M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
- Philipp Gross
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M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
Hey folks, still alive...Apologies for the recurring lack of activity on my part, something always gets in the way...
Anyhow, you might have seen the Italeri M32 I posted at Latest Acquisitions a while ago. Of course I couldn't just build it as it is... The M32 series was built on almost all available Sherman hulls with the M4A4 as the sole exception. The vast majority were made using M4A1 hulls (M32B1) but a couple hundred were made using surplus early production M4A3, more than standard M4. While the small hatch M4A3 usually wasn't issued to frontline troops, having the same engine as the US Army's regular tanks was seen as a useful feature. If you really want to know more about this, here's more info. Lots more info.
And here's where I am right now:
The base kit is Tamiya's venerable M4. Back in the day Tamiya messed things up and used an M4A3 for reference on the hull front, which had some subtle differences to the regular M4. So thankfully all you need to do is add the proper engine deck and extend the hull a little bit. I had bought a resin conversion kit by Tank Workshop for exactly this purpose, though back then I only wanted to make a boring standard M4A3. A long time ago Gary built one of those using slightly different methods.
Other additions were new raised weld seams, more bullet splash bars, closed grouser compartment covers, a plated over fuel tank port and hull ventilator and of course plenty of filling and sanding. All in all about one week of work.
This build will probably drag on forever, but I hope I can get more substantial progress done in the near future once the hull itself is ready for the actual TRV fittings, which of course will come from the Italeri kit.
Thanks for looking
Philipp
Anyhow, you might have seen the Italeri M32 I posted at Latest Acquisitions a while ago. Of course I couldn't just build it as it is... The M32 series was built on almost all available Sherman hulls with the M4A4 as the sole exception. The vast majority were made using M4A1 hulls (M32B1) but a couple hundred were made using surplus early production M4A3, more than standard M4. While the small hatch M4A3 usually wasn't issued to frontline troops, having the same engine as the US Army's regular tanks was seen as a useful feature. If you really want to know more about this, here's more info. Lots more info.
And here's where I am right now:
The base kit is Tamiya's venerable M4. Back in the day Tamiya messed things up and used an M4A3 for reference on the hull front, which had some subtle differences to the regular M4. So thankfully all you need to do is add the proper engine deck and extend the hull a little bit. I had bought a resin conversion kit by Tank Workshop for exactly this purpose, though back then I only wanted to make a boring standard M4A3. A long time ago Gary built one of those using slightly different methods.
Other additions were new raised weld seams, more bullet splash bars, closed grouser compartment covers, a plated over fuel tank port and hull ventilator and of course plenty of filling and sanding. All in all about one week of work.
This build will probably drag on forever, but I hope I can get more substantial progress done in the near future once the hull itself is ready for the actual TRV fittings, which of course will come from the Italeri kit.
Thanks for looking
Philipp
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- Vincent Power
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
You've made good progress Philipp, looking very nice. These vehicles have always fascinated me with all the equipment they carried, not to mention that great big crane hanging off it. Thanks for the link, there is a lot of info in there.
Vincent
Vincent
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- Philipp Gross
- Site Admin/Founder
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- Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 23:40
- Location: Frankfurt
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
Thanks gents! The M32 is horribly complex yet brutally simple at the same time. The crane didn't even have a proper lifting mechanism...just a steel cable attached to one of the drive sprockets... A single winch was installed underneath the turret and used for all lifting and towing purposes. If I want to depict the TRV in action, I need to scratchbuild one...
Major components dryfitted:
Hull front, note the cutouts on the applique armour. The mountings for the 81mm mortar required these, yet another thing I have to scratchbuild. The Italeri kit wants you to mount the mortar on the brackets for the gun travel lock...... I'll remake the dust cover frame with wire once I have the major components assembled.
Tamiya's trademark open sponsons, filled with 1mm styrene sheet - I've yet to see how well the Italeri interior parts will fit inside in the end.
I could plunder the driver's compartment from an Academy M12 I have laying around. Obviously this build isn't complex enough yet
Philipp
Major components dryfitted:
Hull front, note the cutouts on the applique armour. The mountings for the 81mm mortar required these, yet another thing I have to scratchbuild. The Italeri kit wants you to mount the mortar on the brackets for the gun travel lock...... I'll remake the dust cover frame with wire once I have the major components assembled.
Tamiya's trademark open sponsons, filled with 1mm styrene sheet - I've yet to see how well the Italeri interior parts will fit inside in the end.
I could plunder the driver's compartment from an Academy M12 I have laying around. Obviously this build isn't complex enough yet
Philipp
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
While I can't applaud your use of the Tamiya hull, you are definitely making this look nice!
Cry Havoc and let slip the Dogs of War
TreadHead is NOT an ugly word
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TreadHead is NOT an ugly word
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- Philipp Gross
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- Location: Frankfurt
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
If it's any consolation, the Italeri kit is even worse
I'll be off to Switzerland tomorrow, so no more progress for a little while.
Philipp
I'll be off to Switzerland tomorrow, so no more progress for a little while.
Philipp
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- Shawn Ramsey
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
You made a great start Philipp. The work is really paying off. Have a great trip.
Shawn
Shawn
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
I am sure it is more accurate. Just still fuming over the Oddball build. Can't wait to see the finish.
Cry Havoc and let slip the Dogs of War
TreadHead is NOT an ugly word
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- Philipp Gross
- Site Admin/Founder
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 23:40
- Location: Frankfurt
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
Thanks Gents
I'll be back (Austrian accent optional ) on Thursday, I'm really itching to continue with this build.
Philipp
I'll be back (Austrian accent optional ) on Thursday, I'm really itching to continue with this build.
Philipp
Completed Campaigns:
- Philipp Gross
- Site Admin/Founder
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: 19 Jul 2014, 23:40
- Location: Frankfurt
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Re: M32B3 Tank Recovery Vehicle
So, here we are again!
Didn't get much done since my return thanks to a nasty cold I caught somewhere along the way, but here's the progress:
I noticed the final drive had ended up sightly askew for some reason, which wasn't really noticeable but kept bothering me....until I cut the whole thing off and replaced it with a spare Tasca final drive. To my surprise the overall fit is now even better.
Right now I'm undecided if I want to continue as planned with lots of mediocre Italeri parts or get a Tasca M32 to cannibalize instead. I have enough Sherman spares to turn the leftovers into a regular M4A1 afterwards....
Philipp
Didn't get much done since my return thanks to a nasty cold I caught somewhere along the way, but here's the progress:
I noticed the final drive had ended up sightly askew for some reason, which wasn't really noticeable but kept bothering me....until I cut the whole thing off and replaced it with a spare Tasca final drive. To my surprise the overall fit is now even better.
Right now I'm undecided if I want to continue as planned with lots of mediocre Italeri parts or get a Tasca M32 to cannibalize instead. I have enough Sherman spares to turn the leftovers into a regular M4A1 afterwards....
Philipp
Completed Campaigns: