Good day to all. I have been forced into an early retirement from teaching due to my failing health. To keep me from pulling my hair out my wonderful wife has encouraged me to start modeling again and gave me Dragon’s Kingtiger model kit(number 6232). I wanted to try adding aftermarket details and found that this tank could have a porsche or henshel turret. Could you tell me which turret this tank has and enlighten me on how to tell the difference?
Thanks a bunch,
Chem man [:D]
Thats easy. The so called Porsche turret has a curved front the so called Henschel turret has a flat front. The porsche turret has a bulge around the comanders cupola the Henschel doesn’t.
The early porsche turrets had a single piece gun tube, the later ones and all of the Henschel’s had a two piece gun tube.
The designation “Porsche” and “Henschel” however are incorrect. Both types of turret was designed and build by Krupp.
One type of turret was designed for the Porsche design proposal for the Tiger II and the other Henschel design proposal. Before the final decission was made about which design should be mass produced, 50 turrets had already been produced for the Porsche design proposal, the decission was taken that the Henschel design should be mass produced, rahter than scraping the 50 turrets for the Porsche design, the first 50 Henschel chassis were fitted with these turrets. Only later after teh war was the designation “Porsche” and “Henschel” turret invented.
Just to help you out a bit I have scanned 2 drawings from Thomas L. Jentz’s book: VK45.02 to Tiger II Design, Production and Modifications.
First a “Porsche” turret:
Next a “Henschel” turret:
Somebody answered this for me a few weeks back. The Porchse turret has curved front (poor design since a shell can ricochet down into the body of the tank), while the Henschel is flat front.
Thanks a bunch. The diagram is great.
Chem man