Having now become a Shermaholic I decided to push my personal envelope. This is Tamiya's old M4A3 built as a D Co.,4th Battalion tank on Iwo Jima. References show quite a bit of differences between Battalions in how they modified their vehicles.
Tamiyas kit required a bit of, ahem, massaging to get it right. I had to scratch the sponson covers, and wading trunk lower ducting.
4th and 5th Battalions used heavy wood planking,sandbags, and chicken wire as additional protection. Nothing says wood like real wood, so basswood was cut to shape.
Bridal tule stands in for the chicken wire.
Apoxie Sculpt was used for sandgags. All were molded by hand and placed according to references. I used Apoxie Sculpt to fill in the area between the wood and the hull. Real tanks had concrete poured in there.
Hex rod was sliced to bits and used for the retaining bolts.
PE hatch covers, copper wire tow cable, Vallejo paint and here we are pre weathering.
Fini
Enjoy
G
Tamiyas kit required a bit of, ahem, massaging to get it right. I had to scratch the sponson covers, and wading trunk lower ducting.
4th and 5th Battalions used heavy wood planking,sandbags, and chicken wire as additional protection. Nothing says wood like real wood, so basswood was cut to shape.
Bridal tule stands in for the chicken wire.
Apoxie Sculpt was used for sandgags. All were molded by hand and placed according to references. I used Apoxie Sculpt to fill in the area between the wood and the hull. Real tanks had concrete poured in there.
Hex rod was sliced to bits and used for the retaining bolts.
PE hatch covers, copper wire tow cable, Vallejo paint and here we are pre weathering.
Fini
Enjoy
G
