Another USMC Sherman from Iwo Jima

[Agent G]

Ok I am now 95% finished with Davy Jones. Some odds and ends, an antenna, and I'll call him complete.

G

[Agent G]

Now here's a shot of all three. 3rd, 4th, and 5th Tank Battalions Iwo Jima 1945. I have wanted to complete this trio for years, and finally got around to starting this 18 months ago.

G

[Greg Pugh]

That's cool. I've never built anything military but I love history and I can appreciate the work and detail you have in these. Very nice!!

[Harry P.]

Those sandbags look good. Are they resin or what?

[Agent G]

I sculpted them myself from Apoxie sculpt and Milliput two part epoxy putties. That stuff sticks well, so I just sculpted them in place and added the details.

G

[62rebel]

ever read a book called "Death Traps"? written by a US Army Ordnance Colonel about his experiences working a tank recovery and repair unit during the period between D-Day and V-E day.... excellent book with lots of descriptive narrative and some informative photos for reference. Not USMC Shermans but good reading nonetheless.

[Agent G]

I haven't read that one Curt but it sounds like a winner. I was just outside Kenosha Wisc. last fall and visited a military boneyard/museum this guy has there. He had placed a Sherman turret on a stout cradle at the right height above ground. You step up onto a platform and duck under putting yourself inside the turret. The turret is empty, no gun, no nuttin', but even so it is amazing how freakin' small it is. I'm a rather, ahem, "large framed" individual and my Brother in Law is 6'4. We stood side by side inside that turret and felt way claustrophibic.

"Death Traps" indeed. The guys who crewed these beasts, from all sides of the conflict, were some of the bravest mofo's ever.

G

[62rebel]

i've been there! that is a fun place to wander around, dreaming of what you could do with THAT.... good thing i didn't have any money to spend then or i'd own a halftrack now.

[Agent G]

Oh God yes. He was tinkering around with an M113 that he just replaced the engine in. After tearing up and down the road out front, he pulls up and asks "wanna buy it?" Good thing old Pete was with me, he's my conscience.

G

[crazyjim]

What are all those little things sticking up from the hatch covers, Wayne?

[Agent G]

Jim on the real tank they welded 17 penny nails to the hatches as protection from satchel charges. Some battalions used wire mesh screens, some didn't bother at all. The 5th Tank Battalion used nails.

I used 28 ga. wire. I drilled abunch of holes in the hatches and inserted loops of wire two holes at a time. Then I slathered super glue over the inside and hit it with kicker. THEN I used a nipper to cut them all to about the same length. I was darn near bugeyed after that, but I felt it was worth it.

G

[Sixx]

Nice Sherms G!!! I've got one waiting in the wings...collecting parts & stuff to build one day. Again, nice work man!!

[crazyjim]

Looks good. I never built a tank - didn't think it would look good SHINY.

[Agent G]

I built "shiny" for the better part of 15 years, so I decided to try something else. I'll be back to shiny soon.

G

[Danno]

I have personally inspected ~ up close ~ that tank and I can testify that Agent G is one of the best sand-baggers I've ever had the pleasure to know!

[Agent G]

Thank You Danno!

I think...................................

G

[Customizer]

Awesome Shermans G! I hear ya about the shiny stuff. Did it for over 20 years, competed for a while and found myself just building for the trophies. It didn't take long to get tired of that so I started building armour. I built when I was young but it got too expensive. I just started back into cars again after about a 6 year lapse. Now I have to learn all over again. But I figure that's 1/2 the fun.

[Agent G]

Right there with ya Ron.

G

[Danno]

But of course!

[Agent G]

G

[Dirkpitt289]

those are some fantastic looking Sherman's.