Works-in-Progress by Club Members

 Here are a few shots of models in progress by some of our members:

Sherman M4A1 by Chan Jackson

 Chan considers the Asuka/Tasca M4A1 Sherman an excellent kit. The only minor issue he experienced was with the suspension. It can be made to articulate to show gradations in the terrain but is tricky to assemble that way.  

The model was painted with Tamiya Olive Drab and modulated with Tamiya Buff and Deck Tan. 

The figures are the excellent Alpine Sherman crew.   The chicken coop is from Dio-Dump and the poultry are from the Tamiya "Livestock" set.

Sherman M4A3 Porcupine by Chan Jackson

 The USMC converted M4A3's with the 105mm gun to command tanks during the Korean War. Chan used the Academy M4A3 105 for this simple conversion to the "Porcupine" using antenna mounts from the spares box and plastic rod for the antennas.

The figure is from DEF and the model was painted with Tamiya and AK paints.

Aufklarer 38t by Terry MeKeown

Terry found the Dragon Aufklarer 38T to be a nice build which included a partial interior. The only issue he ran into was a poor fit of the glacis plate over the transmission which required some work to secure a good fit. The model was painted with Tamiya paints and detailed with oil filters and pin washes.

                                    The figures are from Tamiya painted with AK acrylics.

The base is drywall filler coated foam with vegetation from various companies and dirt from the garden.

 

Chilean Sherman M-51 Sherman by Chan Jackson

 Chile bought over 190 M51 Shermans from the Israelis in the 1970's. This model represents one of those converted using a 60mm super high velocity Italian gun. The Chileans also used this gun in some M-24 Chaffe conversions. 

The kit is the Tamiya Israeli M51 Sherman while the gun is a 3-D printed piece that Chan ordered from Australia (and isn't sure he likes.)  

The model was painted with colors from the Mig Israeli paint set and weathered with Mig and AK pigments. The figures are from the kit.

Chile used these tanks well into the 1980's.

IDF M-50 Sherman by Chan Jackson

 Chan finished the MP Model 1985 boxing of an Israeli M-50 Sherman as a vehicle given to the SLA Christian Militia  in the period they were allied during Lebanon's civil war from 1975 to 1990.

Chan was drawn to this vehicle because of its unusual blue paint scheme which he found a bit difficult to replicate.  All vehicles used by the SLA (they also used Tirans) appeared to be rough condition which afforded Chan the opportunity to get creative with his weathering. 

The building is balsa wood covered in putty and the road is cork covered with AK textured asphalt paste.

The figures are from VLS.

Type 97 Chi-Ha Japanese Medium Tank by Stew Langenbeck

 Here is Stew's completed super-detailed Chi-Ha from the Atlantis re-boxing of the 1/48th scale 1964 Aurora kit. For a look at work-in-progress shots of the build check the posting on February 7. 

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The 1964 Auroara kit was resurrected by Atlantis in 2022. It's obvious that the nothing was done to the molds in the intervening sixty-eight years as the tracks and kit parts were in bad shape. Some of the detail Stew added includes coil springs on the suspension fashioned with garden wire, enhancing the fender brackets with thin sheet metal and photoetch strips, and adding scratch-built tow cable, tow cable assembly, and antenna base. 

Most of the hatches were modified and tools and stowage were added since none came with the kit. Vision slits, weld seams, and a periscope were also added since these features were also lacking. The mantlet was roughed up with a baking soda and enamel paint mixture.

In total, over 220 parts were added to bring the kit up to an accurate representation of the actual vehicle. Over half these were rivets and grab handles.

The finished model represents one of the first Chi-Has to see action in WWII on Corregidor in May of 1942.