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Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.
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Tamiya 1/35 M3 Stuart questions
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 01:25 AM UTC
Is there a M3 site similar or close to Sherman minutia website?

I would like to build a new Tamiya kit as a Marine Defense Battalion tank at Munda, New Guinea. I have seen pics with riveted and welded sides, round and angled turrets, sponson guns and deleted guns. Having trouble sorting out all the details and help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 01:33 AM UTC
I’ve built one of those. They are welded hull M3A1s. I radically converted the new Tamiya M3 late production kit by adding the curved rear bulkhead, stripped the front fenders and all sorts of other detailing to match photos I’ve seen of those USMC Stuarts. I can post some links or photos later.

Are you on Facebook? There is a Stuart modellers group.
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 01:44 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I’ve built one of those. They are welded hull M3A1s. I radically converted the new Tamiya M3 late production kit by adding the curved rear bulkhead, stripped the front fenders and all sorts of other detailing to match photos I’ve seen of those USMC Stuarts. I can post some links or photos later.

Are you on Facebook? There is a Stuart modellers group.



Look forward to the images. No, not on Facebook. Is that group public?

Found this treasure site which suggests OOB is possible.
https://mcvthf.org/History/Evolution_of_Marine_Tanks.html

Might need the Academy turret to complete. I do have an extra Academy turret and can use the Academy kit instead for this project if need be, though research suggest that is not the best idea. I do still plan to build the Academy later for fun.
ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 04:21 AM UTC
Here are my WIP photos

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/wip-usmc-m3a1-stuart-conversion-from-tamiya-m3-stu-t321342.html
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 06:23 AM UTC



A very nice build. Do like the details you did and it answers the paint question that would have come later.

Is this not the Tamiya kit OOB?


If that is the case then it probably could have served with this version a year later? As it seems they mixed and matched types?


Can you have rivets and curved exhaust or would have all been angled? If no or not likely for the mix and match, then any thoughts on how to do the raised cupola?

TIA
ericadeane
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 10:52 PM UTC
Hi Ryan: Thanks for the kind words. I believe the M3 in your upper photo is what Tamiya provides out of the box -- there may be an issue with the turret ring but that is a very slight (and 99% unnoticeable) nitpick.

The second tank is an early M3, given its raised commander cupola. That turret is provided in earlier Academy and Tamiya kits but the problem with those is that they were woefully too small -- about 5mm too small diameter wise. I believe TMD made a correct turret.

The first pic you show is not New Georgia, I believe. I do not recall its place.

Finally, while my WIP showed my version of USMC green, upon subsequent research, I am satisfied that it was simply olive drab and have subsequently repainted it. It now awaits my adding stowage and to begin the weathering process.

Hope this helps
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 11:30 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Ryan: Thanks for the kind words. I believe the M3 in your upper photo is what Tamiya provides out of the box -- there may be an issue with the turret ring but that is a very slight (and 99% unnoticeable) nitpick.

The second tank is an early M3, given its raised commander cupola. That turret is provided in earlier Academy and Tamiya kits but the problem with those is that they were woefully too small -- about 5mm too small diameter wise. I believe TMD made a correct turret.

The first pic you show is not New Georgia, I believe. I do not recall its place.

Finally, while my WIP showed my version of USMC green, upon subsequent research, I am satisfied that it was simply olive drab and have subsequently repainted it. It now awaits my adding stowage and to begin the weathering process.

Hope this helps



That helps bunch, I appreciate it. I will keep rereading Oscar's book for clues if I can mix and match types. I think I read someone got new Stuarts but held them in reserve and used the existing ones for missions. That might have been at Guadalcanal and not later with the Defense Batt, though they did take it on chin so whatever tank I model didn't last long as I recall.
I will try to track down the resin turret or see about a unused new Tamiya turret.

The first tank is listed as being in Guadalcanal and the second is listed as Tutuila, American Samoa.

Thanks again for the help.
tankmodeler
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Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 05:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Can you have rivets and curved exhaust or would have all been angled?


No, unfortunately the riveted hulls all had flat rear overhang plates. The welded huills all had the curved plates.

Quoted Text

If no or not likely for the mix and match, then any thoughts on how to do the raised cupola?


Scratchbuilding is your friend!

And, of course, there are other differences in the turrets other than simply adding a raised cupola. I _think_ the protectoscope locations are different and, of course the roof plates have differences in addition to simply plating over the later hatch holes, but those would be minor.

Paul
Tank1812
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Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 06:31 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Can you have rivets and curved exhaust or would have all been angled?


No, unfortunately the riveted hulls all had flat rear overhang plates. The welded huills all had the curved plates.

Quoted Text

If no or not likely for the mix and match, then any thoughts on how to do the raised cupola?


Scratchbuilding is your friend!

And, of course, there are other differences in the turrets other than simply adding a raised cupola. I _think_ the protectoscope locations are different and, of course the roof plates have differences in addition to simply plating over the later hatch holes, but those would be minor.

Paul



Thanks Paul.

Point #1, it makes life easier which doesn't usually happen if I have a photo from one angle, I know what the other detail would be.

