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Post by dupes on Oct 20, 2016 17:46:00 GMT -5
Been a while since I actually did an in-progress build...finally feel like I've got enough time to both take AND post pics! This is the 1/35 Academy Sheridan, Vietnam-era boxing. Got the Squadron M551 "In Action" book to use as a reference, lots and lots of good pics in there. Luckily, the kit markings (god I hope the kit decals are usable) match vehicles in this reference. Going to be adding a bit of aftermarket stuff as well as some scratched bits to try to capture some of the customizations I'm seeing in the book. First pic - steps 1-6 or so. Nothing other than out of the box, so this is all you get so far!
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Post by TRM on Oct 20, 2016 17:50:47 GMT -5
Fine choice Dupes! Looks like you have everything ready to rock-n-roll! Enjoy!!
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Post by dupes on Oct 21, 2016 6:12:43 GMT -5
Got some parts to scavenge from various accessory sets, but yeah, she's ready to go! Moving right along, too...almost done with the out of box construction.
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Post by tonylee on Oct 21, 2016 6:34:22 GMT -5
Hey Dupes what ya got there buddy? Out of the box construction about done,ya right Speed-O. My money is on the decals being junk.
Good to see you my friend Tony lee
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Post by dupes on Oct 21, 2016 8:53:49 GMT -5
My money is on the decals being junk. Based on past experience, I have to agree...but I don't think there are any aftermarket options. Unless you've come across something I've missed? Would GLADLY replace the kit stickers!
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Post by Leon on Oct 21, 2016 9:15:40 GMT -5
I'll be following along Dupes!
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Post by dierk on Oct 21, 2016 11:35:51 GMT -5
Room for a little one? Not having experienced the 'delights' of Acadamy decals (yet): what's wrong with them?
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fhvn4d
Full Member
Member since: October 2012
Posts: 439
Oct 1, 2012 6:30:09 GMT -5
Oct 1, 2012 6:30:09 GMT -5
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Post by fhvn4d on Oct 21, 2016 12:47:13 GMT -5
Its been almost 20 hours...... Isnt it done yet ? LOL
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Post by dupes on Oct 21, 2016 13:07:47 GMT -5
Hahahaha...I need to take some pics! Actually, I'm scouring the interwebs for decals, and I stand corrected - there is one aftermarket set. www.mecmodels.com/Out of the Netherlands, no idea how long it would take to get here. Not super cheap, either. Unfortunately they don't appear to have a supplier anywhere in the U.S. that I can find. Some very cool sheets, though - I may have to grab their gun truck offering!
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Post by dupes on Oct 21, 2016 16:02:10 GMT -5
Update: here's where I'm at before this evening's glue session. Sprayed the wheels already, as I wanted to try some paint out - used Tamiya XF-74 (JGSDF OD) which is muuuuch closer to the color I'm seeing in the reference pics than, say, regular Tamiya OD (a WWII color, if I read correctly).
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Post by dupes on Oct 22, 2016 12:15:09 GMT -5
Saturday! Got the rest of the standard kit parts attached (that aren't staying in subassemblies). The stowage rack in the back is going to need some love - replacing the kit plastic mesh with some generic metal stuff I have laying around. Unfortunately, Academy gives you the bottom piece as a solid hunk of plastic (it's the thick angular piece in the pic0 which you can't see through. Think I'm going to try to assemble the sides of the rack and then fill in the bottom with a piece of mesh and see if I can get it to all match up. Not sure if it'll be strong enough to support itself or not, especially with accessories in it. The front mud flaps need to be thinned down a fair bit to let the tracks fit through. Turns out that a lot of these vehicles had that part removed in the field, but I didn't notice that until after I had welded them on pretty solidly. Also started upgrading the commander's MG - had some etch bits left over from another project (Bulldog, maybe?) that look much better than the kit parts. Bottom right.
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Post by dupes on Oct 22, 2016 12:16:36 GMT -5
You can also see the rear shield for the commander - it's quite thick, and riddled with ejector pin marks. It's either going to have to get ditched completely (which was the case on a lot of vehicles) or get scratched out of some sheet metal or sheet styrene. Haven't made up my mind there yet.
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Post by Leon on Oct 22, 2016 14:02:50 GMT -5
Nice progress on all the sub assemblies Dupes! Looking good so far.
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Post by dierk on Oct 23, 2016 4:14:06 GMT -5
Doing a good job teaching this old dog new tricks!
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Post by dupes on Oct 23, 2016 9:18:12 GMT -5
Thanks Leon! Doing a good job teaching this old dog new tricks! Hey, if anybody gets something out of this it was worth the time to blog! More coming this afternoon.
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M1Carbine
Senior Member
Member since: November 2012
Posts: 1,616
Nov 16, 2012 2:49:11 GMT -5
Nov 16, 2012 2:49:11 GMT -5
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Post by M1Carbine on Oct 23, 2016 17:42:41 GMT -5
Dupes,
Have not seen one of these in a long time. Last time was during an air drop. Looks great so far
Bob
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bbrowniii
Full Member
Member since: March 2012
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the precipitate.
Posts: 1,218
Mar 25, 2012 22:08:04 GMT -5
Mar 25, 2012 22:08:04 GMT -5
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Post by bbrowniii on Oct 23, 2016 17:55:04 GMT -5
Looking good, dupes!
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Post by dupes on Oct 23, 2016 22:19:38 GMT -5
Thanks guys! Still plugging away. While I was waiting for the glue on some parts to dry, I accidentally finished another kit (hah). Needed to clear some bench space. Back on it!
