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Modeller Build Logs
Tasca Sherman Firefly Vc |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Dec 1, 2006 | | Updated: | Apr 29, 2007 |
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OK, I’ll admit it, when I got the opportunity to do a blog using Tasca’s new Firefly kit I was giddy with excitement. I’ve got Tasca’s Pz. II Luchs, and I’ve built about three of their Sherman suspension sets, and two of their 0.050 cal MG sets. Tasca has yet to disappoint.
Now as a total Shermanaholic, I’ll admit that the thought of building a Sherman model that requires only a little bit of extra work is hard to fathom. I mean what is Sherman modeling without a bucket of aftermarket resin parts, replacement tracks, and a huge photoetch sheet? It’s … like modeling German armor (noooo don’t say it’s true)! There, I’ve said it. 2006 has been an allied modeler’s dream and Tasca’s Firefly is the grand finally of the fireworks show.
But in many ways I’m glad to be doing a blog using a great kit. My last two blogs involved extensive use of resin conversion and scratch built parts to make unusual Shermans. So they were heavily focused on construction tasks. Yet I’ve noticed that most of the comments I receive when I post photos of my models are requests for more information on how I do my painting, weathering, and groundwork. So for this blog I will spend less time on the construction tasks and more time on the painting, finishing and techniques for making simple ground work.
Up Next: The Construction Starts.
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| Hull Details: Back Deck | Dec 9, 2006 |
OK, so I went ga ga for the rear hull. But the back deck is more of a mixed bag. The highlight is the really incredible gun travel lock. This is one of the best molded parts I’ve ever seen. And it comes with separate brackets with nice bolt detail.
Also well done are the tail lights and the light guards. Tasca actually gives you photoetch light guards and a jig to bend them to the correct shape. But they also give you really nice plastic ones too. The plastic ones are a little thick but not so bad as to be unusable. Actually, I’ve never used anything but photoetch light guards so I saw this as an opportunity to see what could be done with the plastic ones. Part of the point of this blog is to not go crazy in super detailing this kit and move on to the painting and weathering. So in the interest of our less experienced modelers who may be a little turned off by making photoetch light guards, I’m using the plastic ones.
Where the kit falls down a bit is the tools. I figured that if anyone would do an excellent set of tools, it’d be Tasca. Unfortunately, the tools aren’t much better than those on the Tamiya kits (which I think are the best plastic tools out there). Most of the tools have the brackets molded to the tool which is OK but not great. Tasca has thankfully not included the standard band around the tool to represent the tie down strap. If fact there’s no straps at all! I’m not sure but it almost seems like Tasca planned to included them in the photoetch sheet and forgot.
To tell the truth, I almost dropped on a set of Formations resin tools but since I’m trying to keep this build close to OOTB, I decided to scavenge some left over photoetch straps instead. But I did have couple left over Formations tools from previous builds which I just couldn’t help but use.
Also, Tasca completely forgot the tow cable clip on the back deck so I used a left over one from the Formations set.
All in all, not bad work but a bit of a let down considering the super detail elsewhere.
Tasca, if you’re reading this, please consider reworking your tools before releasing your Sherman V kit. Put them on a separate sprue and mold really nice straps right on them. Then sell the tool sprue separately.
Up Next: Hull details – The front hull |
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