IDF M50 DV Short hull HVSS.

I've got the bustle 90% and the gun mount more or less sorted out. There is a big gap on the left side between the turret and the bustle. After casting the bustle will be a bit smaller so the gap will be a bit smaller. From pictures I think this gap was filled in with welds. I got the shape close enough for me. If I decide to change it any more it will be with a casting. After a little more filler on some seams I will tree it up.

The gun mantlet and base are placed based on the drawings in the Lion and Lioness book.

The turret is Tasca, and I cut out the Dragon hull for it.

In the mean time I am working on the HVSS suspension. The new Tamiya 'E8 was listed at around $30.00, or about 1/2 of a DML 'E8. I may decide to use that kit as the HVSS donor next time.

Detailing the new engine deck. The filler covers are Tasca, as are the bolt heads, off a spare transmission bolt strip. The other deck plates are from left, Academy, Tamiya and Dragon. All are based on the radial engine deck. Mine is off a M4A2 based M50.

Progress has been slow but steady. I did not find any information on if the under side of the hull would be changed with the Cummins diesel so I decided to go with the original hull of an M4A2. The early hulls only had one tow lug, so I added a second based on some pictures. I also filled in the notches in the lower hull and remade the welds using .010 x .020 strips textured with a saw blade.

On the upper hull I removed some welds, and put back one I removed by mistake. I chose an alternate ALCO DV hull front, and I think I need to soften the edge of the bow mg casting. The Tasca applique seems thin, but fit the Dragon hull ok. While waiting for glue to dry I scribed the outline of the loaders hatch in the turret top using a sharp pin Tamiya used to put in the old M60A1 kits to poke holes.

The only snafu was one of the inserts for the DV vanished. I don't have any carpet, but I never found the piece. I used plastic strips to replace both inserts. The applique covers everything anyhow. I used filler and a tooth pick to create the welds on the DV and the applique.

John, thank you!

Oops! I discovered the notches in the lower hull are supposed to be there. On tanks converted from vvss the hull was notched by cutting with a torch. So I hacked and textured my fill in plastic to make the torched notches.

I decided to keep the loaders hatch closed so put a .010 thick oval over the scribed area and added a ring around the hatch using solder. Of interest is the hatch on my sample tank was made using the plate cut out during the conversion work.

Right before I got to the turret again I discovered the turret beekster had for sale. I'll try to get one of those for my M4A1 early hull project.

Sept 2, 2015 18:33:51 GMT -5 gary said:

Nice work indeed


.010 lead wire available from good fly fishing shops is great for making the hatch tension springs....





Gary

Thanks for the tip. I have been using copper wire saved from all those motors Tamiya used to put in the kits. Lead wire might be easier to work with.

Sept 3, 2015 16:32:16 GMT -5 highpoint said:

Hey Randy, is that just a strip of styrene on tranny housing to bump back the DML part? Never thought of that. At IMPS show in Nov I usually hang around with Ethan from Desert Armor. He even has me judging nowadays.

Jeff 

The strip is to move the hull contact back and up. This one took a .030 thick strip.