1/18 Firefly Project
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1/18 Firefly Project
I have said many a time that I would not do an American tank. Well I am feeling a little patriotic. Maybe , just maybe I am thinking of doing a Sherman convertion kit. Armor is a lot easier if you do not have to make the tracks.
First the M-3 Lee/Grant. Almost the same running gear . A little nips and tucks hear and there burn off the cheverons off of the track pads. A full deck reconstruction. But his is DOABLE..
Second a M4A1 Sherman with a cast hull. A little hull work to emulate the casting . Rounding, shaping and crazy bondo.
Third so you Commenwelth guys don't get left out a Sherman Firefly. This would be the easiest because mostly the turret is what changes. Longer gun counter balance that kind of stuff. If you had this you could give those Tigers what for. I think that 17 pounder is the only thing that we had on a tank that could penetrate that thick Tiger armor.
I know , I know we want the T-34. But to do a custom T-34 who would pay $500 for it ? Not too many guys a few but not too many. If I had 5 confirmed buys for the T-34 at $500 I would do it. But I don't think that that would happen.
So if there is interest this could be a good custom to do.
First the M-3 Lee/Grant. Almost the same running gear . A little nips and tucks hear and there burn off the cheverons off of the track pads. A full deck reconstruction. But his is DOABLE..
Second a M4A1 Sherman with a cast hull. A little hull work to emulate the casting . Rounding, shaping and crazy bondo.
Third so you Commenwelth guys don't get left out a Sherman Firefly. This would be the easiest because mostly the turret is what changes. Longer gun counter balance that kind of stuff. If you had this you could give those Tigers what for. I think that 17 pounder is the only thing that we had on a tank that could penetrate that thick Tiger armor.
I know , I know we want the T-34. But to do a custom T-34 who would pay $500 for it ? Not too many guys a few but not too many. If I had 5 confirmed buys for the T-34 at $500 I would do it. But I don't think that that would happen.
So if there is interest this could be a good custom to do.
Last edited by pickelhaube on Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:59 pm, edited 7 times in total.
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Grant/Lee!
Grant/Lee for sure! I didn't even realize it was that close to a Sherman to make it doable. With that we get something different.
Second choice is a Firefly for the reason you stated.
Second choice is a Firefly for the reason you stated.
i don't think that they are equal comparisons because some would be far more expensive than others. The Lee/Grant would be a whole model and thus very expensive, whereas the Firefly would just need a turret/gun and thus much less costly....sort of along the lines of the wirbelwind conversion which was just a new turret plunked onto an existing chassis.
A Priest and M-10 would be great but again more expensive than a Firefly conversion.
Since a Firefly was a very important vehicle and would be the only 'british' tank we have so far, i voted for it.
A Priest and M-10 would be great but again more expensive than a Firefly conversion.
Since a Firefly was a very important vehicle and would be the only 'british' tank we have so far, i voted for it.
i never met an airplane i didn't like...
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You guys know what ? I totaly missed te M-10 tank destroyer. This would be a total rebuild of the uper hull but it uses the Sherman chassy. FOV has the right cast transmission area and the stamped bogey wheels this is doable and does not look like a Sherman. The M-10 had a major role in the Battle of the Bulge. The Germans also decoyed there Panthers to look like the M-10. I have plans for the M-10/ Panther as well but never thought that this would move.
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Check out these 1/6 M-10 pics. Page 2 contains awesome interior pics. Just too much detail for 1/18...... that's for sure..
http://www.sixtharmygroup.com/portal/vi ... 0&&start=0
TTT
http://www.sixtharmygroup.com/portal/vi ... 0&&start=0
TTT
Sometimes I am the windshield, sometimes, I am the bug.
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I'm up for any Sherman mods. Especially if they use the FoV chassis. That thing is very available and just the right price to chop into bits for a custom.
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I would be totally down for an M-10. I could never understand why we never got one in 1/32. Instead they made the M-18; go figure.
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1/18 Sherman 76mm Turret
My vote would be for the US 76mm gun turret instead of the Firefly turret for starters. That way we would have M4A3/76s and we would still be in the same Northwest Europe 44 theme as most of the rest of the releases.
Steve
Steve
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I don't have a Firefly but what I can gleen from pics the turret change is all there is to it. Usually when I do a custom I get prints a built model and an unbuilt kit. So far with the Firefly all I have is pics. When I make a decision on the next tank custom I may throw out another deal deal. Crane Driver scored on the last deal . When I get done with the V-1 dolly and making the M-113 parts I will get on the quad flak 38.Panther F wrote:For starters, you need more than just a Firefly turret to have a Firefly. The current turret can be modified into the Firefly, but the rest of the tank chassis needs more work.
I'd rather see a TD than anything else.
I do kind of want to do the M-10 or Firefly . I am not ready now but I think that I will do the deal for who ever wants to jump on it. It may not be a clean deal like the flak but it will be worth it .