Semovente Africa Orientale Italiana (1/35th)

[Story]

This build is based on one of Apophenia's wonderful doodlings.

I can't remember if it was his idea, or within his thread, or tripped over elsewhere as a google tangent to his work but he's getting the credit for the idea of one of the two dozen M-11/39s in Italian East Africa being turned into a Semovente. See https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2019/01/31/carro-armato-m-11-39-medium-tank/

This modification would require removal of the ridiculous one man/two machinegun turret and the anemic 37mm, to be replaced with the standard Breda 47mm AT gun (of which there were some - but not a lot - in theater at the time).

On the left, the standard M11/39 and on the right, the L6 Semovente 47/32 interior grafted into the M11.


M11/39 interior and Breda 47 - totally do-able. Note: the 47mm recoil cylinder is 180 degrees opposite of the 37mm's.

[Story]

Again, this build is possible due to Franks 3D House of Parts.

As a spinoff of the drum-fed BREN on the Egyptian M13/40, the Vickers K-gun with drum on the same sprue became part of this endeavor.

The Semovente TC would need a machinegun for target designation at least.  The Vickers was mounted on the FAIRY BATTLE, which was flown by the South African Air Force during the East African campaign and several of which was downed before the Italian surrender.

[Story]

Round 1 on the Casement build.
Flat black primer, sand base with primer brown splinter camo.
Note that all sorts of detailing will be layered on, later.
Elected to go with a roofed version, instead of the L6 style open version
Still unsure on how to mount the Vickers - none of the scrap I poked through was 'delicate' enough.

The 47mm is redundant from the Egyptian M13/40 build, with the recoil cylinder fashioned from sprue.

Found this to be enlightening.
Lewis Gun Extras - Scarff Ring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp6KkxOdUK8

[Frank3k]

Looks good! The print artifacts aren't visible at all. Is that just primer or did you do some sanding? Is that one of the gray ones or the clear?

[Story]

Looks good! The print artifacts aren't visible at all. Is that just primer or did you do some sanding? Is that one of the gray ones or the clear?

It's the clear print - your caveat about it being dusty when drilled or sanded confirmed. The only sanding I did was on the bottom surfaces, so it'll mate to a hull.

[apophenia]

This is looking very cool Story 

I can't remember if it was his idea, or within his thread ...

And, embarrassingly, I can't remember whether the idea for that profile was original or not either 

Very much looking forward to seeing what you do with it though!

[Frank3k]

It's the clear print - your caveat about it being dusty when drilled or sanded confirmed. The only sanding I did was on the bottom surfaces, so it'll mate to a hull.

1- wear a mask when sanding!
2 - wet sand. Always wet sand.

The clear one is Siraya Build resin, which is pretty strong but can be brittle. The gray is Elegoo ABS-like, which is also brittle, but much softer, so if you need to carve something up, do it on the gray.

[Buzzbomb]

Ohhhh  Yes !


Looking forward to this one