M3A1 Lee Canal Defense Light

[Beekster]

This is another one that is coming along nicely that you fellows haven't seen yet.  I started this late last spring , before the Takom and Meng kits were announced.  So this is an Academy lower hull, Asuka suspension, Formations cast hull, and Resicast turret.  I'm working on Panda Plastics tracks for it and painting a few detail items before giving it another mist of Glosscote to seal everything prior to an enamel pin-wash to darken the nooks and crannies.  The gun shield is my own creation, based on photos.  I used one of the interior turret basket pieces from the Academy Lee to get the basic shape, along with Evergreen tubing and epoxy putty.  These things were super-secret and only used once, to light up the Rhine for the crossing in March, 1945.  Shining through that black slit on the real ones was a thirteen-million-candlepower carbon arc lamp.

[BUCKY]

Lot of nice detail on that one!

[JCON]

Now that is something different and cool!!! Nice work brother!!!

[Beekster]

It is a weird subject for sure. I've always liked the cast-hull Lees; a very pleasing organic kind of shape to them. Only way to do one is like this, using a resin conversion. I really doubt that we will see one done in styrene.

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Cool beans.

[Beekster]

I just noticed that this is in the aircraft section, where it clearly doesn't belong and my own ineptitude must have placed it here. Would a moderator kindly move this to the WW2 Armor section and heap upon me the ridicule I so richly deserve?

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

[JCON]

Feb 15, 2018 11:04:37 GMT -6 Beekster said:

I just noticed that this is in the aircraft section, where it clearly doesn't belong and my own ineptitude must have placed it here. Would a moderator kindly move this to the WW2 Armor section and heap upon me the ridicule I so richly deserve?

All fixed, ha, ha!!!

[BUCKY]

Thanx, Joe!

[JCON]

No worries!!!

[doogie]

Oh wow, this is too cool of a subject. Really looking great.

[Dukemaddog]

That is a remarkable job on that tank. UM or Mirage makes one of these in 1/72 scale. Now I have to go find one after seeing your fantastic work on this....

[Beekster]

Feb 16, 2018 11:59:16 GMT -6 Dukemaddog said:

That is a remarkable job on that tank. UM or Mirage makes one of these in 1/72 scale. Now I have to go find one after seeing your fantastic work on this....

Thank you!  Resicast makes a complete conversion in 1/35/ but it is based on the ancient Tamiya kit and is meant to fix the most egregious flaws of that kit.  But Graham will also sell you just the turret, either British or American version.  With the new Takom or MiniArt kits the job would be pretty easy.  All the Lees used for the CDL project were rebuilt after hard training use at home, and so the got the heavy-duty Sherman bogies, round or square air cleaners, and new engines with the top-exit fishtail exhausts.

[reserve]

Bizzare looking thing, you have to wonder if the Krauts came up with the idea

Fine work on a most unusual subject; until now I did not know these existed

Regards,
Mark

[Dukemaddog]

Feb 16, 2018 12:58:43 GMT -6 Beekster said:

Feb 16, 2018 11:59:16 GMT -6 Dukemaddog said:

That is a remarkable job on that tank. UM or Mirage makes one of these in 1/72 scale. Now I have to go find one after seeing your fantastic work on this....

Thank you!  Resicast makes a complete conversion in 1/35/ but it is based on the ancient Tamiya kit and is meant to fix the most egregious flaws of that kit.  But Graham will also sell you just the turret, either British or American version.  With the new Takom or MiniArt kits the job would be pretty easy.  All the Lees used for the CDL project were rebuilt after hard training use at home, and so the got the heavy-duty Sherman bogies, round or square air cleaners, and new engines with the top-exit fishtail exhausts.

Excellent information. Thanks! I might have to see if I can get two of the 1/72 scale versions to make one British and one American.

[Beekster]

The turrets do have some differences between them though they are relatively minor. Early examples of both nations had a circular hatch on the left side and later ones did not. The MG mounts were different; Besa vs. M1919. Periscopes too were different, with the British using the type typically seen on Cromwells, Matildas, Churchills, etc. Any my comments regarding the rebuild features apply to the American versions. I haven't delved too deeply into the British ones, which probably did not get the same upgrades. Research is in order...

[tony]

[twistedsniper42]

Nice job so far buddy

[thug626]

Now there's a variant one does not often see. Well done!

[Beekster]

This one is inching towards completion. Since the last update, the decals are sealed, pin wash done, details painted except for periscopes (I do those last of all), a little airbrush streaking and blotching with variations on the base color, everything shot with Dullcote, and tracks installed. Also a little touch-up with the base color, and once that has fully cured in another day or so I'll mist a little more Dullcote over those areas. The streaking doesn't show up well in these images; partly it's the flourescent light and partly that I didn't adjust the camera's exposure value up very far. When the final Dullcote mist is done, it will sit for that to cure before I move on the dirtying it up with some watercolor washes and perhaps some acrylic texture gels colored with pigments.