Sun Shield (M3 Grant)

“Operation Bertram” was a deception campaign by the British in 1942 prior to the second battle of El Alamein.

Bertram consisted of the creation of the appearance of army units where none existed and in concealing armour, artillery and matériel. Dummy tanks and guns were made mainly of local materials including calico and palm-frond hurdles. Real tanks were disguised as trucks, using light “Sunshield” canopies. Field guns and their limbers were also disguised as trucks, their real wheels visible, under a simple box-shaped “Cannibal” canopy to give the shape of a truck.

This 1:100 (15mm) model is based on one of the tank disguises, simplified somewhat for durability and ease of printing. The chassis is that of a M3 Grant, but it could easily stand in for a Sherman.