at the museum here. I went and loaded items for the display and this M48 that I built a number of years ago looked sad as it never did anything I had intended when I was building it. I built this M48 for competition. I put all I knew, casting numbers, casting textures, scratch work, suspension correction and so on. When it was done I never took it any shows other then one local IPMS show in Colorado Springs. I did get a third place and was told it need the turret hatches closed or have a crew. Which I agreed with them. Worse part is I had (still have) a crew. I just do not like painting figures, but I need to, it is one thing I think is missing from my vehicles. I set it a side and did not take it to the museum. Last night I was looking it over and and said it could use this, that and I should paint the crew, then take it to Eaglequest. With that in mind I opened a can of caffeine put on some rock and roll. :facepalm
Some more back story on this build. I had just finished a book called Tank Sergeant. Written by a guy who commanded a M48A3 in Vietnam. There is a part of the book that stuck with me was he had just been issued a bran new M48A3. He was then ordered to loan it out to another company and when it returned the fenders had been ripped off and the fender storage boxes that were still there, were smashed and the lids were missing. I was working for a Saturn store at the time and sent me back to Tennessee for training. I arranged to get an extra weekend to go up to Fort Knox. I learned how the fenders are put together, what is sheet metal and what is plate steel. That is why not all of the fenders are gone. I scratch built the fender boxes and fender support brackets. I filled, re-contoured and added casting texture to the lower hull. The suspension has been lowered two scale inches to match the M48A3 that was inside the Patton museum. Filled the mantelet cover with A&B putty, added drip rails, casting numbers and welds to the turret. The search light has been down sized, mounts added from AMT M60A1 kit, scratched handles and cover. Commanders cupula I added casting texture, lift rings and cover made from A&B putty. There was nuts and bolts added in a number of locations. Track is AFV Club, my first time using separate link track.
This is as it sat 05-14-2015,
After removing loose parts and disassembly, I began to change some of the items. First thing that I was never wild about is the colors I used on the machine gun mounts. When in dote paint it OD. I first painted them Testors rust and that was to orange for me. I then repainted them with Humbrol scenic track color. Much better. I'll add washes and some dry brushing the next days off.
I then started to play with paint pigments on the lower hull. I first mixed some red earth, a gray, and a brown. It was the color I thought would work good. After putting some water to it it turned a lovely shade of light pink
At that point I started to just throw on colors trying to cover it up :frantic Now it is starting to come back to what I have pictured in my mind. Still have a bit more to do but I'm on the right road I believe.
Then it was some form of attempt to paint some crew member :laugh: I am, I think, planning on using the Archer eye decals I got. The instructions said to paint the eyes white first :idonno They look strange to me right now. Oh the figures are Verlinden.
(sorry I just could not get a good shot camera would not focus on the heads)
More updates on the days to come
Some more back story on this build. I had just finished a book called Tank Sergeant. Written by a guy who commanded a M48A3 in Vietnam. There is a part of the book that stuck with me was he had just been issued a bran new M48A3. He was then ordered to loan it out to another company and when it returned the fenders had been ripped off and the fender storage boxes that were still there, were smashed and the lids were missing. I was working for a Saturn store at the time and sent me back to Tennessee for training. I arranged to get an extra weekend to go up to Fort Knox. I learned how the fenders are put together, what is sheet metal and what is plate steel. That is why not all of the fenders are gone. I scratch built the fender boxes and fender support brackets. I filled, re-contoured and added casting texture to the lower hull. The suspension has been lowered two scale inches to match the M48A3 that was inside the Patton museum. Filled the mantelet cover with A&B putty, added drip rails, casting numbers and welds to the turret. The search light has been down sized, mounts added from AMT M60A1 kit, scratched handles and cover. Commanders cupula I added casting texture, lift rings and cover made from A&B putty. There was nuts and bolts added in a number of locations. Track is AFV Club, my first time using separate link track.
This is as it sat 05-14-2015,
After removing loose parts and disassembly, I began to change some of the items. First thing that I was never wild about is the colors I used on the machine gun mounts. When in dote paint it OD. I first painted them Testors rust and that was to orange for me. I then repainted them with Humbrol scenic track color. Much better. I'll add washes and some dry brushing the next days off.
I then started to play with paint pigments on the lower hull. I first mixed some red earth, a gray, and a brown. It was the color I thought would work good. After putting some water to it it turned a lovely shade of light pink
At that point I started to just throw on colors trying to cover it up :frantic Now it is starting to come back to what I have pictured in my mind. Still have a bit more to do but I'm on the right road I believe.
Then it was some form of attempt to paint some crew member :laugh: I am, I think, planning on using the Archer eye decals I got. The instructions said to paint the eyes white first :idonno They look strange to me right now. Oh the figures are Verlinden.
(sorry I just could not get a good shot camera would not focus on the heads)
More updates on the days to come
....
