British M4 number 3 - work in progress

Having almost run out of Rubicon tanks (I have the part built T34/85 and the unbuilt T34/76), I have returned to the Warlord Games M4 Sherman I for another stowage fest.

 I have used one of the crates from the Rubicon German Stowage set on the rear deck, and used 4.8mm square section tube as armatures for packs.

 The front luggage rack uses two pieces of square section strip with an infill piece of flat strip. Also note the Rubicon tow rope end on the shortened tow rope.

There is a large tarpaulin attached to the turret side, I used 1.6mm plastic rod inserted into the turret side to support it.

I added an HO scale drum with micro strip straps and a filler to the front rack together with a crate made from an HO scale box covered in micro strip. The armatures on the rear deck are covered with a tarpaulin made from greenstuff, as is the box on the rear of the turret.

Additional rolls are added to the rear deck.

Rubicon Crusader WIP 5

Well, it is almost finished.

 This is the point I spot that I have forgotten to paint the lamp on the turret.

Not completely convinced about the Division and Regiment ID, but almost none of the contemporary photographs I can find have them, possibly an over zealous censor.

And now with flash...

Rubicon Crusader WIP 4

Here are some more work in progress pictures.

First the replacement tarpaulin.

Next, the armatures added for the packs. Due to not being able to find the square section bar, I used some square section tube. They are pinned to the sand shields.

They are then filled with greenstuff and the top flap added. I used some microstrip to add the space for the straps. Once the greenstuff had set, 0.030" by 0.010" was used to produce the straps.

 Greenstuff was then used to add the straps holding the packs to the rail. Also a Rubicon German Stowage set bucket was added to the glacis, and filled with a rope removed from a Bolt Action British Commando pack.

This show the sand bags added to protect the driver.

 An additional roll was added to the engine deck.

The undercoated model. Normal method, Citadel Chaos Black undercoat then Humbrol Desert Yellow. I do wonder if Humbrol Desert Tan might have been a better colour.

Rubicon Crusader WIP 3

Here are a couple of side views.

The front of the tarpaulin defies gravity a bit.

Really not happy with this tarpaulin.

 I grey coated it to see how it looked, and it still looks like rubbish.

 So I removed it, and will replace it.

Rubicon Crusader WIP 2

So, I have had some time today to continue with the Crusader model.

Not paying attention I placed the tarpaulin on the right side lower than the photographs show.  I also added the jerry can rack. I also added two Bolt Action British helmets, one hanging from the left rear turret lift ring, the other hanging forward of the aerial.

 The tarpaulin on the box on the rear of the left hand side fouled the turret when I tested it, which then took a long time to clear. This meant that I did not manage to get it sculpted before it began to set.

 I added a sand bag on the right side of the driver's position. Unfortunately I also managed to work on both sides of the vehicle which meant that I had to wait for the green stuff to set properly so I did not leave finger prints on it.

 Returning to the model this evening, I added the first tarpaulin behind the tank rack. I will need to be careful to ensure the gun barrel does not foul when I add the rest.

 I also added two sand bags on the right hand side of the driver's position.

Slight excursion, I assembled the other tank turret as a Close Support 95mm howitzer. The only missing bit is the turret box, so I used some 6.3mm cross section rod to make a box and will cover it with Green Stuff as an alternative turret.

Rubican Crusader WIP

So, thanks to some research by me and other members of the Rubicon Forum, I have some pictures showing stowage on the Crusader cruiser tank.

I do have some concerns that the stowage may have differed between the Mk II and the Mk III, especially as the drawing in the George Bradford book shows the rail attached to the side skirts on the Mk II and not the Mk III.

On page 85 of the Osprey Publications book Campaign 220: Operation Crusader, there is a rear view of a Crusader tank with stowage on the rear deck, including a jerry can rack (useful as I used the wrong radiator grill, the one without the fuel tank fixings...).

So first up is the jerry can rack:

This uses four jerry cans from the Rubicon Models German Stowage 1 set (British forces made use of captured jerry cans plus British made copies (see earlier position including a War Department example).

For ease of removal, this is being built on a glass plate, PTFE plates would also work.

The rack is built up from 0.030" square cross section Slaters micro strip. There are spacers of the same material between the rails at the centre of each of the jerry cans.

End pieces were then added between the protruding rails to hold the cans in place. Each can is then strapped in place using 0.030" x 0.010" micro strip, first adding the strap through the handle and under the two bars (which mostly hides the spacers). This is trimmed to length when dry then the long strip is added. The picture above is the rack before trimming. The rack long side is then added, again from 0.030" square section micro strip.

Once dry, the rack will be removed from the glass plated trimmed. End pieces will be added and buckles added to the straps.

On the tank front, here is some work in progress shots.

The photographs I have seen with stowage show a long rail of rectangular cross section suspended from the side skirts. So first the rivets (sorry Rubicon) were removed along the line of the rail. Small square spacer sof 0.030" by 0.010" micro strip was then added. The white posts in the background are the mounting points for the stowage.

The rail itself is made from 0.040" square section Slaters micro strip, I did sand it down, first to remove raised parts where it is cut and second to make a more rectangular cross section.

Checking it all fits together.

Only just, as you can see the long six pounder almost touches the centre post. This will need to be cut down and form the boundary point on the stowage.

The rear view picture in the Osprey book it shows a tarpaulin on the left rear stowage box (the two white posts showing its location), an assortment of tarpaulins wrapped round what looks like tent poles (the three posts on the rear deck will provide mounting points) and a wrapped box attached to the right rear mud guard (it has a white post as well).

Other photographs show stowage hanging from the rail, a sack of some kind will hang between the first and second front left road wheel. On the other side there are mounting points for another tarpaulin and I may add another couple of sacks.

All soft stowage will be sculpted in-situ with boxes and cans added.