M4A3 Early
10-10-2021, 12:17 PM
#1
Thread Starter
M4A3 Early
Its been a while since I have done a build thread on here, so why not start one! This is going to be an M4A3 early using the Tamiya lower hull, Mato VVSS suspension, and Nick's upper hull and turret. Not going to lie, I don't have a strong affinity with working with resin, so I had a good friend mount the turret to the hull and all the turret gun elevation, recoil, TBU base work on the turret. I will finish the lower hull conversion, (even though the MATO VVSS is a tad bit over scaled) and the rest of the detail work. the goal is to have it ready for the next Danville battle on 11 NOV. keeping my fingers crossed.
left side
right side
Some of the goodies to go with it
left side
right side
Some of the goodies to go with it
The following users liked this post:
Pnzjgr (10-21-2021)
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (11-08-2021)
10-10-2021, 01:41 PM
#3
Thread Starter
I forgot to mention this project has been on the back burner for about 5 years now! I was fortunate to get a lot of the Schumo parts before they became hard to get.
10-10-2021, 02:39 PM
#4
Looks great and a good start on it. I'm sure it will be ready in 30 days! 
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-11-2021, 05:52 AM
#6
Nice work so far. But yuck, I hate the mato chassis. Finally scrapped mine under the Jumbo, the wheels all siezed up on me and would not roll. Also despise their transmissions with much aggression.
Any way, good start. I have used several of Nicks hull and the early A3 is a good one but I brace the sides and front with acrylic plexiglass to brace it so it does not warp, then I run a brace across side to side behind the turret. That way it all stays solid on those long battle days out in the SoCal sun.
Here is my build with that set up M4 75mm small hatch build Hope it helps you.
Any way, good start. I have used several of Nicks hull and the early A3 is a good one but I brace the sides and front with acrylic plexiglass to brace it so it does not warp, then I run a brace across side to side behind the turret. That way it all stays solid on those long battle days out in the SoCal sun.
Here is my build with that set up M4 75mm small hatch build Hope it helps you.
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-12-2021, 08:57 PM
#8
Thread Starter
here are some inside shots of the upper hull and what I could get of the turret, as I mentioned before I didn't do the work on the inside that was done by a good friend of mine. I think it came out great and should make for a good battling tank. As you can see he added some supports inside for the upper hull.
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-19-2021, 05:52 PM
#12
Thread Starter
you are correct, it is the tamiya aluminum lower hull with ETO gearboxes and shafts made for the Henlong Drive Sprocket. The idler is also henglong with ball bearings and the bogies are the metal MATO versions. The tracks i have are a set of plastic and a set of metal henglong tracks.
10-19-2021, 06:07 PM
#13
Thread Starter
On a side note, i read on someone's post about a 75mm with HVSS suspension, i did do one for a friend of mine, here are the pics of it.
adding the rear deck
painted
rear view
adding the rear deck
painted
rear view
The following users liked this post:
Pnzjgr (10-21-2021)
10-20-2021, 01:51 AM
#14
Both those tanks look absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to see the first one finished. There is one thing I'm curious about, why did you decide to go with the Tamiya lower Hull, as opposed to the taigen? The Taigen is fairly robust and already has the vvss installed. I would think that would save you a lot of work. So what was behind that choice?
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-24-2021, 07:06 PM
#16
Thread Starter
Here are some pics of the lower hull, suspension and the gearboxes mounted. the upper hull i am a little disappointed in that it has a sag in it on the front, by the front turret ring you can see it. You can actually see it in a previous pic. I am going to roll with it, i am hoping that with painting and everything that i will be fine and wont be too noticeable.
Sprocket covered held on with magnets
tracks need a little of the slack taken out
the mechanism on top of the aluminum hull keeps the resin upper hull on.
Sprocket covered held on with magnets
tracks need a little of the slack taken out
the mechanism on top of the aluminum hull keeps the resin upper hull on.
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-26-2021, 08:29 AM
#18
Make the area under the sag even and sand it and glue a plexiglass plate under it to brace it straight.
I just had to do repair to my nick Jumbo after going to a battle in Phoenix where it was 96 degrees. The area of the engine deck behind the turret sagged and pupped loose the HL rotation unit I had mounted on a bondo platform.
I dissassemled the tank and cleaned the underside up and cut a plexi plate to fit, sanded the hull and the plexi and super glued in place while holding the hull under pressure to straighten it up. The fix worked well and I glued the previous thread tapped plate I had the Rotarion unit mounted on back to the new plexi plate.
I have also glued plexi plate to the inside of the front glacis of my jumbo and my other nick small hatch hulls. The flat sections of the urethane hulls just don’t hold up as well to heat with warping and such so I do lots of plexi bracing from experience.
I just had to do repair to my nick Jumbo after going to a battle in Phoenix where it was 96 degrees. The area of the engine deck behind the turret sagged and pupped loose the HL rotation unit I had mounted on a bondo platform.
I dissassemled the tank and cleaned the underside up and cut a plexi plate to fit, sanded the hull and the plexi and super glued in place while holding the hull under pressure to straighten it up. The fix worked well and I glued the previous thread tapped plate I had the Rotarion unit mounted on back to the new plexi plate.
I have also glued plexi plate to the inside of the front glacis of my jumbo and my other nick small hatch hulls. The flat sections of the urethane hulls just don’t hold up as well to heat with warping and such so I do lots of plexi bracing from experience.
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-26-2021, 11:15 AM
#19
Thread Starter
Thanks for the advice, I will look into bracing that area. I think it developed the sag after a long time in storage with the turret sitting on it. I have never messed with resin on this scale before, so I think I made a very newb mistake.
10-26-2021, 11:27 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Some progress has been made, getting closer to paint and installing the electronics.
upper on lower hull
details being added
tools on the right rear side
its starting to look like a Sherman
MGs always make the tank better
upper on lower hull
details being added
tools on the right rear side
its starting to look like a Sherman
MGs always make the tank better
10-26-2021, 11:43 AM
#21
Thread Starter
I thought i would add this side by side comparison between the early M4A3 and it's last variant, the M4A3E8. I am thinking about naming the early A3, " Bar Fly" and make the two tanks in the same unit. the E8 is B-10, and the early will be B-11. Sort of creating my version of the "Fury" platoon.
The following users liked this post:
Ex_Pat_Tanker (10-26-2021)
10-26-2021, 02:11 PM
#22
Both look really excellent! I used a Tiff Williams T-23 turret on my E8 conversion years ago. He made some neat stuff back in the day.
I haven't seen or heard from him in decades.
Those are great looking models! I love the twin MG on the early!
Bob
I haven't seen or heard from him in decades.
Those are great looking models! I love the twin MG on the early!
Bob
The following users liked this post:
manchu9inf (10-26-2021)
10-26-2021, 02:22 PM
#23
Well, I must point out, the A3 early model would not have been deployed to combat in that state. The ones that were, late in 44 were remanufactured and received all the updates like all around vision coupola hatch, fenders duckbills, the M34 gun mantlet sheild etc.
in the earliest variant that Nick produces, it is still a training tank stateside. But you can do whatever you like.
This is the reason so many early A3s we’re here stateside as most never left.
in the earliest variant that Nick produces, it is still a training tank stateside. But you can do whatever you like.
This is the reason so many early A3s we’re here stateside as most never left.
