Academy M7 Priest WIP

[lawman56]

As requested, here's a few pics of my M7 work in progress. All in all, the Academy kit went together quite well. Fairly good detail, but it can be nit-picked as to whether or not it's exact. I choose not to do that, but rather use aftermarket items to bring it to a standard I enjoy. With the exception of a few resin trinkets and baubles to mount on the hull, most all my AM is Eduard PE. Still not sure if I'll stick with the kit supplied track, or get a better one.

 

Btw-I apoligize in advance for the pictures being somewhat out of build order. I never actually intended to show it as a WIP, so I just took shots as I saw fit.

Here's the hull floor with the diamond plate attached.

 

The finished driver's compartment and transmission.

 

Here I've mounted the driver's compartment and hull floor to the hull, along with the lower portion of the guncarriage for the 105. To the left you'll see the inside of the front hull/glacis plate.

 

The engine deck with pioneer tool attachment points

 

Right side of hull. You'll notice I needed a little putty to mate the side and front hull. The same was needed on the left side, as well, but very minimal compared to other armor I've built.

 

Initial assembly complete. Now for the base coat of paint!

 

Shot the entire thing with Model Master Green Drab. It seems to work best for me on WWII U.S. vehicles as a base. Of course, by the time I'm done weathering it, it sure won't look this pretty again!

 

Decals added. My only complaint, is that Academy only supplies enough "bumper numbers" for either the front, or rear. I've used Archer Fine Transfers for the rear, but the US Military is pretty anal about unit IDs being on both ends, so I'm surprised only one set

 

Here's a shot of some of the accessories in the process of being painted.

 

Lastly, (for now), a test fitting of some of the trinkets and baubles.

 

I still have all the weathering to do, attch all the accessories, build crewmen and a base, so I'm far from finished.

 

Thanks for looking!

[Jamme]

Hi Lawman.

Thank you for posting the pictures from your Priest.

Really nice.

didn't know Academy made a M7.

I only knew the Italeri one;

Congrats,

Jamme

[lawman56]

Gorgeous!!! Yes Green Drab 34086 or MM OD 319 are excellent for the base color of US WWII AFVs. More please!

Thanks  I can't post anymore, until I've done more! I plan to start on it again this weekend, as I spent this past week finishing my 120mm Verlinden Roman Legionnaire. I wonder if I could post that here? Technically it IS armor. And large scale. And finished.......

[daz greenwood]

Nice work. Must get me one of these.

[lawman56]

I've managed to accomplish a little more on the Priest. Not much, but at this point, it's pretty much do a little, let it dry, do a little more, etc...

 

 

Main gun and tow cable mounted. All my trinkets and baubles attached, minus one or two.

 

Mud. Tanks like mud and mud likes tanks. It's the circle of life.

 

More evidence of the above mentioned circle.

 

This guy is officially known as "Gun Dude #1". Only 5-6 more to go!

 

Still working on the base and weathering. Mud is just the beginning! Mwahaha!

 

Enjoy, and thanks for looking!

[lawman56]

I've just about finished with the hull. I've made a base, and made the Priest dirty. Now to shoot it all with dullcoat, quit popping the lanyard pull off the howitzer, and mount it. Then blend in more mud.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the little bastage that keeps popping off! At some point, I will be creating a wooden handle for the lanyard, and placing it in the hand of a gunner. Until then, I just want it to stop annoying me. Is that too much to ask???

 

Thanks for looking!

[lawman56]

   Coming along great there Lawman. No piece of OD armor looks right unless it is dirty or muddy. 

Thanks Stikpusher   Unless it's in the motor pool for an IG inspection, it will always be dirty!

[lawman56]

Ah yes, the good old days! Lol!

[lawman56]

Don't forget the infamous "they". "I was up at Battalion and they said....."

[lawman56]

The weather has finally started to co-operate with me, so tomorrow I'll be shooting the Priest with Dullcote. In the meantime, I took a couple pics of the base, with and without the Priest, for those who might be curious about how I go about it.

 

Here's the basic base. Essentially, it's a commercially made oval base I picked up and  applied a single coat of stain around the edge. After that dried, I built a dam around it with tape and filled that with plaster of paris, (you can also use a fine sheetrock mud as well), mixed to the consistancy of yogurt, and poured it in. As it dried, I would manipulate it to create subtle contours. While still workable, I pressed my tracks into it, creating a path. Then painted it a chocolate brown, and using model railroad landscaping material, created the basic terrain. Since I want to depict a semi wet field area, I applied Tamiya mud from a weathering stick with the end of a kabob skewer that I had sanded flat.

 

Here you see the Priest sitting in it's ruts on the base. Once I mount the vehicle, I'll go back and fill in the grassy area to the color and texture I want, then apply more mud with my makeshift applicator, working it in and blending it between the track and ground.