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Modeller Build Logs
Tasca M32 Recovery Vehicle w/ T1E1 Mine Roller |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Apr 15, 2008 | | Updated: | Nov 9, 2008 |
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First off let me say that Paul Owen is a great guy, even if he is a Vancouver Canucks fan. Having built 44 Shermans, I really hadn’t planned on buying the Tasca M4A1 kit since I’d built that variant a few times over. But Paul sent me this kit and it is a really, really great gift. So I got motivated to do something special.
After thinking about it for a while, I realized that simply building this kit as a gun tank really didn’t get me excited. Then it dawned on me, it would make the perfect conversion base for an M32 Armored Recovery Vehicle. I mean the old Italeri kit was just staring at me and screaming ‘I need a new hull, suspension, and transmission cover!’
So there it was, my mega project. But then I got to thinking a little more. Why not go further? Let’s scratch build the T1E1 ‘Earthworm’ mine roller! Never heard of this massive contraption? Check here:
http://www.jedsite.info/engineer/tango-number-us/t1_series/t1e1/t1e1-intro.html
But wait, there’s more. The M32 has two huge hatches on the turret structure that just scream ‘interior’. At last, my project has reached planning fruition. This blog will be of an M32 ARV w/T1E1 Mine Roller and a full interior.
Plan on a lot of chapters. |
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| Driver Side Sponson | Aug 26, 2008 |
The equipment mounted on the sponsons is a little different than that on an M4A1 Sherman since the M32 doesn’t need to carry any of the ammo racks.
The driver’s sponson is probably the least different since the dash board is still in the same place. So the CMK item was easy enough to use. The actual dash is a photoetch item that I’ll add after painting. But I did add the wiring behind the dash even though most of it isn’t visible once the upper hull is in place. There’s also a small post that runs from the lower hull up to the upper hull.
Just aft is now a fire extinguisher that I lifted from an Academy Achilles kit. Aft of that is a small stowage box that is mounted on the right co-driver’s sponson in the M4A1. I’m not sure if this is accurate because I don’t have a good photo of that area but it seemed close based on the photos I do have.
I also added some additional details on the inside of the lower hull. First I added the nuts that hold the front bogie in place. These were made using a punch and die so it was pretty easy. Then I ran a cable along the lower hull based on the reference photos I have. Finally, I added a small, square piece of sheet plastic which is where the placard is located. That will be a decal I’ll add after painting.
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