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sturmbird
Full Member
Member since: June 2012
Posts: 1,406
Jun 21, 2012 13:51:45 GMT -5
Jun 21, 2012 13:51:45 GMT -5
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Post by sturmbird on Oct 24, 2016 0:30:27 GMT -5
I was ready to ETS (the first time) as the Sheridan began to show up. They had several in the CAV unit behind me, and were not well thought of. They were forced to trade perfectly good M48's for them.
Was easy to see what they did to them as soon as they got them. They torched off the rack on the backside of the turret. Got rid of the ammo boxes on the turret much of the time, and added stowage right above the grenade launchers (never saw anything installed in the tubes but beer). Most redid the pedestal mount for the fifty to hold the big ammo box. The mud guards were often ripped off breaking jungle.
Sheridan's didn't shoot a lot of AP, but they carried it for concrete bunkers. They did carry a good bit of HE, And lots of bee hive rounds. Once the first bee hive rounds were used, the world changed. The 152mm round has over twice the flechettes, and a wider spread. Plus somebody figured out the round worked great for killing booby trapped mines.
I won't go into the dark side, but much was hidden from sight, and other things were over hyped.
gary
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Post by dupes on Oct 24, 2016 6:12:33 GMT -5
They torched off the rack on the backside of the turret. Got rid of the ammo boxes on the turret much of the time, and added stowage right above the grenade launchers (never saw anything installed in the tubes but beer). Most redid the pedestal mount for the fifty to hold the big ammo box. The mud guards were often ripped off breaking jungle. You're saying the entire stowage rack was cut off? Interesting. Do you know the reasoning behind that? Same question with the removal of ammo boxes on the turret - were they just inconveniently located? The mud guard thing totally makes sense.
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Post by wing_nut on Oct 24, 2016 6:45:59 GMT -5
I accidentally finished another kit
I hate when that happens.
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Post by mrt51 on Oct 24, 2016 10:09:53 GMT -5
Looking good! I had heard that the tracks were too tight. Is that true? If so are you going to replace them?
Terry
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Post by dupes on Oct 24, 2016 11:50:22 GMT -5
I accidentally finished another kit I hate when that happens. I know, right??
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Post by dupes on Oct 24, 2016 11:51:06 GMT -5
Looking good! I had heard that the tracks were too tight. Is that true? If so are you going to replace them?
Terry Hmmm. I did a test fit and didn't have any issues - will let you know for sure when they're mounted for real shortly!
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Post by mrt51 on Oct 24, 2016 12:13:28 GMT -5
Too tight.....
Just right....
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Post by dupes on Oct 24, 2016 12:34:47 GMT -5
Ahhhh, you're talking about "proper sag" and all of that junk! Can't speak to that yet - only had my vinyl runs loosely pinned together (vs melted) when I test fit them.
There's always super glue. Hahaha.
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Post by dupes on Oct 24, 2016 17:56:05 GMT -5
Finally got some pics uploaded. Stowage basket is done. As expected, there was no way for me to keep the rigidity of the rack without basically scratching an entire rack, and I wasn't up for that. Kept the lower kit part, and I'll just have to make sure there's plenty of gear on top of the deck! All kinds of ammo boxes, packs, boxes and junk cleaned up...going to need a fair bit more, though. Time to crack into all of my random accessory sets. You can also see the beginning of some Jaguar figs that I'm cleaning up - if I can manage to paint them up satifactorily, they'll get stuffed into the hatches. And a close up of the enhanced MG and shield. Close to slinging paint on this thing.
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Post by Leon on Oct 24, 2016 18:01:59 GMT -5
Nice progress Dupes! The MG shield looks good.
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sturmbird
Full Member
Member since: June 2012
Posts: 1,406
Jun 21, 2012 13:51:45 GMT -5
Jun 21, 2012 13:51:45 GMT -5
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Post by sturmbird on Oct 25, 2016 1:46:03 GMT -5
They torched off the rack on the backside of the turret. Got rid of the ammo boxes on the turret much of the time, and added stowage right above the grenade launchers (never saw anything installed in the tubes but beer). Most redid the pedestal mount for the fifty to hold the big ammo box. The mud guards were often ripped off breaking jungle. You're saying the entire stowage rack was cut off? Interesting. Do you know the reasoning behind that? Same question with the removal of ammo boxes on the turret - were they just inconveniently located? The mud guard thing totally makes sense. Never asked as it wasn't my business. Yet you could tell the OEM wouldn't hold much. I've seen then m done with simple angle iron construction, and then some almost looked OEM (like they had a production line making them). From what I've heard, there's not a lot of room inside the hull. The ammo boxes didn't make a lot of sense to me, but it may have been away to increase stowage. I have heard of some folks filling the ammo boxes with sand, but once can't confirm it. The Sheridan was pretty much a two weapon platform. The fifty cal, and the 152 main gun. Those boxes would have been pretty small for the fifty. Remember the Sheridan hull was aluminum. It had a lot of issues, but one plus for it. The driver's position was a pain (better wording but not allowed). I've seen home made screens, and a few other ideas. The gun blast from the main gun was horrible at best! (I learned the hard way) Nobody volunteered to ride ontop the tank! The kit hull looks like it has the titanium appliqué armor added to it. This will date the hull! Maybe late 69 or early 70 (or later). Sheridan's almost always carried two jerry cans of oil in the rack. Engine oil and hydraulic oil (Cherry juice). They had a lot of oil usage in the hydraulic system (main gun too) The hydraulic system had a lot of design issues that the end users never sent any feed back about. The engine needed about 200 more horse power. But the TACOM specs were 70% of the problem. Otherwise the hull would have been steel. (there was even a steel hull designed). The gun / launcher is a book in itself! gary
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Post by dupes on Oct 30, 2016 14:44:07 GMT -5
Ran into a bit of a delay - namely me trying to paint some figures. I'm no figure painter, so it may take me a while to put together someone presentable! Stupid figures.
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