Tasca Sherman II "Cricklade"

[T26E4]

Here are pics of the new Tasca Sherman II "El Alamein" release. It's been a speedy build due to the excellent engineering and accuracy. Small areas of filler were needed but not bad at all.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010042.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010038.jpg

I'm choosing to model "Cricklade" one of the decal options. In a photo I have, the turret lifting lugs are in the lowered position and the tools are missing. I placed the lugs in the correct position and am going to put ABER tool mounting bits on the hull. You see where I placed a weld bead on the rear turret bin as well.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010046.jpg

In my excitement to glue together the main subassemblies, I missed Tasca's clear warning to line up the upper nose bolt strip (part C44) with the rest of the nose. You see a step there when it should be flush.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010047.jpg

A minor nitpick is the taillights. In reality the lights mounted via a post at the rear of the taillight housing. Tasca molded this as a larger rectangular bit. I shaved back the Tasca parts (C32 & C33) and filled in the area on the hull.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010045.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010044.jpg

Here's some small filling on the excellent VVS bogies

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f74/ericadeane/Sherman%20II%20Cricklade/P1010049.jpg

It's been a joy to build so far. I only started this a few days ago!

[serpico]

Very nice....keep us posted!

Paul :thumb:

[Sturmmann]

Long time no see!

Glad to see you are still at it. Great going so far with that Sherman, I hope to see some paint on it soon!!! :thumb:

dave

[Charlie-66]

I agree with you that this is a great kit. The fit and engineering is awesome. One gripe though. Assembling the bogies is a nightmare. Anyone figured out any tricks for how to get them together more easily?

[T26E4]

I didn't think the bogie assembly was that bad overall. I've built a dozen and I guess I've found the right order of "stacking" parts together just right in order to pinch them together and then apply cement. However, I've also decided to abandon this as I have no use for the movable suspension arms -- on both my Tasca Shermans, I've gone back and glued everything in place. James Wechsler says he uses 0.040" plastic card to replace the rubber spongy bits and then glues everything down. I'm gonna do that next time as well.

[Charlie-66]

I didn't think the bogie assembly was that bad overall. I've built a dozen and I guess I've found the right order of "stacking" parts together just right in order to pinch them together and then apply cement. However, I've also decided to abandon this as I have no use for the movable suspension arms -- on both my Tasca Shermans, I've gone back and glued everything in place. James Wechsler says he uses 0.040" plastic card to replace the rubber spongy bits and then glues everything down. I'm gonna do that next time as well.

I've kind of come to the same conclusion. I really don't need the bogies to move so I'm going to glue the suspension arms. I will try the .040 plastic card though. thanks for the reply.

[gibsonfndr]

You're right about the bogies ... plus they are fragile. I broke one of them on my M4A1 so now it looks weird the only solution will be to put it on a ground base so that one has the feeling the bogie is following the ground.

[T26E4]

Charlie: I've got one set in reserve -- the upswept retn roller arms, the later set. I'm saving it for my Blast M4A3E2 Jumbo project -- that definitely needs bowed suspensions.