We decided to sandbag our M4A3/76 Sherman model kit. It was “cross-kitted” using a Tamiya running gear & hull & an Italeri turret with the circular loader’s hatch. It's a pretty simple conversion to make an as yet unreleased version of the M4 Sherman.
The sandbags were made using Milliput putty. We precut & pre-glued the components for the sandbag rails using plasticard. Then we added the lower elements, again in plasticard & started applying the sandbags. Before they dried we pressed the rails into place over the sandbags & glued up all the plastic parts. Additional sandbags can be layered on top here & there once the others have dried. This helps to fill gaps or add visual interest. Texture on the bags was added by pressing a fabric cloth into the putty just before it dried fully.
At a later date, we will do a sandbagging tutorial, but for now you can enjoy these shots of the finished model kit decked out in a “protective” layer of sandbags. Even if they didn’t work, they’d make you feel better having them!
