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Hello Gill and Mark

1.What track links are going to be used on the Firefly?
2. Can the triangle section on the deck be better mounted than the sherman was.
3. Are the return rollers going to be Plastic like the sherman?
4. Are the Drivers and radio hatch openings going to be cast or machined.(they need to be a better fitt and mounting better)
5. What accessories from Armorpax do you get?
6. Is the suspension set up like the old sherman ie spring within a spring?
7.Are there going to be any castings or are they going to be machined?
8. What sound is it?
9.Are the wheel bearings the same as the sherman was.

Thank you for answering these questions.

Lee

Hi
I have no experience of the first Sherman kit, so the only question I have at the moment is, can I program my own commanders voice into the sound module?
Regards
John

Hello John

Answer to your question is no. See my other thread in main section.

Lee

Hi John

If you have the sound files, I'm sure Thomas would put them on your sound card for you if you were to send it to him. I don't mean to speak for Thomas but I have heard he has done this for some folks.

The other option is simply to put them on your own MP3 player etc to play independently from the main sound system. This can be done with an amplifier to increase volume if desired.

Best regards
Tim

Two more questions re the Firefly:

1) The CAD drawing of the track links on the title page looks suspiciously like the US T54 tracks types, as used on the M4A3, rather than the correct T62 Chrysler built tracks which would be correct for an M4A4 tank. Is this the case ?

2) Will the new bogies have slide pads this time around ?

Adrian.

I also have a question, will the front transmission cover have the blister mounts located on the top portions of the transmission cover sides like the one in the following photo?

Gentlemen

To answer some of your questions

The tracks will be the same type as supplied with our M4A3. This is because commercially we have to use the existing pattern.

The deck is redesigned in two pieces, so there are no seperate triangles now, and the rear can be remove for access.

Return rollers will be made from delrin. an engineering plastic ideally suited to the job.

Driver and radio op hatches and covers will be machined

A full set of Armorpax detail parts is included

There will be a double spring set up, to allow for load adjustment

The only casting being used is the turret.

The Benedini sound will be provided. We believe this is the correct engine type.

Wheel bearings are low friction plastic bushes. This is more durable in this application.

Slide pads in the suspension are included this time.


Regards the blister mounts, Can you clarify exactly what you asking.

Regards
Mark

Cheers Mark

Adrian.

Hello Mark

Thank you for that. Cant wait

Lee

Hi Mark
Thanks for the info. I wished I new what it means!
I wait for my initiation into large, metal kit building, with apprehension!

Regards
John

Thanks mark for the answers, I have circled the mounting blisters in question.

Hi John

OK, I understand now, and yes it does include these.

Mark

Mark, Thanks again for the good news, saves some time with scratch building

I also have another question; do the boogies have the top mounting bolt wells, spring tension screw cap, and the rear wrench wells?

To better understand I have two images of sherman bogies with the parts circled below.



The items in black are the top bolt wells, the two top mounting bolts would be recessed in these two wells. detail accuracy aside these bolts would make the mounted boggie stronger

The items in red are the spring tension screw cover caps. the caps are two square wrench caps, but on my builds I have used cap screws which look well, and if are not included are not difficult to add.



the items in red are again the bolt wells

The items circled in black are the rear bolt / wrench wells. These wells help with the bolt placement on the top portion of the boggie. I remember on my first armortek sherman this was solid and adding the bolt was somewhat difficult. I believe that milling away these areas of the suspension housing might make assembly more easier. John

Hi John

The spring tensioner cap heads are included. The cast bolt recesses in the top and rear faces can not be produced by milling. They would would have to be cast in. The new sherman Firefly does not use castings for this part, they are machined from solid. This is due to the massively increased cost of casting, which would push the kit cost up.

Mark

Mark, thank you for the time you took to answer my questions. The caps are a nice addition and touch to the kit suspension and the wells are not an issue. I'm looking real forward to tearing up my lawn with my new M4A4 John