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  #121  
Old 09-09-2020, 07:24 PM
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Amccombs3 Amccombs3 is offline
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Thanks to all, and especially for the photos. Not being quite sure what I was doing, I did cut out the hatch openings, and I have started building a workable hatch hinge. If I botch it, I can always glue the hatch closed. I’m not sure which pieces get omitted if the hatch is able to be opened.

I’ve already put that long, thick part 66 in place, and it came out surprisingly well, but I still don’t quite understand how the lifted section of part 4 attaches to it. It looks like it’s raised only slightly? More photo study is in order. One of my problems has been that the design for these hatches changed over the Sherman’s life, and another has been that they sit fairly high, so between these two facts the details I need are rarely photographed in the closed position. And where does part 56 (the hook-shaped part) go?

I gather that there is a choice to be made, whether to have the periscopes deployed or retracted? I’m not sure how an extended periscope would work with the wire assembly on the top disk.

This is my first GPM model, and I’m finding the instructions/diagrams much harder to understand than my last challenging model, the Modelik Kettenkrad. Is this difficulty typical for GPM? My one comfort is that it’s not just me — many who have built this model have remarked on the difficulty of understanding the hatch instructions.

P.S. I’m suffering from Kevin confusion. Kevin WS, did you also build one of these models? I knew about Kevin Stephens’ and Greg Perry’s versions.

Last edited by Amccombs3; 09-09-2020 at 07:39 PM.
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  #122  
Old 09-09-2020, 11:50 PM
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Kevin WS Kevin WS is offline
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Aaah - I think I offered you photos previously, so though it was me!

Off the hook!
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  #123  
Old 09-15-2020, 06:24 PM
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Amccombs3 Amccombs3 is offline
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I finished the front hull hatches this weekend. I did the build with all the details except for the top wire cage — as far as I can make out, GPM omitted them on the examples in the photos, and I just really don’t feel like making them. My left hatch opens, but something went Horribly Wrong on the right hatch, so it’s permanently stuck in the slightly ajar position. I would not recommend to any other modeler that they ever build the hatches to open.

Figuring out the instructions was awful. I’m not sure even now that I got everything right, but it’s the best I could do. I’m not sure whether the periscope should have sat atop the pad (Kevin’s model shows the pad without the periscope raised). I omitted the pad. There are a lot of details on these hatches, including periscopes, wire handholds, hooks, and tabs. Neither hatch sits perfectly when closed, but they’re close-ish. All in all, I’m glad to be moving on to other parts.

I’m a little worried about the next few steps. The next instruction simply says “We glue parts 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 to part 4.” I can’t find part 65 anywhere — not on the sheets of parts, the diagrams, or in markings on the model. Parts 69 and 70 are long, slender rectangles, with no indication of where they should go. And the instructions already told me to glue on part 66, the long U-shaped turret bullet shield, several steps ago. Should be an adventure.
Attached Thumbnails
Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-6349e449-5110-4200-baa3-2d45ef54d820.jpeg   Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-3654339b-59e0-4152-b942-7ed64aff6361.jpeg   Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-ce323f65-6fd1-4db9-8766-20a517f680f8.jpeg  
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  #124  
Old 09-16-2020, 03:56 AM
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Damraska Damraska is offline
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Parts 62, 62a, and 62b form the armored cover for an exhaust fan located between the two front hatches.

Parts 63x4 and 63ax4 build up into four armored fuel cap covers. These go on the upper hull, one inside the left rear corner of the turret bullet splash, the other three right behind the bullet splash.

If I recall correctly, Part 64 is an air intake for the gas tanks, located inside the turret bullet splash in the left rear corner, near one of the fuel filler caps.

Parts 65 (olive drab circle about 1cm in diameter), 65A (olive drab strip 34mm x 2mm), and 65B (white circle about 6mm in diameter) are located on the bottom of Page 10. Page 10 included the upper hull and hull applique armor plates.

These parts build up into a mushroom shaped, armored exhaust fan cover located inside the right rear corner of the turret bullet splash. The location is marked.

Parts 66 and 66a form the forward, circular portion of the turret bullet splash.

Parts 67, 68, and 69 form the rear segment of the turret bullet splash.

Parts 70 form another bullet splash, this one protecting the fuel filler cap located directly behind the rear turret bullet splash.

Parts 71L and 71R form into bullet splashes that protect the left rear and right rear armored fuel cap covers.

Parts 72 and 72a are the doors and hinges to the engine compartment.

...

