I was planning on something completely different and more modern for my next build but the temptation to start this one was far too great for me to resist! This time round it's an early M4A3 with direct vision cast hoods and a 75mm gun/turret built by the Ford Motor Company in early 1943.

Those who followed my recent M4A2 build will recall that I had a spare hull and I'm utilising that here. The rear end of the M4A2 hull has a slightly different angle which I've already amended, but the main difference will be up the front end where the initial builds used cast direct vision hoods.
I initially wanted to get hold of an M4A2 DV hull from Asuka but they have sold out of them. I then remembered I built one of these a while back but hadn't turned out that well. So I decided to utilise parts from that kit.

After removing the required from section from the 'donor' kit (not an easy task when already built up!), I set about removing the corresponding section from the new hull. The antenna pot for the A3 differs from the A2 so that was also removed. A pair of styrene strips were added to the inside to ensure the front section stays correctly aligned (you can see one of these though the hatch openings) before the replacement section is cemented in place....



Some minor filling was required along with weld seams around the hoods and MG mount being removed. I also replaced the turret splash between the hoods and replaced it with a piece to match the cast type used on this version. After adding some casting effects using Mr Surfacer, Archer provided the weld details with their resin decals....



Gary

Gary, you might want to thicken up your welds on the glacis. I have seen tanks where the center weld between the hoods was five beads wide,the long longitudinal welds were four beads, and the transverse weld was three beads. The beads were each about 1/4 wide. I have used several of the Archer Field Welds side by side to get the effect.

KL

Thanks for the advice Karl. An easy fix

Gary

Looking nice. I just finished building up Dragon's M4A1 DV so I'll follow this closely.

Additional welds added to the front section and upper hull dry fitted to the standard M4A3 lower half to ensure everything lines up. Early type single piece E4186 final drive assembly (FDA)....



Rear panel added to ensure everything lines up there too...



Gary

Looks good, Gary.

Looking forward to see more.

One of these builds I'd love to see you stuff a full interior in it to further enhance your exterior work Great stuff as usual.

Excellent work as alwasy Gary.

Al

Gary: Asuka is selling their individual sprues en masse again. (if you're ever needing a replacement part)

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/asukamodel-netshop/12f35a5b7a2.html

Click the donor model and a page of that kit's sprues comes up.

Thank you gentlemen

Thanks for that Roy. Initially it looks unusable as my Japanese is non existent but clicking on the overseas shipping option soon changes things. Will make life easier for future projects

Gary

Gary, your 'A3 is looking good.

Cheers Randall.

Upper and lower halves have been cemented together. FDA gets a cast effect using Mr Surfacer and casting details added. New antenna pot is added along with replacement headlight mounting points....



Rear fits nice and smug and moulded on footman loops are replaced with fusewire....



Gary

Casting effects on top of a one piece cast FDA? That is new to me.

I love this kind of build. kutgw.

Some more progress. Hatches in place - need to add repositioned handles - along with DV covers (these need bullet splash guards still). Antenna pot is reshaped to match the type seen on early M4A3s as are the padded lifting eyes. Turned brass .30 cal is from Master Model...



Gary

Front end is all but done. Siren is added to front fender along with wiring conduit made from lead wire and styrene nuts. Direct vision ports have bullet splash guards made from spare PE and also note the position of the hatch handles differs on these earlier versions...



Gary

Yee gads and holy catfishes, I love this kind of modeling.

Cheers Russel.

Tools in place awaiting straps and missing welds added to rear sections....



Gary

Tools straps added using lead foil and PE buckles. Tail lights also in place along with their protective guards....



Gary

Track tensioner tool is added to the rear plate (Used Taska/Asuka item as Voyager's resin offering is a little too skinny' for my liking) and 'padded' lifting eyes (scratched from kit items and styrene sheet) are fitted in place...



The engine access doors are dry fitted at this stage - easy to see how they differ from the M4A2 deck. Will start to modify the section closest to the turret aperture next.

Gary

Small hatch A3s had an extra 2 filler caps which were protected by a splash guard. This was scratch built using styrene strip with stock Tasca/Asuka filer caps....



With hatches dry fitted....



Gary

Good work Gary, may I ask who makes the chains for the filler caps?

Thanks

Al

Thanks Al. They are from my spares box and from various manufacturers such as ET, Voyager, Legend etc.


Sitting here looking at the end result saw me increasingly thinking that something wasn't quite right. The more I thought about it the more I was unhappy with they splash rails - they were too thick. So I remade the section using 0.20 styrene strip and am much happier with the Mk.II version....



Access doors and their handles are all cemented in place....



Gary

Hi Gary,

This is looking great already, I would love to know how you do the footmans loops as it would have been great to add to a build I have just primed...bloody murphies law!! LOL

Cheers Mike

Ah so you got my telepathic thoughts when I noticed the same Hope to see some paint on your works of art soon.