The M51 IDF Sherman
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The M51 basic model is from Academy and still a really good basic - model. For detailing the turret I used the Verlinden M51 turret, which is a grace to work with. First I built the turret but used the original cannon from the Academy kit, because the Verlinden cannon was totally miss built. A lot of trouble was sawing the muzzle brake (Muendungsbremse) from the Academy cannon and add on the photo etched Verlinden muzzle break. After painting the turret I built the wheels and the chassis.
The motor I used is also from Verlinden and generally for the M4A3 Sherman. In the Verlinden book, war machines no. 4, about the M51, I figured out that the M51 used the same motors like the M4A3 in WW2 (the M51 I built took part in the Suez-War 1950's)! To look at the motor from another view I scratched out a lot of plastic at the upper back site of the hull and shared the closed motor doors into two parts. I took the details from an original M4A3 in the "Technik Museum Sinsheim". The chain I used is from an Aber detail set. The package is also from Verlinden like the Israeli field rations, the bottles, and the photo etched tools.
The base was built on wood and the desert is fixed with wood glue (Ponal). The destroyed house corner is a rest from a Plus Model house. The sand bags are from Italeri and the other stuff like gas bottles, oilcans and ammo boxes are from Academy and Verlinden. The complete kit was painted in desert yellow and washed with thinned black. Notice that no rust can appear by a tank that fights in the desert. The tank crew is from the Academy kit and quite good. I changed out the hands to add the figures perfect on the turret. The commander’s arm must get bed above hot water. First I painted the flesh parts, hands and face, with a mix from Humbrol flesh, red, and yellow. To give the faces more character I featured them with thin red. |
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