I really wanted to do something that hasn't been done a ton with my Sherman so I figured I would go with the wood slat sides. You can't find a whole lot of photos of them but here are few, I am trying to decide what "name" I want to go with, I like them all and having a hell of a time making a decision between them! Also are there any places I can relatively cheaply get a few track links for the turret and a roadwheel like these have?

I am kinda leaning toward the Nightmare II or the Clodhopper(sans damaged), I am not very good with identifying Sherman models yet, are these the same models as my Taigen?


Still needs mud and weathing but here it is as it sits.




And the only photos I have found so far....if ya know of more please post!

Those photos are great! I see mostly 75mm tanks which is what your Taigen is, perhaps the last photo is a 105mm howitzer. I also notice they're all equipped with track grousers, maybe that's a desert thing?

Come to think of it they might all be in the Pacific.. I'd love to know

**UPDATE**

Ask (google), and ye shall find.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistoria...from_pto_have/

Yup, they are I think all from Iwo Jima. Allied tanks started using the wood just like the Germans did with Zimmerit for the magnetic mines. I assume the tack grousers are the extensions to the sides of the tracks?

I have seen a couple of models done up with the wood sides but I haven't come across any RC tanks done in this style. (Though I am sure someone has)

Also curious whats up with the hatches, several have spikes and some have like a rebar screen over them.

Yes grousers are there for better ground cover in snow / sand, makes sense.

I read some more and the above pictured "davey jones" has something interesting.. nails welded around the hatches to keep prying infantry hands away. Amazing.



One rule of r/c tanking... if you can think up a Sherman, someone has done it! That being said I like what you've done and I haven't yet seen any wooden sided Shermans.

You're gettin' way too good at this, Ryan. I can see it's gonna be hard keepin' up with you, but I surely will give it a shot.

One of these days we'll have to talk about cameras. Some of your recent stuff with focus is really cool and I'd like to learn to do that. I'm trying to get a few of mine out there for a little "photo shoot" this weekend.

I think you should build Killer, complete with the Bren on the back.

Track grousers aid in traction much like ice cleats, so they are added to the surface of the tracks. What is pictured are duckbill extensions which decrease the ground pressure so the tank can travel over softer ground like the muddy conditions in the Pacific.

These are all Marine Shermans... M4A2 and all have the 75MM.

The "spikes" are to keep Japaneses soldiers from opening the hatches and dropping grenades and such weapons inside the tank.


"Tank Warfare On Iwo Jima" by David Harper is an excellent source of information on these AFV's as well as a great source of images too.






Jeff

Your Tank is Looking GOOD

There have been a few RC versions done of the Marine tanks used in the PTO. Here are a couple of pictures of mine. I have been battling it for a couple of years now and just changed the 105 for a 75mm and added the wood on the bogies.

Herman

I'd like to know what is written on the Jerry can in the photo with "Comet 38". I thought it was NATO at first, but NATO wasn't formed until April of 1949.

This photo would be a great diorama project ----- I wish I hadn't seen it !!!!




rex

Thanks! I have been enjoying doing some mods here and there!

As far as the focus on the photos, best I can tell ya is its expensive. To create the super shallow depth of field like that it requires a very wide aperture lens of around F/2.8 or wider. Combine that with a narrow field of vision(100mm or higher lens) an you really start getting shallow depth of field. Do you have an SLR? There are a couple of lenses I can show ya that would do this effect at a fairly affordable cost.

Your other option is to create the shallow depth of field digitally with like photoshop.(my cell phone camera app does this too), but the results won't be near as good as done with a proper camera/lens combo.

Thanks!

Cool I will see if its available at the book store next time I go!

Looks good man! I knew there had to of course be some that had done it!

I can't quite tell either, and haven't found it in any other photos.

Lol....sorry about that! But yes, it would!

post pics when your done!

I got curious about the Japanese tanks and did a search. The tank on the top of the Sherman is a Type 94 tankette. The one on the ground appears to be a Type 97 te-ke. I can't identify the Marine, his dog tags are too small to read. Also, I ran across this ------


http://blog.tankpedia.org/2015/07/19...-on-kwajalein/

rex

Re Pictures in focus

There was something called Helicon software that I used back in my model train days. You could take 9 or 10 digital pictures using a tripod and different focal points. The software would then stitch the photo together to give you a flawless photo with an incredible depth of field throughout the whole scene. Was like looking at a natural scene with your eyes. Good quality digital cameras have really revolutionized photography.

Very nice!

You can get the T74 tracks with duckbills from Mato Mart

http://www.matomart.com/prodview.php?p=1396

I have heard that their tracks are wider, so you need to use their sprockets and idler wheels. If you get a set of those, you could use your Taigen tracks for the turret armor.

My next tank will be a Sherman. I just haven't decided on if I want to do this one



Or this one




Keep up the great work. Ryan!

Unless I am mistaken I think he was referring to my use of a shallow depth of field like in photos like this one.


Thanks man! I dig that Avenger tank! I don't really want to change out the Taigen tracks, they are a nice solid metal track, But I really want to find some link sections, plastic would be just fine. Just don't think anyone sells em unless ya get a full set.

Actually, this is the one that caught my eye

Gary, that particular shot was shot at ISO 50, 1/400th of a second and f/4.0 with a 200mm focal length with tanks placed about 10' away. I don't know how versed you are in photography but those are the major details.

Great. Now I gotta learn Greek. Again.

I know less than nothing about photography. Can anyone say Instamatic?

I did just get a Mobius and it takes stills and has a wide angle lens. The trouble is you can't preview.

I'm hoping to get some pix this weekend that you can check out and maybe offer suggestions.

I think you and I both want to improve our figure making skills, is that right? Have you given any thought to backgrounds besides nature? The buildings I'm currently making are obviously toy-like at close inspection, but some of that out of focus stuff might make them look pretty good.

Lol...well unfortunately you won't be getting that kind of result from a point and shoot camera or your Mobius. How are you liking that think anyway? I have been considering picking one up.

To create that kind of depth of field would require a camera with a wide aperture lens(the internal "iris" within the lens that spirals open and closed) and manual control over the aperture... Typically this is a knob on the camera that has like "A, S, M" on it or "Ap, Tv, M" or a fully manual camera where everything has to be set manually.

And yes definitely on the figure making skills. I have a photo booth for product photography that is about 8'x4', my buddy and I were just talking about creating a diorama that we can setup on there that would resemble a large military style garage/factory for taking photos in. Similar to my buddies setup over at Death Metal Garage for his crawler builds, just more military and less dungeon..lol.

I haven't done anything beyond testing with the Mobius so far. Hopefully this weekend. The Tiger is ready to go, just need time and good weather.

If only they made those crawler tires in a much smaller diameter.

Real crawlers usually have very large tires.

As for the figures, here's my feeble attempts so far



and here's what's next

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mhgmvthUzY

Those are nice. I've done a few and they really add some life to a tank, or to a scene you're trying to create.

I would like to get some good figures to do the same.