# My first tank finished



## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

This is a Hobby Boss M4A3 Sherman WW2 era tank. I don't usually build such subjects but I did this one for an older gentleman down the street. This is for his 90th birthday party later this month. He was a tanker at the end of WW2 and this is the type of tank he was assigned to. He was captured by the Germans in this tank but was treated well and obviously came home at the end of the war. I thought this would be a nice tribute to his service. Here it is completed and if any armor experts have any suggestions to make it better chime in, I have a week and a half before the party.


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## walsing (Aug 22, 2010)

Looks good! Makes me want to try one myself.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Since you asked for some comments, don't take these as criticisms... there are some things that make armor kits look better/more realistic.

Tools on US tanks were factory painted OD along with the rest of the tank. But you do see unpainted replacements or tools with the paint worn off. But, used tools are not that bright. Is the old shovel in your garage silver? Usually a sort of black/brown iron color looks nice with a bit of wear on the working edges of the metal parts.

You can paint the headlight lenses. I usually use light grey or aluminum and tone it down with a wash. 

A bit of black paint in the gun muzzle will hide the grey plastic color

The big white US stars were great aiming points for German gunners and were usually overpainted, covered with mud, or toned down. 

The tracks are on backwards. When viewed from the front, the steel chevron should form a V shape 

As an aside, the Hobby Boss kit includes non standard, all steel, roadwheels. These pressed wheels were maybe never a factory fitting on the M4A3 but were used to repair damaged tanks. Oddly Russian M4A2 tanks are seen fitted with them fairly often.

Having said all that, the kit looks great. You can tone the tools down easily, and turning the tracks around should not be a big deal. The 1/48 armor kits are a neat size. Not teeny tiny but fairly compact and fairly simple.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Thanks DJ, I did notice from the pic that unpainted nozzle interior which I did plan on blackening. And now that you mention it I had planned on brushing a wash over the tools and the stars so I'll take care of that too. And thanks for the positive comments guys. The most difficult parts of this kit were the small photoetched brass parts that were tiny and a royal pain to get in place and glued. Also the really tiny plastic parts were a bit of a bear to handle.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

A neat effect too, to tone down a finished model, is to mix some clear flat with a dust colored paint and mist it over the model. You can concentrate it on the wheels and tracks, and feather it up the body a bit. Good for toning down decals too.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

Well Ralph had a great 90th last night. They held it at a local Italian restaurant which was only opened for the party. Great food and great company. He really appreciated the model and was telling my wife all about the tank. He was the main gunner and was telling her about loading the gun so I think he appreciated the gift. I had a few hours in it as well as purchasing it at Jaxcon so I'm happy the way it turned out. A guy who roasted Ralph was saying he was one of the few GIs captured twice by the Germans. Once in the tank and then when he married his wife, Sigi, a German!


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## surfsup (Apr 19, 2009)

For a first up effort it is a pretty good Job you have done.....Cheers mark


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