Academy M7 Priest

[lawman56]

Technically, the Priest is 99% complete, but the diorama isn't. I'm still working on the crew. I've completed 2 out of 5-6 crewmen, but they become mind-numbing, so I take a break, work on something else, (like my Albatros), then come back. One thing I've learned about diorama figures, you have to get them just right. One incorrect pose, misplaced piece of equipment or improper placement and the whole diorama's "Feng Shui" is toast.

Some of you may have seen this posted on another forum site, but I think the armor section here needs more love.....


Here she is, all clean and pretty, which is a terrible way for armor to look!


Slight improvement, but still not quite there....


Much better! You'll notice, in the foreground, the SCR-510 radio. The radio operator will be relaying the fire mission info to the gun chief.


Here's my RTO. The M1 Carbine sling is PE, the handset cord is bent copper wire strand and the antenna is brass rod.


Lastly, for now, is the gun chief. He and the RTO came from the Tamiya Gun & Mortar Team. Both have slight modifications, The RTO has a different right arm, so as to hold the rifle, while both arms are modified on the gun chief. Although they both appear completed, I still need to add chin straps to the helmets and dirty them up. Especially their boots and leggings.

[Stikpusher]

Yes, the armor section here certainly needs more love! I am glad to see that you are helping to fill it up! And with American armor huah! I agree with what you said about the figures needing to be just right or they throw the whole project off. Good idea to take your time on them. I'll be here waiting and watching patiently for the next installment.

[Thomas_M]

Same here, Joe! Thanks for adding some great stuff into this armour section!

Last Priest I did build was the Italeri kit. What´s your opinion on the newer Academy one?

[LyleW]

Joel, a really neat-o build. Zowie!

[lawman56]

@ Lyle-thanks! Once I get all my crew done, I'll be finished. Although I may add more dust.

@ Thomas-the Academy kit is a much needed improvement over the Italeri one, however, it has it's shortcomings as well. I used the Eduard interior and exterior PE on this, mostly for the hull mounting strips for the sand shields, pioneer tool brackets, intake vent covers and especially the ammo racks. The kit racks are partly hollowed, which means they're perfect for the kit supplied ammo tubes, but nothing else. Eduard's are complete boxes, which allowed me to add scale 105mm rounds that have been prepped to fire. Talking to former Howitzer guys, they would prep about 16 rounds, ( per side, allowing the right and left ammo handlers to alternate loading for more rapid firing), then slip them back in the racks. In order to keep some in the tubes, I had to measure the difference between the semi filled kit racks, and empty Eduard ones. Then I added that amount of round plastic styrene as a spacer.

Btw - did I mention I like to do crazy detail work?

I'll post a few pics in the WIP section so you can see the PE.

[Thomas_M]

I'll post a few pics in the WIP section so you can see the PE.

Cool!

[lawman56]

Decided to add a little bit to the Priest diorama. I took some styrene tube, cut them roughly 24mm long, then cut 4mm off, added some small PE circles I had in my "goodies" box, and ta-da! I created discarded shipping tubes for the rounds...



You'll also notice, I've placed the torso for the one of the gunners in his seat. I placed him there with white glue as I try out different arms. More on that in the Figs & Dios thread.

I'll be adding a few spent shell casings soon, as well. The concept here, is that the vehicle was moving from point A to point B, when it received an urgent fire support mission. This would account for the radio operator relaying info to the gun chief, who in turn would relay it to the crew, especially the guy aiming. The others would have hastily removed rounds from the shipping tubes, and started firing.

[Thomas_M]

I guess the machine gun would be blown away firing the first howitzer shot?!?

Nice assembly of the vehicle and the diorama pieces so far! Feng shui is doing fine!

[lawman56]

I guess the machine gun would be blown away firing the first howitzer shot?!?

Nice assembly of the vehicle and the diorama pieces so far! Feng shui is doing fine!

Actually, I learned a long time ago to attach machine guns last, otherwise I end up breaking them

[Medicman71]

Very nice!