So today I focused on extending the rear slant of the hull and getting the vent fixed in place. Ive heard this is a radiator or an exhaust, not sure which, if its a radiator, I wonder where the exhaust is...
I referenced several rear photos of M4A3E8 tanks on the internet to get this grill and slant right.
The rear vent was square cornered on the bottom and the photos I had of it close up showed it was curved so I put it on the belt sander and replicated the curve.
If you look closely, you will see the new rear slope sheet is not glued on the sides, there is a gap from my spacers, I am marinading styrene bits in glue to make a solvent putty glue to fill the gap with before I attempt to bondo it.
I also cut out one hatch by scribing an exacto blade backwards through the seam around the hatch. To get around the hinge, I used the string method. Second time I used it, worked better for me this time than last. I filled the hatch hole with a sheet of styrene and then cut it out to leave flange for the hatch to sit on. I also got the rear deck puttied up around my engine cover install and where I removed the vents.
Tomorrow will be the drivers hatch and sanding and probably more bondo along with the glue putty.