Small Scale Military Headquarters

OK guys after I get caught up on my back orders , fill the Jagdpanther kits and get out the Sdkfz 251 backdate kit, I would like to get back on the Sherman .

Somewere in doing the Sherman kits I will try and squeeze in the Calliope ( there does not seem to be any interest in the lg mine rollerss )

There seems to be interest in the Easy 8 AND JUMBO .

So I would like to see a show of hands .

Also a question has come up about what donar I will use for the mods . To be correct the BBI should be used for the both of them ..

The Easy 8 mod would use the BBI hull a T-23 turret switch out and all new running gear . But the BBI Sherman is hard to come by . So what to do ?

The JUMBO can use the FOV because there are so much changes on the hull it makes sense to make a correct turn key hull with i'ts new turret and duckbill track add ons .

As far as the poll goes please vote ONLY IF YOU ACTUALLY INTEND TO BUT ANY OF THEM.

It does suck when I build and mold a mod and it is ready to go guys take off like a goat down a croocked path.

Input welcomed.

Hi Matthew

I hope you had a great trip to California!!!

I will take a Jumbo kit.

From what you said your kit will have an all new top just like your great M10 did using the FOV lower section wheels and tracks - have I got this right? Its like you said that there isn't any BBI shermans around at the present.

3 kits of the easy 8 for me

Depending on price I would consider the jumbo and or easy eight

Jeez, still no love for the mine roller.

which tank is using which donor is it bbi or fov or just fov mine roller wood be cool what about the flail clearing version and prices or so the sandbags thanks

blitzhazed wrote:which tank is using which donor is it bbi or fov or just fov mine roller wood be cool what about the flail clearing version and prices or so the sandbags thanks

If I make the mine roller I will make it to fit on all of the Shermans.

The FOV is a early M4A3 with small hatches. I make a conversion kit already to change it to the large hatch.
The other issue bwith the early FOV Sherman is the rear deck , the splash rails are different.

The BBI Sherman is the later variant and it will work for the JUMBO as well as the Easy 8 .
But the JUMBO has so much modifications on it that I think for the cost it would be easier to make the entire hull correct so all you have to do is paint it.

I could cast all of the parts seperate so the modeler can do the work but considering the time and materials to make all of the molds it would be cheaper for me to cast the whole hull in it'e entirety.

Blitz,

I will make the sand bag armor. I have been wanting to do this for years .

As far as the flail goes you are probably the only guy who has wanted it.

Cana Paul,

Yes you are correct , just like the M-10 I will make the hulls to fit the FOV lower hull .

Hopefully I will not get in to trouble but I am thinking of copying the BBI upper hull for the Easy 8 because they are now getting hard to come by.

I will make this hull at a reduced rate of about $50 or maybe cheaper to help the guys out.

I spent $ 200 or so on a full 2 gallon unit to make the Jagdpanther hull and the BBI copy will be more . Then I need to factor in the price of the resin to pour one unit.

When I get close to this I will need to a show of hands for guys needing the BBI hull for the Easy 8 conversion.

that sounds great matthew

just thought of this what about the dd swimming Sherman from d day

Here is a new casting of the T-23 turret. It now has the correct .50 cal storage on the rear of the bustle.

This was a consignment build and the owner wanted me to match the BBI Sherman.

A lot of work but I think it came out alright !!

Nice work

WOW!

Nice whats the price of this one ?

Thanks guys !!

I think that I have a price of $65 on the T-23 turret and I charged twice the price to paint it.

I should have charged a bit more for this paint job. Because it was tricky to do and I have over 5 different colors of paint on it.

Painting something a different color is one thing but trying to match something that is already there is more of a challenge .

Pickelhaube, Is your T-23 turret specifically made for the BBI Sherman?
Or will it fit the 21st and FOV Shermans ?

normandy wrote:Pickelhaube, Is your T-23 turret specifically made for the BBI Sherman?
Or will it fit the 21st and FOV Shermans ?

It will fit on all of them !!

It started life as a FOV turret

But the T-23 turret is a late model turret so the 21 and FOV would be wrong for it .

But I do make the conversion kit for the FOV








And the JUMBO was made form the T-23 as was the original.

They added 6 inches of additional casting around the turret added about 1 1/2 inches to the top and I think added 8 inches thickness to the mantlet.

Amoung other things

Looking good man, can't wait to see it up close.

It has been a long time since I have touched her.

Hopefully I can get her done this long weekend .



[/quote]

pickelhaube wrote:It has been a long time since I have touched her.

Hopefully I can get her done this long weekend .

[/quote]
That is what I told my wife lol

Well I thought I would get done with the proto but did not .

I spent almost all the time I had reworking the mantlet and I think I have it right now. I used a kit and the kit was wrong.

I also made a gang mold for the duck bills ( all the JUMBOs used them) . The JUMBO will look cool with the duckbills but it was and is going to be LOTS AND LOTS of work to dress them up and fix them to the tracks .

So this being said I can sell the duck bills separate or would you guys want me to make a set of tracks and cast them with the duck bills on them ? I would probably have to make them in either 3 or 4 sections left side and right side.

The duck bills themselves would be cheap probably about $15 .

The full tracks would probably be about $75 or so a lot more expensive but a lot less work.

You guys who want to get the JUMBO let me know .

One more thing I am on the fence with the hull . Should I make it complete or in parts ?

If I make it in parts I will make the whole front and make the side armor panels .

I made the M4A1 cast hull for about $80 but it was relatively smooth so the full Jumbo hull will be about $90 and the part hull would be about half at $45 . The JUMBO has a lot more resin than the T-23 turret and that sold for $65 so my guess for the JUMBO turret will be about $70 .

Estimated JUMBO kit prices .

JUMBO parts kit------------------------------------Jumbo built kit

Turret ---- $65-$70------------------------------------Turret - $65 -$70
Hull parts- $45 ?--------------------------------------Built hull- $90
Duckbills-- $15------------------------Built tracks w/ duckbills- $ 50-$75
Shipping-- $15-----------------------------------------shipping- $15
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
------------$145----------------------------------------------------$225-$250

Feed back welcomed .

I WOULD SAY FULL KIT WITH THE TRACKS AS A SEPERATE KIT

I want both the Jumbo and easy eight Sherman I prefer the Jumbo parts kit.

Didn't quite get it done but I am clos . Just a couple of things left to do on the turret and make the side armor.

I was thinking of cutting it square off were the paint is and making that piece and I can pour the side skirts .

Would this work for you guys ?

That is the T-23 76 mm cannon I have on it now. The short stock FOV cannon is correct as well. I am not 100 % sure but I think almost all of the JUMBOs were issued with the smaller 75 mm cannon and they were up graded in the field when the guys could get there hands on the 76 .

The Jumbo was kinda a T-23 turret with 6 inches of cast around it

Looking Good Pickle, Nice work.

Cheers
Studly