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The Field of Armor Dragon 1/6 R/C Sherman just arrived

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The Field of Armor Dragon 1/6 R/C Sherman just arrived

Old 11-13-2015, 05:31 PM
  #26  
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I have those motors in my KV-2 paintball combat tank...they are great.
Old 11-13-2015, 06:04 PM
  #27  
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Loic at FOA mentioned one time that he does paintball battles with his tanks. I didn't know there was such a thing as that... of course I have a sheltered life...

Mike
Old 11-13-2015, 06:24 PM
  #28  
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Yeah...I see him on the rctankcombat mailing list. Some of the guys on the paintball tank list helped him come up with the drive, suspension, and elevation mechanisms he is selling now.
Old 11-22-2015, 10:44 AM
  #29  
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I think I have the lower hull running better (at least til the next time I run it!) so I started working on the upper hull more because that would be more relaxing (aka: less stressful!)

Yesterday I'd finally got enough done that I decided that I was tired of working on a gray hull so I quickly primed it and shot some OD. At least that makes it LOOK somewhat more like a Sherman.

A layer of OD does WONDERS in covering up the Bondo, JB Weld, Miliput, CA glue, mistakes, fixes, and the BLOOD, SWEAT, and BEERS I have unselfishly sacrificed on this tank build!

I still have a LOT of detail to do then I'll lightly sand the OD and give it another shot.

Just wanted to share how it's coming along. I should have it done in about 2025 or 27...

Mike
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 11-22-2015 at 12:27 PM.
Old 11-22-2015, 02:09 PM
  #30  
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That is looking real good, can't wait to see a running video.
Old 11-23-2015, 08:06 PM
  #31  
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Sherman is looking nice Mike!!!! Great looking weld beads.
Old 11-24-2015, 08:36 AM
  #32  
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Thanks! I still have a LOT of detail to do on the upper hull but yesterday and this morning I've been thinking about how I'm going to mount the mantlet on and get it to move. The turret is what I've been dreading the most, so might as well tackle it!

The mantlet shouldn't have to move up and down too much because of the long barrel. Once I get it mounted I've already ordered a geared motor for elevation and'll have to make that work too.

I think I've figured out how to do it but I want to be sure before I start cutting up that thick fiberglass. If I get it working I'll post some pictures. This may take a while... and if ANYBODY can MESS IT UP, I CAN!

Thanks again for the encouragement (because I sure need it!) Mike
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 11-24-2015 at 12:09 PM.
Old 12-27-2015, 11:03 AM
  #33  
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I've been a little slow working on this due to the holiday season but I've gotten some small and a few large tasks done.

I used epoxy to join the top and bottom turret halves together then smoothed the seam by sanding and bondo. I started to really make it smooth but then realized that it's a 'cast' turret so I blended it with the original 'cast' finish on the rest of the turret.

It's been nice WARM weather around here so I've been trying to get as many things painted as I can before winter shows up!

I ordered a small geared motor that turns at 5 rpm and I made an elevation system. I installed the turret traverse drive and ring.

I would have a lot more detail parts on the turret but I still have to install the side pistol port and THAT will be a JOB and things might get knocked off.

You KNOW how a builder can work HOURS on some little detail part (that no one would probably even NOTICE!) and when that gets done things look like ya haven't did ANYTHING!

Just wanted to give ya a quick update on how it's coming along. I'll get back in the build mode and 'pick up the pace' after New Year's'!
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 12-28-2015 at 03:11 AM.
Old 12-28-2015, 01:04 PM
  #34  
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You got a lot done in the last month.
Old 12-28-2015, 01:36 PM
  #35  
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WOW this looks like an Awesome kit, Great Job, Looking Good
Old 12-28-2015, 04:07 PM
  #36  
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Thanks Rich, but I would have more done if it wasn't for the 'Season'. Once I get out in the garage and really get in the 'mood', then I'm on a roll!... It's just GETTING my lazy self out IN TO the garage this time of year. But I always try to get something done every day, no matter how little. Some of it is a challenge to MAKE things. The kit comes with a bunch of stuff but you have to figure out how to make it work.

When I took the preceding pics I just came in and posted them. But after posting I SAW in those pics stuff I needed to address.

I noticed the turret gap below the mantlet and that needed to be fixed. So today I used a scrap of plastic, Miliput, and that JB Weld epoxy to fill THAT in. It wasn't hard to fix but that is the 'Nature of this Beast' when working on a two piece fiberglass turret. FOA is planning on having ABS turrets made BUT I LIKE THIS FIBERGLASS TURRET!
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 12-28-2015 at 05:25 PM.
Old 12-28-2015, 06:06 PM
  #37  
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Thumbs up needing one of these

Before it's all said and done with... I need a 1/6 Sherman to go with my 2 M5's.

THIS thread is making it more desperate!




