M3A1 BY ILOVE KITS IN 1/35 SCALE LEND LEASE DIORAMA

[Scratchbuilder]

Wobble, this is what happens when you venture to the Dark Side ... The 'T' shaped handles are for the fire extinguishers, not that they made a ha'pence of difference.
The light guards should have a small jig on one of the sprues so that you can bend the PE around it after softening the brass with a lighter. But for some reason there is not one, solution is to get a round drill bit the same size as the headlight and using your scalpel blade gently fold it around the drill, or you can use the corner of one of the sprues to hole the etch down, and then you can flatten the straight parts out with a knife blade.
Otherwise you seem to be overcoming the problems with prompt action and delivering another superb model.
Wibble
PS looks like I am too late....

 

[JR]

That is the problem I suffer with John. Depth of field and I have two eyes, well usually!! Gin has a detrimental effect of vision I find too!!! That's the problem with dealing in small scale I guess!!

Doug I can end up sticking things way out of line, normally to my self ! Can be frustrating and fun at times.

Wobble, this is what happens when you venture to the Dark Side ... The 'T' shaped handles are for the fire extinguishers, not that they made a ha'pence of difference.
The light guards should have a small jig on one of the sprues so that you can bend the PE around it after softening the brass with a lighter. But for some reason there is not one, solution is to get a round drill bit the same size as the headlight and using your scalpel blade gently fold it around the drill, or you can use the corner of one of the sprues to hole the etch down, and then you can flatten the straight parts out with a knife blade.
Otherwise you seem to be overcoming the problems with prompt action and delivering another superb model.
Wibble
PS looks like I am too late....

I did wonder what they were for Wibble. Tried using a small file handle, right will note that in my now very large file and attempt more next time. Should have emailed you I suppose before I did it .

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Doug I can end up sticking things way out of line, normally to my self ! Can be frustrating and fun at times.

I did wonder what they were for Wibble. Tried using a small file handle, right will note that in my now very large file and attempt more next time. Should have emailed you I suppose before I did it .

I felt you in the wind, but thought it was the Chinese balls from last night....

 

[Jakko]

The light guards should have a small jig on one of the sprues so that you can bend the PE around it

Are you sure? The instructions don’t seem to mention it at all, just saying “bend” for the light guards. The MiniArt M3s do have one, but the jig is basically a flat plate with the correct curve so it’s very hard to use.

A very important thing to keep in mind with these the headlight guards on this tank, is that some of the feet are bent to the outside and others to the inside. If you bend all of them in the same direction, you’ll have a very hard time making it fit the locating holes. But I see the ILK instructions leave a lot to be desired about this. It’s clearer in MiniArt’s instructions:



The one on the other side is a mirror image, BTW.

 

[BigGreg]

I pulled the chair...late but l'm here...looks super your build already...can't wait

 

[JR]

Are you sure? The instructions don’t seem to mention it at all, just saying “bend” for the light guards. The MiniArt M3s do have one, but the jig is basically a flat plate with the correct curve so it’s very hard to use.

A very important thing to keep in mind with these the headlight guards on this tank, is that some of the feet are bent to the outside and others to the inside. If you bend all of them in the same direction, you’ll have a very hard time making it fit the locating holes. But I see the ILK instructions leave a lot to


View attachment 501792

The one on the other side is a mirror image, BTW.

Thanks for that.

I pulled the chair...late but l'm here...looks super your build already...can't wait

Hi mate , always welcome .

 

[JR]

Managed a little more today.


Just aerials. Double-sided tape has arrived so maybe back to the tracks
Thanks for following
John .

 

[Jakko]

You’re getting there

 

[JR]

You’re getting there

Yes thanks, at least the plastic is soft, so any removal of sprue points that are left are easy to remove.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on nicely John. Those light guards look to be badly designed to me. Should be in half hard brass to improve handling, and should have half etched lines to indicate the bend directions. Best way to bend round parts like that I’ve found is fine smooth jawed round nosed pliers, by the way. They grip the part at the same time as you bend them. Saves all this faffing about with drills or round files and reduces the risk of dropping the part. Something like this…

 

[JR]

Coming on nicely John. Those light guards look to be badly designed to me. Should be in half hard brass to improve handling, and should have half etched lines to indicate the bend directions. Best way to bend round parts like that I’ve found is fine smooth jawed round nosed pliers, by the way. They grip the part at the same time as you bend them. Saves all this faffing about with drills or round files and reduces the risk of dropping the part. Something like this…
View attachment 501825

Thanks Tim.
Apparently the kit ones are a poor design compared with Mini Art, still a little too small for me to see well.
Bring on the mud

 

[Strenko J]

Don’t worry John you’re doing excellent work with the photo etch …. and you are correct. Sometimes the small parts are absolutely maddening to put on.

 

[Jakko]

Apparently the kit ones are a poor design compared with Mini Art, still a little too small for me to see well.

It would be much better if parts like these were provided as both plastic and etched alternatives, so you can choose whichever you’re most comfortable with. In kits like these (not just ILK and MiniArt in case of the M3 medium, but Takom’s version as well) you only have one option: etched. Not great, IMHO.

 

[JR]

It would be much better if parts like these were provided as both plastic and etched alternatives, so you can choose whichever you’re most comfortable with. In kits like these (not just ILK and MiniArt in case of the M3 medium, but Takom’s version as well) you only have one option: etched. Not great, IMHO.

Yes it would

 

[JR]

Don’t worry John you’re doing excellent work with the photo etch …. and you are correct. Sometimes the small parts are absolutely maddening to put on.

Thanks Joe, had a part to day in PE that must have been no more than 1mm, had to bend , NOT went on the floor and that was that .

 

[JR]

Well reached the end of the turret and upper section part, looks fine.
Will do the tracks next then see what comes .
John .

 

[Jakko]

Easily the best-looking variant of the M3 medium series, as this shows. Or should that perhaps be: the least-bad-looking?

 

[Jim R]

Top looking fine. Hope tracks go OK

 

[JR]

Easily the best-looking variant of the M3 medium series, as this shows. Or should that perhaps be: the least-bad-looking?

Looks a very cramped thing judging by the videos I've seen of the interior, mind you most tanks were.

Top looking fine. Hospe tracks go OK

Thanks Jim, now I have the new lower grab tape it should be a lot easier, actually look fwd to making them !

 

[Jakko]

The M3 mediums had a reputation for being relatively roomy, probably more so in British service than American, though — given the cramped size of British tanks of the period, as well as the fact that the Americans stuffed seven men into an M3 while the British had only six (by relocating the radio from the hull to the turret, which meant there didn’t need to be a radio operator sitting next to the driver). Though I suspect the M3A1’s sleeker looks also means it was more cramped than the other members of the family.

Incidentally, your model is an early M3A1: the loader’s hatch (the big one in the hull roof, to the right of the turret) opens forward. It was found this made it hard to close because it was difficult for the loader to lift it, so they later changed it around to have the hinges at the back instead of the front.