1/18 Scale M-4A3E8 Back On Track

[pickelhaube]

Continuing with the Sherman here is the start of the easy 8

Now we can do the FURY

With lots of help from Jay !!

You will need a donor BBI Sherman and I already have the T-23 turret

[rschaap]

Real nice, I can’t wait to put one together. This is a much needed addition to the Sherman family. Thanks for doing this one Matt.

[pickelhaube]

Wow ….

Not a lot of love for the Easy 8.

[dannyc]

give it a few days Pickel Im sure there will be more interest. Now to get me a BBI sherman that I can use for this build

[bobb428]

Love the Easy 8's! Coolest Sherm by far!

[trex0770]

You know I've been asking you about this one Matthew! Looks even better than I expected. You guys are amazing.

[grockwood]

I want one also.

[mutt71]

Matthew, This is looking great! Any idea on the cost? I want one.

[joey2putt]

Pickhaube / Matthew I would purchase an Ez -8 running gear. Looks great. I just cast a M4A1 76w I don't think they got the Ez8 tracks till after WWII.

[pickelhaube]

Pickhaube / Matthew I would purchase an Ez -8 running gear. Looks great. I just cast a M4A1 76w I don't think they got the Ez8 tracks till after WWII.

They used the more common waffle type tracks when the Easy 8 first made the scene.

The tracks we have made were towards the end of the war and used in Korea

[mutt71]

I would not be too picky about the tracks, though it is good to know what was early and later. I am still interested no matter which tracks are made for this. I would use one Late war and for Korea. I hope that this kit happens, as I said before, I want one. I just need to find and buy a donor Sherman!

[dannyc]

I would not be too picky about the tracks, though it is good to know what was early and later. I am still interested no matter which tracks are made for this. I would use one Late war and for Korea. I hope that this kit happens, as I said before, I want one. I just need to find and buy a donor Sherman!

Same here I will buy one if I can find a donor BBI sherman

[pickelhaube]

I have been talking to Aracula .

Henglong makes all sorts of r/c type armor and the size difference we all know is different from 1/18 -1/16 .
But the track difference is just a few mm's .
The biggest pain in all new armor is the tracks .

I am not loving the idea of pouring hundreds of track links for the Easy 8.

I can not find plastic tracks for the easy 8 ( plenty of metal over $150 )

But they do make Pershing tracks at around $20-$30 .

For those in the know are the Pershing tracks the same as the Easy 8 ?

[normandy]

Pickel I know more about panzers than US armor but they look similar...





...at least in these pics.

[rschaap]

This might help. There was a discussion on RC Universe regarding the Easy 8 tracks vs the M26 Pershing, here is the site.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-tank ... -same.html

[Shomare]

Matthew,

How do these install? Do they have any strength when installed (had a few tanks show up who's tracks were completely EXPLODED in shipping...one was ridiculously hard to get glued back together, but I got it done, and the other one I returned). But the one I fixed was fragile due to the tension of the tracks unfortunately. I wish I had not used the original tracks, it would have made life much easier in the rebuiling of that tank.

Looks absolutely amazing...I like this look much more than the traditional look. I like the more busy, detailed look more than not.

Let me know

[pickelhaube]

Hey Guys,

I have ordered a couple of sets of Pershing tracks from China

I guess they put them on a slow boat FROM China and they should be here in a months time.

Actually maybe a couple of weeks I ordered them 2 weeks ago .

If they work and look good, these will be the tracks that I will supply with the kit.

[HardenSteel]

I could go for one set. Looks great!

HD

[cavscout116th]

I would love to have a kit pickelhaube?

[cavscout116th]

Hey Mat any word yet?

[pickelhaube]

I did get the tracks in and indeed they are wider.
I instantly shut down the idea because I am an 1/18th scale purist .
But they will work and as stated before the idea of making hundreds of tracks and lengths does NOT appeal to me.
If I get time this week I will make a mock up to see what you guys think.

The way Jay designed the gear if installed carefully along with the Heng Long tracks the gear will move !

[pickelhaube]

I was thinking of doing another American build after the Sturmtiger and was talking to a forum member and he suggested the Easy * project.
I thought yes you are right.
I solved the track issue by using the same rubber resin that I used on my King Tiger project.
The only issue now is the channel stiffening arms for the side fenders.
My experiences in the past is that if I try to cast the thin channels the center part of the channels may rip out.
So I am thinking have just using stock plastic channel ( if I can find the correct size ) and supply that with the kit.
I got a new cutting board that can cut the sizes and angles of the channels .
That would solve the problem , although I will have to cut about 20 pieces per kit.

[HardenSteel]

Definitely interested in getting this. I already have the turret from you and a spare sherman.

[pickelhaube]

I thought that I was getting close to finishing this prototype but the rubber that I used to make the tracks is a bit soft.
I could lay steel pins in the track but that will be a lot of work.
I have an idea that I'm trying next and I am waiting for those parts to come in from China.

I have the fenders worked out finally ,
I will cast the fenders and as far as the 22 channel bracings I am going to have those 3D printed.

I already have the T-23 turret made.

This project was designed to fit on the BBI Sherman.
The BBI Sherm wheels are relatively easy to pop off and replace with my running gear .
These can fit on the Bravo team with modification, but the Bravo Team Sherman is a early M4A3 sio it is not correct.
If there is interest I can make a conversion kit for the Bravo team hull to make it a late version.
I already make the front glacias and large hatch conversion for the Bravo Team.

Stay tuned !

[Shomare]

What ever happened to this Easy 8 project? Did you ever get to complete these?