Hi guys

I hope someone can give me some information on German sandbags. My new dio will have a German roadside bunker in it, It takes place in southern Italy early spring of 43. My questions are 1, How did the sandbags come i.e. in a crate, tied in a bundle e.t.c.? 2, what color were they ? The basic idea is to have troops in the process of building the bunker. Thanks in advance for the help

Wolfsix

they were tan.

i doubt they were shipped to them....maybe the bags were shipped. Then upon using them they filled them up with dirt and tied them.

For the German:

Bags were shipped in bundles and filled locally. Issue color was a tan although as the war progressed other mateial was used. You also ocassionally see pictures of Camo coloring.

I have a great expert from a Tank Gunner's diary where he writes about being stopped by a Infantry LT and asked to use the Tank's Air compressor and spray gun to camo paint an MG-42 sand bag emplacement in France (June 4, 1944)

Here is a description I made up of how I make sand bags formy AFV and Dio.



hope it is of some use.

Neill

hell my freind yes the bags were shipped to them. and the crew of teh post had to full them with dirt. this was an unliked job by all. the bags were filled tied and stacked.
Graeme

Neill,
Did you ever publish that method with the drawing back in the early 70's? If so, then thanks. I remember almost exactly the same drawing, and used the exact method on an old Monogram Sherman. I must have been around 12 at the time, and thught, "man, what a tedious method,"
but once I go into it I had fun all afternoon. Even talked my mom into buying some Bondo so I could copy Shep Paine's cast transmission. I guess that was my introduction to "serious" modelling.

Hin guys

Thanks for all the replys. Neill, the sketches are great. I knew they would be filled "locally" What I didn't know was how they were shipped from Germany to the front. The idea I'm working on is of a bunker being built in Italy just before the Allied invasion. I hope to have one figure holding a half empty sandbag while another figure fills it. Thanks again guys
Harry

No Ealry 70s I was in High school and modelling in between football, girls and all that jazz. this techinque has been used by many people over the years. I have seen many drawing also... this one is my drawing - it seem easier then explaining it in writing. Glad you ound it usefull. Thansk!

Someone also mention that their was a great article about Sand Bags in Fine Scale Modeller on a highly detailed Sherman. Maybe someone knows the issue and date. I haven't had a subscription in years.

Neill