Jeff
Old 12-29-2015, 01:01 PM
  #38  
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Oh, i hate to point out a few details to you, you may not care, but to be accruate as a 76mm sherman, the rear engine deck is supposed to be the later two piece deck at the back, and up front, the travel lock hinges need to be moved up on the mantle, to be in a horizantal line with the top edge of the machine gun port. I know you already completed that work so it may not be important to you. But great work so far, it looks like alot of fun.
Old 12-29-2015, 02:23 PM
  #39  
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Thanks Rich! I do appreciate what you point out that's wrong with this build and I couldn't agree with ya more. But I'm working with what I have available. I trying to do the best I can, both with the r/c kit I received and the limited mental capacity of my old brane.

I have about all the Sherman technical books I can imagine I'd need and have studied them for detail to try to at least make the remote control tank kind of look accurate as I can.

I thought about trying to make it VERY accurate, especially underneath the sponson, rear, and elsewhere. John at ECA is a MASTER at it!!! (I WISH I was good as him!) But this tank I'm building isn't going to be placed on a counter in a museum to be studied and admired. It's going to be plowing thru weeds, mud, sand, snow, and having FUN! It's R/C!

The travel lock hinges are probably too low across from the MG mount. And the rear deck is about to get an 88 muzzle swung across it SO I KNOW this Sherman's in trouble there!

Check out the picture and how much higher should I move the travel lock hinges? Then how high will be the barrel lock be?

I positioned the travel lock hinges by the height of the barrel lock hole.

I came DARN close to installing the extra Chrysler lifting ring by the loader's hatch. That extra lifting lug ring WOULD have been a 'unique' addition and easy to do but I decided against it

And I bondo'ed over the front left milled antenna base. It was there but I didn't like it on this turret build.

And I have a one question 'quiz' on something I did quickly this morning because, in my opinion, it didn't look right. I was going to make a separate 'funny quiz' post for poots and giggles but I'll do it down from here.

Rich, buddy, PLEASE get you one of these Shermans! I'm getting closer to getting this one done and I'd LOVE to watch your build (to see where I messed up!) I'm NOT being 'mean' saying this but try it... you'll LOVE IT! (LOL!)

Also Rich, THANKS for responding to something ya notice on this 1/6 FOA/Dragon Sherman thread. Heck, I post pics and build detail but nobody seems to care and say anything. I LOVE input on this build!

MOST of the 'fine' detail of this build I put on the FOA build forum to tell what I've encountered because there's so MUCH of it, that IF I put it on here, it'd be a continuous post! And the RCU tankers looking at it would get BORED of it pretty quick! I ain't 'diss'in' RCU views but it's a LOT of dry stuff.

Thanks Rich!!!!
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 12-29-2015 at 04:22 PM.
Old 12-29-2015, 02:33 PM
  #40  
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HERE'S the QUIZ: I was going to ask the RCU tankers IF they see 'anything' DIFFERENT in these two pictures... Heck, I probably couldn't have figured it out. BUT there's a lot of SMRT BRANES on this sight! (LIKE ME! LOL!) Just for fun...
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 12-29-2015 at 03:15 PM.
Old 12-29-2015, 03:03 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Old MSgt
HERE'S the QUIZ: I was going to ask the RCU tankers IF they see 'anything' DIFFERENT in these two pictures... Heck, I probably couldn't have figured it out. BUT there's a lot of SMRT BRANES on this sight!

Well... actually the left image the coax hole is much too low. There is a slight difference in height between the gun sight and the machine gun holes.

Scroll to the bottom of this page:

http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_m...un_mounts.html




Jeff
Old 12-29-2015, 03:40 PM
  #42  
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Yep! Thanks Jeff!

I noticed the low MG hole when I received the mantlet (the one in the left pic) with the T23 turret kit. That's the hole location on the mantlet installed on the turret pics you can see above it I posted yesterday.

So early this morning, after I finished my coffee and FOX news, I 'ran' out to the garage, marked a new higher location, and DRILLED the new hole before I put it off for later. Then filled the original hole and made the rim around the new hole with Miliput. When it dried I shot some OD. (It's still drying.)

As I say, this AIN'T a 'Museum Quality' Sherman. It's an R/C Sherman! I want it to look decent, but it won't be totally 'perfect'.

THANK JEFF!!

(And heck, to be honest, if I was one'a them 'perfecernist', I'd fill the gunner sight hole then drill another sight hole 3/4 a hole UP. But that'd cut in to my other tank build'in work and beeer drank'in!)

**** Dec 31 Update: FOA noticed this in my posts and have emailed me that the mold will be changed with new positions for the coax and sight holes.

Last edited by Old MSgt; 12-31-2015 at 07:09 AM.
Old 12-31-2015, 05:56 PM
  #43  
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This is the correct split two piece rear deck for all 76mm shermans.



