Like to build some 1/35 Kursk AFVs from both sides so they can stare daggers at each other. Stash is building up pretty well but I’m stumped on a Tiger. Dragon has a sweet looking Initial Build that deployed to Leningrad in late 42. But unless I’m missing something, I think that’s the closest DML offering. I believe there were some changes made to the tanks that served at Kursk- could that kit be made to fit the bill without major surgery?
If not, it looks like there are Tamiya, Academy and AFV Club renditions. Any of these decent kits? (I read one good review of the AFV, read another one that said it was a very old mold that came from someone called Skybolt and not particularly good.) Advice appreciated.
The Tamiya Tiger has had its day in the sun. That day has passed. While still a very good model kit, it is not up to the level of detail we’ve come to expect in current tank model kits. Here is a website that links just about all available Tiger model kits in various scales, just make sure you are comparing 1/35 to 1/35 when deciding which one is right for your project.
I’ve seen that list, but unless there is no distinction between “early” and “initial production” (as I understand there is) then Dragon doesn’t make an early Tiger. There are occasionally Cyber-Hobby early Wittman Tigers, they they cost three figures - because DML doesn’t make an early Tiger and some people like Wittman. So that leaves Academy, AFV or Tamiya and I’ve heard very mixed opinions - at best - on all of them. Tamiya now offers their old “early” with Aber PE and metal barrel for about $65.
I know Tigers were not available at Kursk in large numbers, but the Kursk-Orel campaign was a strategic highpoint in the war. I think technical factors drive model releases more than history: if not there’d be at least three versions of a 1/350 scale Enterprise to chose from.
For Kursk there was 133 Tigers amongst the Waffen-SS, the 503rd and 505th heavy tank battalions, as well as three companies from Grossdeutschland. Another 19 arrived as replacements during the battle.
Ospreys book on the Tiger I (New Vanguard 5) has fairly good and in depth listing of production modifications - too much to list here. After skimming through it, I think Dragons initial Tiger would require some work. Appears the kit comes without side skirts, both the front and rear mud flaps is another item you might have to look at. Also the Feifel air filters, in photos they do seem to be present at Kursk. On the right rear turret, the machine pistol port was replaced with an escape hatch. Also different type turret bin… there might be more…
Here is a good reference set up by the experts on how to get an accurate Tiger I model kit. I am not sure how up to date it is, but it is a handy reference.
Dragon’s Tigers are still the tops (Cyber Hobby is Dragon). I picked up an AFV Club Tiger in a trade, decent kit, but I thought the Dragon 3 in 1 Tiger I grabbed at Hobby Lobby for a song (using the 40% off coupon) was a much better model kit. I have the Tamiya Afrika Tiger, but really haven’t given it much attention beyond opening the box.
Hi Eric,
You have already visited Tiger1 and Alanhamby I guess.
David Byrden recommended the Tamiya early or the Tunisan Dragon, but the later is no longer available.
I would recommend starting of with Dragons 6600 which is the Leningrad kit, but there is a lot of changes to be applied.
Mud guards, side skirts, tooling and cabeling arrangements.
I am lucky to have some kits to use as donators, still hopefull that I will conclude my #123 build.
Some day.
When you work the side-skirts remember the Kursk ones did not have a straight line.
I will PM you with what I have on this topic when back at work bench.
If AFV Club’s Early Tiger isn’t up to snuff (heard it both ways) I’ll put the Kursk Tiger in with the Grant/Lee as one of those kits we’ll wait for. It’s not that I don’t have a stash. I’ve got a very nice DML Panather, Stug III and PzIV so they’ll have to hold the fort. I’d rather buy accessories for the Tamiya Early than do heroic modeling on the DML Leningrad. It’s an odd hole in the DML line-up when you figure that five years back they had a Cyber-Hobby Kursk PZ VI that fit the bill perfectly. Never known DML to skip an easy conversion. Am going to get Trumpies cast KV-1 (1942) - they would have been at Kursk in good numbers and the kit gets very kind words. The KV-2 I built a while back was a great kit.
I built Academy’s TIger I Early for the Big Cats GB about four years ago and remember working from the Squadron book to get the details more or less straight for the period, and applying Bison decals for an LAH Tiger at Kursk. Overall I was very happy with the result, my only modifications being to add engine grills by Eduard, some missing weld seams on top of the turret, and arrange the track plate stowage to suit the example in hand. It may not have been 100% accurate but it matched my reference materials adequately and it “felt” right when it was finished. Not a terribly expensive item, and the grills and decals were very affordable upgrades.
Here are a couple of views of that project (yes, the tow cables look much too bright in these pics…):
