wwii axis reenactment forum

DeSimone Sherman
I finally aquired a DeSimone Sherman in 1/6th scale I pick it up this comming Friday. It is a static kit but I may make it rc, but will have to do alot of thinking on this. Have to decide what to use for the motor/gearbox units, what ESC to use etc. Here is a pic of the basic kit. Suggestions and comments welcomed.... Harold

I am going to need a 50cal MG for my Sherman which of these two guns would you suggest?
The DRAGON U.S. M2 .50 Cal Browning Machine Gun Kit w/ Tripod
or
The DID US M2 .50 Cal Machine Gun(Real Metal)
Opinions greatly appreciated... Thank you in advance.... Harold

Well I ordered the DML one last night from TSB and it was shipped out today and a nice refund on the shipping to boot. For the life of me I can't seem to find the build on the DML 50cal. Does anyone have a link to this build? One of the pics shows extra notches part just behind the carrying handle section

Well I couldn't resist starting to start working on my JD Sherman I got from Shane(GeneralSpecific) and started to tackle the turret. I scrapped the turret hatches that came with it and decided to make my own. The commanders hatch will have rotateing vission port. I find that JB Quick(a type of JB Weld) works great on this tank, haven't tried epoxy yet. Here are a few pics of the work so far. As always comments are most welcomed.... Harold

Update:
Work continues. I have now finished the commander's vision port, and it rotates nicely. I have drilled the opening for the commader's external site to be viewed from. I have also added the mg socket to the rear side of the copula. Here are the latest pics...






Here are a few pics of an actual periscope insert for a Sherman tank. A friend gave me this many years ago was still wrapped in it padded cover and in the original carton. I included these pics so all can see what an actual periscope lense looks like




Here is a pic taken through the lense and yes those are my fingers you see in the window

This Sherman is located at the tank museum(open air) in S. Calif in Rosemead. What is the designation of this Sherman? The photo titles say M4A3d and a placard(sign) in front of the tank says 76. Thank you in advance.... Harold

Update:
Here is how I made the new barrel for the Sherman. I didn't like the the stock barrel as it was just a piece of tubbing with no taper to it.I took an old open face fishing rod and removed the handle from the rod, and cut it to a length longer than required. The 1st pics I have started the 1st wrap of cotton butchers cord. I tack glue every 20 wraps just incase it slips out of my hand to save re-wrapping the cord. It only will un-wrap back as far as the last tacked spot


Fiber glass fishing rod barrel core now fully wrapped

Next pic I have coated the first wrapping with several coats of Elmer's yellow carpenters glue, sanding between each coat, and started the second wrapping

Second wrapping completed

The second wrapping has had 3 to 4 coats of glue, sanding between coats. The barrel has been cut to length and an insert glued into the barrel core

The next group of pics are of the barrel glued to the mantlet, "ears" added to the mantlet.

The next pics are of the inside of the barrel assembly

Update:
Well I screwed the mantlet assembly to the turret to see how she looks with the main gun on the turret. I then proceeded to scratchbuild the 50cal mount for the turret. For the post I used the left over upper rad hose piece from my DML Jeep. Here are a few pics of the mount with the gun attached on the commander's copula gun mount base

You're getting rather good at this Harold!!

That looks bloody amazing!

Update:
I decided to tackle the loader's hatch external details, the counter balance assembly. I used a couple ball point springs and a couple pieces of copper wire. Here is what I came up with.

BLOODY AMAZING!

Wow - some lovely engineering and improvisation techniques!

Thank you for the kind comments.... Harold

Update:
I made new hatches for the driver and co driver. The vision periscopes also rotate like the the comander's periscope rotates. I made the guards from heavy copper wire. Here are the latesest pics of the hatches.... Harold

I wouldn't have put it past you to build the periscopes with tiny mirrors in them that made the units work!