peter's 1/72 scale D-Day diorama. (Greof's D-Day GB)

[Peter Gillson]

Hi guys

a productive evening yesterday and a large chunk of today; working on the swimming Sherman conversion.

first step to turn the Airfix She, into a waterline version by cutting in half just above the tracks and adding the 'skirt' - far easier to adda single flat sheet of plastic. This will be well below the waterline.


Next was to build the screen. Looking at photos, the screen is held in shape by three horizontal metal supports so these woudl also be the main structural supports for my version. I found some nice drawings (plan and elevations) on the WWW and using the method above I pasted these into word and scaled them to 1/72. Using the plan as s guide I bent some piano wire to the shape of the horizontal supports. a bit of thin tin sheet was cut to the shape (a little larger then needed) andglued to the supports. The skirt is held up by a number of vertical tubes which are inflated using air from two compressed air tanks; these were made from lengths of plastic rod. the tin sheet was used to make the top part of the skirt.





next some liquid filler will be used to tidy up the joins. I think i will paint the tank and the screed seperately and join them when painted

Peter

[Peter Gillson]

This arrived in the post today (actually a pair of them did)


Lee is correct - these kits are a bit fiddly; look at the instuctions to see how many parts go into building the wheel units:

8 parts! and one of those is etched brass! Although they do provide a little jig to bend the brass:

I fixed it to an off-cut of card to make it easier to hold.

i think this will take a lot longer than the Pegasus Higgins Boat.


Peter

[Geoffers]

Lovely work so far Peter :thumb2:

Geoff.

[A_J_Rimmer]

That Sherman conversion is superb! Very nicely done.

[Peter Gillson]

I was just about to start the second UM Sherman when i realised I had not taken a photoof the sprues - so here it is:


As you can see - loads of parts fo a 1/72 scale kit - more like the number in some 1/35 kits!

Peter

[vizenz]

Way too many chassis parts for me. But the rest looks fine.

[David Lovell]

Peter as you probably know I build a lot of the 72nd stuff by Ukrainian manufacturers I'll be honest their not all that some are stinkers but with plenty of dry fitting and as the late Simon T would have said a fair bit of fettleing (I call it paintence) they build up in to great little models plus subject matter is endless 35er 's would die for some it. As you pointed out 35th build reduced to 72nd its all there l+ltracks ,etch ,what else could a man want hope you enjoy it . Dave

[HAWKERHUNTER]

I am late to the party Peter with this one. Just had a full read through the post. A very interesting diorama you have chosen to do and you have made excellent progress to date. Following with interest,

[Guest]

loads of parts fo a 1/72 scale kit - more like the number in some 1/35 kits!

I built one UM kit in my life, of one of their M10 tank destroyers that has the same lower hull and suspension as this kit, and I kind of thought one was enough This kit does give you a good number of options, though. I see an M4A2 engine deck and hull rear as well as the equivalents for an M4A3, what I assume are two styles of roadwheels and drive sprockets, different types of gun mantlet and even parts for a 17-pounder gun (don’t use that, it was never fitted to the M4A2 and though it did exist on the M4A3, those were made for the US Army and almost certainly never actually fielded). Why are there two different parts for the area around the drivers’ hatches, though? It’s hard to see the difference between them, but I guess there must be some?

[Peter Gillson]

Andreas - I was surprised by the number of parts; tempted to cheat and add the air vent to an Airfix kit!
David - the modern 1/72 (dragon etc) are a world away from the likes of Airfix, really are mini-1/35. I have for a long time wanted to build all of Hobart's funnies but put off by the cost and space of 1/35, perhaps in 1/72?who knows?
Steve - Welcome
Jakko - this is definately designed to be used as the basis for other kits. i know virtually nothing about the M4 and variants so cannot add anything of value.

i dislike cleaning single link tracks in 1/35 and really did not enjoy the single links here.

at the moment all of the vehicles are part built, to the stage where they are finished except fo the delicate bits that can be knocked off, this is becasue the next stage is to finalise the composition. Out comes a flat bit of board, the paper towel represents the sea and the strips of paper mark out where the diorama will end:



Imay move the Higgins boat down a little and chop some of it off. There is a bit of artistic license in the positioning of the Sherman DD; the beach sloped quite gently and where it is in relation to the edge of the water (paper towel) means that its running gear would have been on the sand so the skirt would have probably been lowers since it would not have been swimming. Since i do not want a really long diorsma i am settleing for artistic license.

i plan to have the figures having exited the Higgins boat. Rushing forward and some taking shelter behind the damaged |serman, some running past. Some more figures following the Sherman out of the LCM(3) with a few sheltering behind the anti tank obstacles - perhaps around 30 figures in all.

I plan to do no further work on this for the next 2 or 3 days, other than play about with the composition.

[Lee Drennen]

Nice updates Peter your moving along at a good pace. Waiting for the Beach landing next.

[Guest]

really did not enjoy the single links here.

That was also one of my main complaints about the M10, yes. I bought two, but only built one because I found it such a chore … Hopefully your Sherman is better.

[Peter Gillson]

This is turning into one of those projects which just gets more complicated as it progresses. I did a bit of research on Sherman DD tanks and found that for most of the time the US crews would stand on the outside of the tank so they could easily escape of the tank was hit and started to sink. of course the poor drive had to be in his position.
i hade no US tank crew figures; so on to the WWW and a search for 1/72 US tank crews WW2. One of the site that came up was one I had not heard of before - Eurekaminiatures. Not cheap but nice figures, some attacking infantry as well.


Ths infantry figures do not have gasmask bags on so I will be making those with some putty.

Hopefully this is the last that I have to buy for this diorama.

Peter

[Steve-the-Duck]

Eureka are mainly wargames figures. Nice detail too

[Jim R]

Those figures look ok. Some rather good poses.