WymanV Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 This started out a few years ago as an interest in building "Oddball's" Sherman from Kelly's Heroes. I picked up the kit and a few bottles of Testor's Flat Green and sprayed the parts. When I got into the research (watching the movie looking for details) I noticed that the kit is not representative of his M4-it's the wrong model. It went into The Naughty Closet for that. Over time it bugged me and it was the color that got to me. After my vacation last year I had noticed that a lot of military display pieces quietly rusting away in parks and in front of Veterans Halls are painted a very similar color. And since there's actually a Sherman sitting in front of the VFW hall in Appleton Wisconsin, a plan slowly came together. I'm gonna build this as an outside display piece. It should go quick. Most of them have external details removed so kids don't get hurt playing on them. And since it's sealed up, I can skip a bunch of inside details too. Here's the kit: And here's what I'm starting this project with. I don't normally use a started kit for a group build but it's a chance to finish it and all I've done is spray parts on the sprues and clean up the road wheels: I could even have this together this weekend Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 And some progress already. I filled in the holes for the tools. I considered making empty straps and brackets but I figured after 60 years most if not all of it would be broken off, ripped off or rotted away. I'm also skipping the add-on armor that was common on the battlefield. This was likely a training vehicle that wouldn't have it anyway. I also clipped the bow gun off and drilled a hole where it was. The exhaust piping will stay off too-the engine's likely removed so it wouldn't be there: I'm off to do laundry but I still want to get the gaps in the hull filled with some sheet styrene and build up the turret tonight. Cleaning up the bogie carriages will be the most time consuming part of this build, I think. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Graemeb Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Very interesting concept, you have here by building an old dilapidated display vehicle. keen to see how this will turn out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 This started out a few years ago as an interest in building "Oddball's" Sherman from Kelly's Heroes. I picked up the kit and a few bottles of Testor's Flat Green and sprayed the parts. When I got into the research (watching the movie looking for details) I noticed that the kit is not representative of his M4-it's the wrong model. Not to get you off track....http://www.hlj.com/product/FORF100 http://www.track-link.net/gallery/4603 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 8, 2009 Author Share Posted August 8, 2009 Yup-remember seeing the build when I was researching mine. Found the figures too. Now that I'm off in a different direction tho, I don't think I could build a better one Gaps closed up: Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 8, 2009 Author Share Posted August 8, 2009 And the hull is built up: There are plenty of leftover parts :D I put the tow hitch mount on but skipped the hitch itself. The turret periscope hatches are closed. I skipped the gun detailing and glued it into place. The headlights are drilled out of the housings and I bent one back as if a vandal nailed it. I considered bending the guard too but I don't want to wreck it trying. Once I get the suspension cleaned up the whole thing can be painted. Then for some weathering Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Looking good.....Not sure if you saw this one but it's a good thread for weathering in general and may help with the tracks. http://s3.zetaboards.com/readersforum/topic/206368/1/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lock n' Load Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hehehehe You got my attention as soon as i read ''Oddballs Sherman'' Can't wait to see this finished. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jugjunkie Posted August 9, 2009 Share Posted August 9, 2009 Going along quite superbly. Looking forward to your weathering, think this will be a real tester. Geoff Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 Here it is, with a fresh coat of green and a couple coats of Future: I don't care much for Future as a gloss coat. It never gives me an even coat and it'll run on me from time to time. However, with this thing I figured it doesn't matter and it's cheap. And it won't react with oils. I also went with RLM 66 for the rubber on the bogies as I wanted to depict extreme deterioration. Here it's on the shelf next to a Tamiya Tiger II I did a few years ago for a size comparison: I did the overkill thing with the markings as it would be appropriate for a display piece. And I was wrong about the bogies being the most time comsuming part. It's painting the tracks... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 This is a great poject that you took on and wow it is really nice ...Love the deep dark green color... Keep it up.. Nice Build !!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Thanks Holmes. It's actually a fun little build when you don't have to worry about accuracy or perfection or any of that nonsense A little update. Started weathering by depicting rust in the places where water would stand. Of course this wouldn't happen in an active duty AFV but this one's been sitting stationary for years. I paid particular attention to the welds, as I see this a lot in junkyards: I'll let this dry for awhile before I proceed. I'm using oils and they're pretty delicate when they're still wet. Next will be fading the paint. I can see this being faded nearly chalky white in places where the sun is intense. And I figured out how to deal with the tracks. Here's a pic of an M5 Stuart rotting away in Winnemuca NV I took on my vacation last year: I found the best way to depict the damage and wear was to sand the pads on the vinyl kit track with 36 grit auto fileboard sandpaper. It made for a lot of material to pick off, but I think I got the effect. I followed that with a coat of cheap flat black spray paint: I then hit the steel link connectors with a bit of Metallizer Burnt Iron to depict the steel rusting through the black paint. I'll weather these with some gray pastels before they go on. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1/48 scale pilot Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Looking good Ken. I have a couple of these in the stash- I'll be following closely Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 Thanks man, but I don't know if I'd base a build on what I'm doing to this one;) Started trashing paint tonight: I started out using the technique at the link Tank posted. Great way to get the look but I didn't think it was quite enough for a derelict. I ended up scrubbing the oil paint on with a stiff wide brush. I skipped the suspension for tonight-I'll give it some dry time so I don't get fingerprints in the stuff that's already done. It's pretty heavy, but again the paint is quite neglected on this and it'll tone down considerably under a dull coat. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
indydog Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 That looks quite unique Ken. Good job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Thanks Mark. It's gonna look odd next to the rest of them, that's for sure. I'm going to dullcoat this tomorrow and see how it looks: I hit it with a mix of burnt umber and yellow ochre oils, thinking the paint would have worn thin and rusted or held dirt on spots over time from kids playing on it. I also kept the top of the 75mm barrel relatively clean for the same reason. I'm also thinking it could use some more rust streaks along the joints but we'll see what it looks like tomorrow. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Deleted...'cause photobucket sucks... Edited August 19, 2009 by WymanV Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 (edited) I'm gonna call this one done, even tho I'm not entirely satisfied with it. After washing it with white oils, I hit it with some light gray pastels and then a dull coat. It didn't seem 'aged' enough so I hit it again with pastels and it didn't change the look any. So I added a couple rust spots where the paint chipped on the sides over time and left it at that. It really needs a display base but I also want to get a 1/35 "father and son" type set of figures who can be examining it while on display. Sometime down the road tho. I have an AFV M-10 that I have to focus some energy on: Ken Edited August 20, 2009 by WymanV Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 (edited) I like it. You basically got what your after. Just paint the figures as someone from the 60's-80's that way it would be 'aged' correctly. Edited August 19, 2009 by Tank Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smutz Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Hi, Very nice the weatherings superb. Andy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark M. Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I didn't get to see any of those before photobucket kicked... well.. the bucket on you. However, I just... simply.. cannot resist... adding..... "That's PAINT!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Grrrrrrrr...and they won't kick it back in until the 21st. And now I have another reason to switch. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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