With regards the periscopes and associated 'pads', the 'pads' are actually hinged armored covers, each protecting a rectangular hole in the armor. Inside the tank, a sheet metal casing, sort of like a cereal box, extends downward from each such open rectangle. A periscope slides up into the sheet metal casing. When installed, the top of the periscope slides up through the hole and pushes up the little hinged 'pad', From the side, it sort of looks like this:

|\ \.

The first two lines are the top of the periscope, the rightmost slanted line is the 'pad', and the period is the hinge.

I hope that helps.

Last edited by Damraska; 09-16-2020 at 04:37 AM.
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  #125  
Old 09-16-2020, 05:55 AM
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Don Boose Don Boose is offline
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It looks to me that it has been very worthwhile persevering with this complex and challenging model. I think it looks terrific. It would be nice if it could take its place alongside Kevin's and Greg's Shermans at the next Paper Modelers at Army Heritage Days event.

Don
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  #126  
Old 09-16-2020, 10:15 AM
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KCStephens KCStephens is offline
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Anne,
The hatches look outstanding!
Now just a few more bits to go and the hull will be complete.

When you get to the turret take your time. Those complex curves are a bit tricky but for the most part everything fits pretty well. Just keep your touch up paint handy.
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  #127  
Old 09-16-2020, 10:23 AM
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It looks great to me.

That's why I don't tackle those type of kits.
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  #128  
Old 09-16-2020, 07:36 PM
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Amccombs3 Amccombs3 is offline
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Many thanks, Damraska, for your lucid explanation of all the parts that I’m working on now. Frankly, they are all “widgets” to me. I am guessing you have either a personal acquaintance with one-to-one scale Shermans, or an excellent reference library! After a second search, I found part 65, and its location is clearly marked on the hull as you stated. I don’t know how I missed it; I plead temporary hatch-induced insanity. Now I need to decide whether to build up the periscope covers.

After the hatches, parts 62 - 72 look fairly straightforward to build and install, although if you hate petals, you will really loathe shaping the gas cap cover domes. I stopped after shaping one (of 4) because my hand was cramping. Tonight I glued up the exhaust fan armored cover (62) and the air intake (64), and I started cutting out armored gas caps.

After these “widgets,” there will be the very fun part of making all the tools attached to the outside, like the shovel, pickaxe, and great big wrenches. Those all appeal to me greatly. And then — the turret! I’m heeding Kevin’s caution, but I’ll deal with it when I get there. That’s quite a ways down the road.

Don, I certainly intend to bring the Sherman to future events. The advantages of having more time to work on models is eclipsed by the downer of having no events to bring them to this year. Carlisle Army Heritage Days is always a highlight in my year. We will all hope for better times to come.

Texman, I’ve seen and aspired to your level of work. It completely boggles my mind that you don’t tackle “those kinds of kits.” I thought you just didn’t like armor!
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  #129  
Old 09-17-2020, 07:13 AM
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romanmodels romanmodels is offline
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good work on the hatches seems the halinski sherman thue moor detail is eseyer to build
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  #130  
Old 10-03-2020, 05:58 PM
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Amccombs3 Amccombs3 is offline
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I’ve made some more progress since my last post. In addition to parts 62-72, which were all installed in various places on the upper hull, I’ve made and just finished the tools, which were, as I expected, great fun. In addition to the tools, there were a lot of wire loops and handholds to fabricate.

I have the good fortune of working with people who are very skilled modelers, and I’ve leaned heavily on their help. One loaned me his copy of “Modeler’s Guide to the Sherman,” so now I can find the correct names for the parts. Another gave me fairly in-depth guidance on working with wood, a material with which I have very little experience. He builds magnificent wood models of the projects he does for the museum — his uncovered Lincoln Standard model has to be seen to be appreciated. He also kindly gave me some basswood scraps which were more than sufficient for the tool handles I needed to carve. Not surprisingly, I made a few false starts on them, but I’m happy with the final results. . As always, I still need to go back with some touch-up paint, but I’m mostly ready for the next steps. I think one of the things that pleases me most is seeing all the white markings on the hull getting covered with their respective assemblies — it makes it look so much more “finished.”

For the record, the part numbering is as follows:
73 - track bar
74 - mattock handle
75 - mattock head
76 - axe
77 - shovel
78 - wrench
79 - sledge

Earlier, I thought that once I had the tools done, I’d be moving on to the turret. Silly rabbit. I forgot all about tail lights and other aft-end details. So I’ll be studying, locating, and building those next.
Attached Thumbnails
Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-fca48463-b4b0-4532-b4de-e707aacdb83b.jpeg   Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-be95d81e-6d16-4fbb-810c-b094a52e6baa.jpeg   Anne's M4A3 Sherman GPM-e3dcfef6-1270-4e0b-8bb4-f28ea67f5a66.jpeg  
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