Point #2, you know of any good pics that would help?
ericadeane
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Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 08:15 AM UTC
Good pics I can deliver:

M3 & M5 related walkaround galleries
Modellismopiu’s armor gallery is here: https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=15
1. M3 Stuart (33) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=611112
2. M3A1 Stuart (36) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=610863
3. M3A1 Stuart (76) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=423583
4. M3A1 Stuart (30) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=844220
5. M3A3 Light (46) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=610928
6. M5A1 (78) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=474689
7. M5 (21) https://www.modellismopiu.net/m+gallerie/main.php?g2_itemId=711486
Chris “Toadman Hughes” Allied gallery is here: http://toadmanstankpictures.com/allied.htm
1. M3 Stuart (16) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m3_stuart.htm
2. M3A1 Stuart (7) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/stuart.htm
3. M3A3 Stuart (18) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m3a3_stuart.htm
4. M5 Stuart (34) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m5_stuart.htm
5. M5 Stuart #2 (21) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m5_stuart_bedford.htm
6. M5A1 Stuart (12) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/m5a1_stuart.htm
7. M5A1 Stuart #2 (13) http://toadmanstankpictures.com/kauai_m5a1.htm
Prime Portal’s AFV Gallery: http://www.primeportal.net/the_battlefield_armor.htm
1. M3 Honey (5) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/adam_vukich/m3_honey_walk.htm
2. M3 Late Production (25) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/jeremy_wee/m3_stuart/
3. M3A1 (Modified Brazilian) (15) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/gino_marcomini/m3_stuart/
4. M3A1 Stuart (76) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/martin_noorloos/m3a1_stuart/
5. M3A1 Stuart (40) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/dan_reed/m3a1_walk_1.htm
6. M3A1 Stuart, Ft Lewis (42) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/greg_smith/m3a1/
7. Various M5A1 Galleries :
a. (12) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/de_craecker/m5a1_walk.htm
b. (5) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/glaubitz/m5a1_photos.htm
c. (31) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/dmitry_kiyatkin/m-5a1_stuart/
d. Taiwanese (8) http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/chiou_cheng_wen/m5a1_stuart/

Silicon Valley Scale Modelers website walkarounds: http://svsm.org/gallery/armor
a. M3 Stuart, Patton Museum (33) http://svsm.org/gallery/m3light
b. M3A1, MVTF (36) http://svsm.org/gallery/M3A1Stuart
c. M3A1, MVTF (45) http://svsm.org/gallery/M3A1
d. M3A1, Patton Museum (36) http://svsm.org/gallery/m3a1_light
e. M3A3, Patton Museum (46) http://svsm.org/gallery/m3a3_light
f. M5A1 (15) http://svsm.org/gallery/M5A1jh
g. M5A1, MVTF (78) http://svsm.org/gallery/m5a1
h. M8 HMC, MVTF (122) http://svsm.org/gallery/m8

Tank1812
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2020 - 03:18 AM UTC
Dang, that’s a mother load of pics. Since I already built the turret I will use the mix and match excuse till I get another Tamiya kit and build the early turret and then switch them. Instead of sanding the bolts off, remaking the part with plastic card using the kit part as the pattern seems like more modeling fun to me.

Thanks for the help.
Tank1812
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Posted: Monday, March 23, 2020 - 12:28 AM UTC
Do we know of any timelines or rules around the use of the solid vs spoke idler wheel?
Tank1812
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Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2020 - 04:36 AM UTC
Finished* Tamiya’s new 1/35 M3A1 as C Co, 1st Tank at Guadalcanal late 1942. She is a decent 3 footer. I used sticko for the headlights, brass wire for the antenna, Star decals and Hornet tanker head (only cause I lost a part for the Tamiya head). Tamiya colors for the tank, Vallejo for small bits and very light weathering.






*in front of the tank on base I will add a better plaque then a sticky note. Waiting to have a few plaques to print off before going to kinkos.
TAFFY3
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Posted: Tuesday, November 24, 2020 - 08:06 AM UTC
If you're on Facebook there is a group that I belong to. It is called, 'Modeling the Stuart Tank in Scale'. A very helpful group of guys. Al
Tank1812
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Posted: Tuesday, November 24, 2020 - 09:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

If you're on Facebook there is a group that I belong to. It is called, 'Modeling the Stuart Tank in Scale'. A very helpful group of guys. Al



I am not Al, but that sounds like a great resource for folks that are.
Grauwolf
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Posted: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 04:38 AM UTC
Hi Ryan...excellent build!...I am intrigued by the headlights,
what specific sticko product did you use?
TXS
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 07:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Ryan...excellent build!...I am intrigued by the headlights,
what specific sticko product did you use?
TXS



Thanks Joe.

They are labeled as shimmering silver dots. I have not seen them for sale in a long time, let me know if you find some.
Here is the link where I last bought them in 2013. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00409RC8U/ref=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item

The only other time was the first time I saw the product at AMPS Nationals in VA beach before 2013.

HTH
Grauwolf
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Posted: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - 01:18 PM UTC
THANKS!
 _GOTOTOP