M3 Lee Tank

[RichJohnson]

You need to use panzer 3 transmissions for the Lee. The panzer trannys are mid low, the stock Sherman trannys are high low and the m3 won’t fit right.
then you have to cut the drive shaft shorter and then grind the flat D back further to fit the sprockets.

I built one up several years ago but never made the inside operational or painted it, here is a video I took.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJqNBBjItiw

[SoCalBobS]

I see the track pads you added!

[SoCalBobS]

What have you guys done to cover this vent? Nothing came with the kit.

[Sureshot]

There was a piece of green plastic mesh in my kit. I think it shows in one of the pics on the DAK website.
Steve
Picture #30

[SoCalBobS]

Hmm, thanks. Mine was missing, I'll either contact Kenny to see if it fell out, or I'll find some generic PE mesh and cut to size.

By the way, to all; any recommendations on the best (cheap, fast, variety) source for PE grilles?

[SoCalBobS]

Just a couple of in-progress snaps. This has taken a week of dremeling, sanding and fitting. Compromises: the hull gun barrel is a leftover from the modification of the Sherman in the background. It's a 105mm howitzer, so thicker, but it looks nice and tank'y! I'll be inserting an IR bulb into it eventually. Tracks will be the stock Sherman's, and the return rollers will remain as is for now.

[Vaseline]

Lookin real nice!

[SoCalBobS]

Today's work: I added functional headlights, scrounged from the Sherman kit. I also inserted the MG light into the turret. I had to use a CF rod thicker than the original MG barrel, but painting will make it less noticeable.

Here's a link to a 60 second clip, just for fun: https://youtu.be/hjTtwnkvhMI

[RichJohnson]

Bob I highly suggest you do not use that howitzer barrel, it looks odd when you know what the tank looks like since the 75mm was a small gun and in North Africa most of the M3s had a counterweight on the end of the barrel. It looked funny but cool. That was fixed later on and that is the barrel they supply. Also, with the barrel they supply, you can with some work make it recoil with a servo.

[SoCalBobS]

Hey Rich, yeah, my whole gun assembly can come apart, so I can replace the barrel at any time. Right now, I'm using whatever I have in the shop. I won't be doing barrel recoil, but I will need a hollow barrel later on for an IR bulb.

[SoCalBobS]

Necessity > Creativity

Two issues with my build, the gearbox sticking out and the lack of an engine grille behind the turret.

I'm trying to use bits of the original Sherman kit wherever possible, so for the gear, I used one of the storage boxes in the accessory pack, cut out the back to cover the hole.



For the vent hole, I cannibalized part of the Sherman grille. Probably not "authentic", but it's better than the gap!

[Vaseline]

suggestion, for wood boxes, you can take a razor saw and scrape it along the plastic with the blade sideways to scratch "grain" into the plastic to better make it look like wood. Excellent build thus far.

[SoCalBobS]

suggestion, for wood boxes, you can take a razor saw and scrape it along the plastic with the blade sideways to scratch "grain" into the plastic to better make it look like wood. Excellent build thus far.

Oh yeah , we have not yet begun to..weather!

[SoCalBobS]

Bright & shiny, right off the (Chrysler?) showroom floor. V, i scored the box as you suggested. It'll look good!

[Sureshot]

Looks great Bob!
Where did you get those figures?
Steve

[SoCalBobS]

It was on eBay. It's a group of four. Unpainted of course. Most sellers had them for $40+, but I found mine for $20+. My seller was notonlybuy. Search 1/16 ww2 us tank crew.

[Sureshot]

Got em on the way!
Thanks so much Bob!
Steve

[SoCalBobS]

Sureshot, something more to buy if you're interested. I found a 3D printed commander's cupola for the Lee on Shapeways, something our kits lack and for me is a must have. Shapeways makes items on order from their files, usually arrives in 2-3 weeks. The material is slightly grainy, but won't seem out of place all painted up. Expensive for what it is, but "the heart wants what the heart wants"! With s&t it was about $24.



A turret on top of a turret on top of a hull gun. Irresistable!

[Alpha]

Necessity > Creativity

Two issues with my build, the gearbox sticking out and the lack of an engine grille behind the turret.

I'm trying to use bits of the original Sherman kit wherever possible, so for the gear, I used one of the storage boxes in the accessory pack, cut out the back to cover the hole.



For the vent hole, I cannibalized part of the Sherman grille. Probably not "authentic", but it's better than the gap!

I haven't seen this before; what a neat trick to conceal the gears!

[Sureshot]

WELCOME BACK ALPHA!!!!!
Really enjoy ferrying my Sherman around in my LCM3. And the M3 Lee will fit also when I get it finished.
That was a very good idea with the box over the gears Bob.
The Sherman grill looks better than the plastic mesh too.

Alpha, any chance of seeing more PT boats by summer?

Steve