Story Posted October 3, 2022 Share #1 Posted October 3, 2022 VisMod M3 Lee tank - check out this video first https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taHFUKKKmJM For clarity's sake, I refer to this as a LEE because the original TAMIYA offering (almost 50 years old at this point) was a Lee/Grant kit with the only difference being the turrets. Savvy? I found this early VISMOD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vismod) M3 training tank fascinating, as it was obviously based on the Neubaufahrzeug (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neubaufahrzeug). When I started reading up on the original, two things stood out; 1) Pictures of the Neubaufahrzeuge were displayed with different turret models and orientations to fool allied spies and 2) American and Soviet agents independently reported that the Germans had two new heavy tanks, the Panzer V and VI. So if more than one American copy for training purposes were fabricated, chances are that they mirrored the differences the Nazis released in their propaganda. I'd been examining the Elements of Style used on the movie star version. See what I mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share #2 Posted October 3, 2022 Fast forward - uncovered a sad TAMIYA M3 Grant (1974) build by someone else. Breaking it down, I started to see where this could go - TAMIYA Centurian sideskirts, a TESTORS M3 Lee Cupola... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share #3 Posted October 3, 2022 A riveted box superstructure to replicate the faux main turret. So with the first pile of donor parts laid out, it went from British to fake German colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share #4 Posted October 3, 2022 Then the sub-components were roughed out, the VVS suspension requiring spacers on the upper arms to the side skirts would mount verticle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share #5 Posted October 3, 2022 So, as with any of these cockamammy projects we reach the first real hurdles. The ersatz glacis is roughed out thusly but I'm stuck on what to use to replicate that riveted box that replaces the 75mm sponson. There's also the issue of the fake sub-turret and the 'main turret guns'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted October 3, 2022 Author Share #6 Posted October 3, 2022 This is where you guys in the cheap seats get to weigh in - or even offer bits from your spares boxes - for that gozinto this project. Funfact - the tank commander/narrator was Dick Purcell, the first CAPTAIN AMERICA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proud Kraut Posted October 3, 2022 Share #7 Posted October 3, 2022 Now this is something special. Looking forward to see the next steps. Great work so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easterneagle87 Posted October 3, 2022 Share #8 Posted October 3, 2022 Really cool work! Looking forward to the end representation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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