|
|
Forums - Modelling / Kits |
The kits forum is for the discussion of model kits. Typically questions on availability or certain subjects and quality of existing kits are posted here. Short reviews are good here too. |
| Topics | 1301 |
| Messages | 7906 |
|
|
| Subject: | Re: Formations Ram II OP |  |
| Date: | Apr 7, 2006 |
| From: | Rob Ervin | |
Paul,
I am glad that you like the kit so far. There has been a lot of quetions both posted on-line and on other boards concerning possible donor hulls. Your idea of using the Tamiya lower and then replacing that with the Formations M4/M4A1 lower is a good one. There are other possibilities. One is using a set of our Adjustable idler mounts and a proper three piece trans/final drive (our #F024 would work) and then building up the sides and hull bottom from plastic sheet wouldn't be too difficult. Just about any 1/35th scale Sherman's lower would work, you could use an Italeri or Dragon and just cut off the sponson plates. The reason I chose the Tamiya kit was one to keep costs down, and two because it had the best three piece trans available in plastic, and three because so many Sherman builders have these kits already in the closet. There has also been some discussion about if the late hulls were welded or riveted. I know for certain that the escape hatch is in a different place than the Sherman, but Lee's didn't have an escape hatch. Also the Late Rams show some changes that are concurrent with Sherman production such as the introduction of the heavy duty VVSS suspension. I can't answer if the hulls continued to be riveted, but Paul Roberts says that they were and he's forgotten more than I'll ever know about Rams :) So I'm willing to take his answer as an authoritative one. Also all of the tracks on vehicles of the production period of the time of my kit came from the factory with US T54E1 track. There are as far as I know three sources for these. They are available in the old Tamiya M4A3 kits (35122) with EECs, They are made by RHPS if you can find a source, and they have been in some of the latest releses from Italeri, most notably their Marine Corps Sherman kit, which is a bit of an M4A2/M4A3 75 mish-mash. I hope you enjoy the model, and I hope these answers help in some way.
Cheers,
Rob |
| |
|
|
 | Formations Ram II OP - Paul A. Owen - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . Re: Formations Ram II OP - Jim Wechsler - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Lower hull - Paul A. Owen - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Almost, but not quite - Hans Haase - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Almost, but not quite - Paul A. Owen - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Lower hull - Jim Wechsler - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Tracks - Paul A. Owen - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Tracks - Jim Wechsler - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . Re: Formations Ram II OP - Marc Brandes - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . Re: Formations Ram II OP - Rob Ervin - Apr 7, 2006 |
| . . . . . . Re: Formations Ram II OP - Paul A. Owen - Apr 7, 2006 |
|
|