Look very close at this tank travel lock and wherre the hinges are mounted.

also, paint is in the eye of the beholder, and I have used stock bottle paints of OD that I did not like. Testors, and tamiya. Your tank was new to the European theater so it should be fresh paint, which is dark OD to be correct, not green and not brown, but so close it can appear to be either in various light. Alot of mumbo jumbo about tank green is thrown around about fading etc, but not on a 76mm, no time for it to fade in WWII.
I just finished tons of experimenting and have what looks perfect to my eyes as a real military vehicle restorer.
Using tamya bottle paints, 5 parts black 3 yellow and 1 brown makes an awesome dark OD. Then spray clear gloss over since by mid war tanks were semi gloss, and the color becomes perfect.
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Old 12-31-2015, 06:32 PM
  #44  
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I would really love to build one of these but i just cant afford one and neither do I have a garage to park it in. I have two army vehicles in front of my house and if the garage were big enough the willys would be inside.my one car garage is my shop with barely a pathway to the washer dryer for laundry.
Ive seen those big tanks, a guy came to the LA tank club with several 1:6 tanks on the D Day meet. He wound up runing a 1/16 tiger over with his 1/6 panther showing it off to a buyer. Quite impressive machines they are.
Old 01-01-2016, 03:25 AM
  #45  
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Thanks for the info Rich! What makes this tank 'new' to the ETO? I know almost all the tanks used then were pretty new because they were made in less than a year before the end of the war.

I figured this Sherman would have been built in early '44. If it was an Easy 8 or had the mantlet canvas mounts on the turret (or a bunch of other little telling mods) on it then it would be in later '44 or '45.

So, to 'fix' the rear engine deck all I'd have to do is put a seam across the back, put in some more bolts, and it would be 'right'?

And if I raise the travel lock hinges UP higher, then won't the barrel travel clamp (top) be too HIGH above the hull (even when stowed)? There's no way to shorten this travel lock because it's cast. So I eyeballed how high the barrel clamp was above the hull edge then put the hinges where they are.

And, yeah, I know the color isn't exactly right. When I started building this I searched the web with the tank color arguments there and studied my M4 books on what little bit they say on colors. One book said semi-gloss appeared in Aug '45 and another said post-WWII and another Korean War era. There's more studied M4 color/shade experts than me and I'm not going to open that 'can of worms'.

I've seen some color pics of 76 M4s close to this color I'm using so... just look at this tank as 'dusty'.

That recipe of mixing Tamiya jars of black, yellow, and brown may be right but do you know how MANY of those Tamiya jars it would take (at their cost) to paint THIS BIG model?

I've read and collected book on tanks since 1968. Especially during the three years ('91-'93) we were stationed on Okinawa (wasn't nothing much else to do except order books, watch VCR tapes, build Tamiya KTs, and drown my liver!) I GREATLY enlarged my tank library those three years.

Now, building this Sherman, I'm reading and studying the details of the M4A3 (76) models. Same thing when I rebuilt the 1/6 Tiger 1. I 'knew' both these tanks but when I went to build one, that's when I REALLY read up on the year-built configurations and unit.

These two large tanks I have may not be 'exact, perfect, museum' examples of a certain exact tank but, for an R/C vehicle to have fun with, they'll be in the ballpark of looking 'right'.

Thanks for the help!
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Last edited by Old MSgt; 01-01-2016 at 08:50 AM.
Old 01-01-2016, 07:57 AM
  #46  
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I would not beat myself up too much on details... BUT getting it close as you are doing is looking great!



Jeff
Old 01-01-2016, 01:32 PM
  #47  
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Thanks Jeff!

Mike
Old 01-01-2016, 08:36 PM
  #48  
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I forgot the size you would have to paint. You could buy a gallon, or a case of spray cans for real life size army vehicle restoration like I use on my jeeps. Gillesipi 24087 is sold by rapco. Google it amd you will find it. Close to the right color, a smidge on the green side but would work great on a tank your size.

According to the research Steve Turchet did, a MV guru, the color was always the same through wwii. A very dark olive drab that could appear brwon in some light, or green in some light, and could also be mistaken for black with very little light it was so dark. This was true from 30s through wwii. What changed was the pigment formula to make the paint a few times over that span. The big change came in 44 when it switched from lusterless(flat) to semi gloss. The application of the semigloss makes the color appear much darker than the flat, even though the pigment is the same. I painted some test samples today trying to get an exact scintific formula measured by volume and sprayed samples with gloss when I was done, which has a drastic effect on color.


as for the travel lock, you have i assume a 105 travel lock, which really aint quite right for the 76. You need the shorter 75mm travel lock. Do they make that for your model?

yes, cut a groove into the rear deck, and put a seam cover over most of the groove per the picture, and rearrange the the bolts.
Old 01-02-2016, 02:57 AM
  #49  
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Thanks for the info Rich. The travel lock (including the turret, mantlet, hatches, etc.) is from East Coast Armory. Look ECA up on the web.

Mike
Old 01-02-2016, 08:16 AM
  #50  
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Then you should be fine if the travel lock came with the turret kit. I remember you had to get that seperately. Your doing a great job and taking criticisem well with encouragement. I really want to see a video of that thing taking on some terrain when its done.

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