Putting a tank in your Tiger.. The jouney continues, with (big) pictures!

For all of you out there who were dying to hear more about my little Tiger (you know who you are), here’s an update.

After a weeks worth of sweating and chewing on fingernails, even my own, my Jordi Rubio barrel arrived. And there was much rejoicing. Oh the joys of a round barrel. I looked at the original item said to myself: “it must go…” and headed back to Krikket… I have to think about how I want to attach the gun now, because as its sitting now, it needs a healthy dose of viagra. Maybe some lead in the shape of a loaded shell in the chamber will make it perk up. Never the less, it adds some weight and grandeur to the massive 88. A plastic barrel just wouldn’t be the same.

During a construction break I parked the various bit of semi assembled tank next to my 1:35 Land Rover ambulance for a scale reference. I know a couple of guys who own these and own a similair vehicle myself. Comparing the two I could only think “fuuudge…”. I tell you, I was that close to thinking “Caramel!”. Wasn’t quite “chocolate chip”, but almost. Definatly more than “crushed peanut sprinkels”, though.

I proceeded to attack the loaders hatch, but first diverted to add a bit of detail to the interiour. I’ll have you know, my carefully planned approach to this kit has gone completely out the window and I’ve adopted a more idiosynchratic approach. The detail I decided to add was a small arbitrary box on one of the recoil dampers and the coaxial machinegun. This gun was plucked from the spares box and is in fact a reincarnated M16 rifle from a Tamiya Bradley. Nip here, tuck there and hide it well enough in the turret so that the contours allow you to say: “Hey, a gun!” and not: “Hey, and M-16!”. Another detail I added was the breech mechanisme-loading-wheel-with-handle-thinggy-to-close-the-chamber-I-think-whatsit. I’m not sure thats the technical term (but I think I’m pretty ballpark-ish), but there’s one on a reference pic, so its on the gun now. I’ve got a few extra things I want to add, such as a commanders blastshield and some of the gunners equipment, but thats for later.

Where was I? Oh yes, loaders hatch… Ehm… Hang on… The commander, loader, driver and radio operator all get their own hatch… Why not the gunner? If anyone should share a hatch I reckon it should be the radio operator. Don’t question me on that one though, it makes sense in my world. Besides the MG, what else can he do? Taunt the opposition over the wireless? “Fffffzzzzsshhtt… ACHTUNG! Your fahzer schmelled of elderberries und your muzzer waz a hamzshter! ffffzzzzzzzzssht” RATATATATATATATATATATAT! Sounds reasonable to me…

…ehm…

Ah yes… The kit hatch was a molded closing mechanisme, an operating wheel, two internal handles and an external handle. No more. I removed the offensive looking molded on details and lovingly crafted the PE bit to go onto it. These bits added four locking arms, four tiny 0.25mm wire hingepins, four tiny locking arm brackets, a locking arm baseplate and a brace. It took me a good couple of hours (all the way through “Boston Public”, “Gilmore girls”, “I’m with her” and halfway through “Forces of Nature”… I do so hate ben Affleck…) to complete this, as it called for wrapping the ends of the locking arms aound the wires and then attempting to attach themto the base plate. Never the less, all went swimmingly.

Well, thats it for this episode. Have a look at the piccies to admire my handywork so far.

Wow, Michaelvk,

A short story, with pictures, and sound effects ! Nice multi-media presentation .

Tiger is looking good [tup]

Man, it really looks nice. Is that the Aber PE set for the kit? How about the machine gun and breach handle? Keep up the good work. Can’t wait to see the finished beast.

Gip Winecoff

It is indeed the Aber PE set… Rather tricky but not impossible… The driver and RO hatches are very detailed, by the way.

The breach handle is made from the following ingredients:
1 part sprue, cut to a 1mm thick disc
1 part PE fret, cut to shape
1 part M2A2 Bradley kit M-16 rifle butt…

I shaved off the featureless triangular blob which was Italeri’s excuse for a breach handle and added this, referring to a picture of Bovingtons 131 tiger gun.

As for the MG, its another M-16 sans magazine and handle. I chopped a bit more than just the magazine off though. I then glued a piece of PE fret on top of the rifle where the handle used to be to look like the belt cover. Then I just sliced off the front and glued it behind the MG opening. The coax MG is in fact a shortened MG-42 (43?). It probably didn’t do wonders for the accuracy, but who cares at that rate of fire, eh?

Forgot some pics…

The first is the human hair locking wire on the gun mantlet nuts… look veeeeery closely.

The second is the external detail on the commanders hatch…

Michaelvk hi,
great looking pics[8D], and that was one of the funniest posts i think i’ve read here!![(-D][(-D][(-D]
regards,
nick

[(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

Please say you’re laughing at my post and not my build, Erock…

Looks great
nice novel to go along with it.

What version of Tiger is this? I mean Early, Mid or Late? Looks cool!

Glenn

Really nice build Michael.

Looks Great!

Ron

Looking great Michael !!! … where did you manage to find a hair that long. [:P][:P]

i’m no expert, but given that cupola it will be initial or early…feel free to correct…[:p]

Hi Michael.

Just a few points.

  1. Great Tiger. Looking forward to more pics. Amazing detail. Well done.
  2. Funny story.
  3. I hate Ben Affleck too.

The Tiger is Italeri’s Tiger E/H1 initial production… Leaves a lot to be desired OOB, but I’m no real expert… Its going to end up as one of the 501st in Tunisia…

Tigers? In Africa??

Michael you are just too awesome a builder. Now I will deflate you…
Unless those bolts are left-hand thread you’re safety wire is backwards. If that is all I can find wrong, I need to quit building these things.
GREAT job man!

Great build.

Funny presentation.

[:D]

Nice work on the Tiger. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

Excellent job!! so far Michael.
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