I filled in the armored ventilator cover and sanded and filled the ridge between the turret halves. I started adding the turret details. The dragon antenna mounting base has a weird lump on it that had to be removed and I added a spares box antenna. I also filled in the recess with the casting numbers (American Steel Foundries type) as the M4A1 (76) were manufactured by Pressed Steel Car who used Union Steel turrets which have the large casting numbers on the turret sides and roof which still need to be added.
I assembled the mantlet and barrel and now we're looking better. Note the early 76mm barrel with no threading or muzzle break that was typical of very early M4A1(76).
While the above was drying I started some upper hull work. The earlier M4a1(75) had four main fuel tanks each with their own fill port, the M4A1(76) were replumbed so that only one fill port was needed per side. The Dragon panel with vent cover that comes from a M4 kit (probably thier normandy m4) and needs to have the fill ports removed. Removing them leaves a hole but during the time frame our tank sits in they used up existing panels and simply blanked off the fill port so I cut small squares of styrene for this. One side done and one to go, if you do this make it easy on yourself and don't add the vent cover until after you're done removing them
Some styrene was needed to plug up the sponsons
The hull .30cal mg is just bad! I raided the spares box and found a really nice ball and barrel assembly from TMD
More work on the upper hull, there are two recesses near the tail end that I could find no reference for, I filled em. I also added the front ventilator cover from TMD with symmetrical bolt pattern as the kit comes with the asymmetrical pattern. The kit offers two options of engine cover plates, I used the one with the armored cover for the engine oil.
I mocked this up and now we're starting to look like a tank! Lots more to do thanks for watching