Movie stars: A pair of Shermans.

[BWP]

There was a "Kelly's Heroes" conversion set produced by ... someone ... about 10-12 years ago, which included all the necessary bits and pieces, and included a couple of figures as well. I was mad keen to buy it, but couldn't afford it when it was released, and I'd be surprised if it's still available now.

I found these on Scalemates, but not the set I'm thinking of:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/jaguar- ... en--258950
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/jaguar- ... ew--237511

Ah, here it is, from Formations:
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/formati ... on--237510

According to the Formations website, still in stock! Hmm ... "This set is ideal for anyone who wants to build something that looks like the “Oddball” Sherman but may not be 100% accurate". No figures, though.

Unexpected (and useless, wrong scale and appears quite inaccurate; kind of interesting nonetheless):
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/warlord ... n--1325170

[flakmonkey]

Thanks for looking.

There was a "Kelly's Heroes" conversion set produced by ... someone ... about 10-12 years ago, which included all the necessary bits and pieces, and included a couple of figures as well. I was mad keen to buy it, but couldn't afford it when it was released, and I'd be surprised if it's still available now.

The Formations set looks nice enough but it is quite pricey. I chose the "fun" route instead.

Oddball's Sherman has received a faded OD paintjob and decals.



Decals are from the Academy kit. I managed to piece together the serial number from the sheet, too. The front fender extensions will go on after the tracks are fitted.

Speaking of tracks, Fury has received its set of AFV Club T84 HVSS tracks. They are very fiddly and time consuming to assemble but they are fully working once completed.



The T84 track is correct for Fury as seen in the film, but were never fitted to wartime vehicles. That would have been the T80 track. I have also replaced the spare track links on the glacis plate with some VVSS links from the Academy kit, which would be useless on Fury's HVSS suspension, but it is for some reason what was fitted in that place for the film. The spare links on the hull sides are the more correct T84 links.

There's also a new crew.



Bible has been given legs and a torso from Miniart as he was supplied as astanding figure, and I wanted them all seated as in the BluRay cover artwork.

Next job, figure painting (again).

[Clashcityrocker]

Nice attention to details with this pair. Any figures for Oddball's Sherman?

Nigel

[chrism]

I thought you'd succumb once teased about the crew

[BWP]

I have also replaced the spare track links on the glacis plate with some VVSS links from the Academy kit, which would be useless on Fury's HVSS suspension, but it is for some reason what was fitted in that place for the film.

Hey, extra armour is never useless.

[flakmonkey]

Thanks for looking in, and we return to the ongoing long term saga of the movie star Shermans.

After much diligence and research, I am now 97% confident that Oddball's Sherman had been upgunned by the Yugoslavian army to receive the M1A1 76mm (the version without a muzzle brake but the threaded end cap) whose length is not really apparent for much of the film other than in the train yard raid scene. Many Yugoslavian Shermans were similarly upgunned and so it seems quite reasonable.

Never one to shirk a duty, I have pulled the hapless Sherman's turret to pieces, cut off all but a stub of the 75mm, and grafted on a gun barrel that looks kind of about right to me (and before you ask, no I do not know which kit donated it) to achieve the correct length and profile.



Kelly's Heroes scholars will also notice the 90mm drain pipe strapped to the upper hull. I shall, obviously, now need to repaint the turret. Nevertheless, I think this is as close as dammit to the tank in the film. There are surprisingly few good shots of the tank in the film, and so careful deduction must be applied.

Quite how the Yugoslavian army managed to squeeze the big M1 gun into the tiny cast high bustle Sherman turret is a question that demands answers, but bear in mind that Israel managed to jam a 105mm L7 into the same space on the M51 so anything is, it would appear, possible. It scares the Hell out of people.

[B4en]

Excellent work on the gun grafting!

[David Silver]

Excellent work FM, I can't wait to see the Fury crew painted.

[flakmonkey]

I can't wait to see the Fury crew painted.

And painted they are. This took all day. I am certainly not a figure painter.





Elsewhere, I am finding it difficult to source the correct AFV Club tracks for Oddball's Sherman. The alternatives cost almost 16 million dollars in gold.

[David Silver]

"Took all day" you should see how long it takes me to paint figures, we're talking days just for one! They look mighty fine to me.

[Andy Dighton]

Nothing wrong with those figures.

[Stuart]

Bloody hell, they look superb!

[B4en]

That's some fine figure painting. They look great!

[general rocket]

Impressive figure painting

[JamesPerrin]

The crew look brilliant though a little mud/weathering on their boots would help tie them in with the tank.