Hi,
A few pics of my WIP Normandy Tiger 1. I think I’m finally ready for paint. Using the older dragon kit, voyager photo etch, Armorscale barrel and fruils. Planning on doing ‘Kurt Klebler’s’ 232 of Wittmann’s platoon.This looks like one of the few that still had the binoculer sight with the thicker turret roof. Or possibly Wittmann’s 222 although, I can’t confirm if that one had the bi or mono sight?
Recently back to the hobby after a 20 year hiatis.
She’s lookin’ good PW! It does’nt look like you lost any skills in 20yrs.
Thanks, I think my patience has improved with age…
Very nice work…I appreciate how you changed up the zimm pattern from the hull to the turret as the real tanks were, although, IMO, you were a tad sloppy with the turret side zimm pattern…overall, excellent work !!!
MR,
Thanks for the comments. Agree, i had to change technique from the hull and although it shows the variation - I needed a bit more practice on the turret. Some will be hidden by my spare track links…
Very, very nice so far.[tup] Can’t wait to see it painted!
Manny, you picked my curiosity on the difference on the turret/hull zimmerit application. I figure they would be the same.
Smashing work so far and the zimm is well applied.
Welcome to the forum. 20 years off doesn’t seems to have bothered you. Great PE work on that PW It’s looking real nice. More pics when painted please[:P]
I have’nt found an explanation as to ‘why’ but, alot of the photos of these late Tiger’s show a broader, more course zimmermit pattern on the turret sides. Dragon seems to have re-produced this in their molded Tiger zimm. Thanks for the comments…
PW careful, any more metal on that cat and the suspension’s gonna collapse [;)].
Looks great my fav AFV. One thing it looks like one of your front tow cable clamps might be raised up a little(2nd pic).
Here’s a photo to illustrate the point of a Tiger from the unit that is being modeled:
That is why Tamiya offers different sizes of zimm saws in their zimm sets…
Thanks Manny. That isn’t the norm though right? Just that unit?
Is that Goebbels in that pic? Probably not, but my first take was that it might be.
PW, i am doing tank 131 from he same unit and i want to puttrack links n the front as you have. What did you use to hold them on and how did you attach it.
The plastic round bar piece from the kit that fits under and stradles across the tow link brackets just did’nt cut it with the weight of the metals links. I found a similar diameter piece of brass rod from my hardware store and attached it with CA glue. My local ACE hardware store has a great selection of brass extrusions, sheets, bars, etc…
Got’cha on that clamp. Thanks…
My doesn’t come with anything to attach track links to their, but i am pretty sure the tank i am doing has them, and i am also useing the Fruil tacks. Is there a hole just behind he towing shackle that the rod goes through.
Based on my refs and research most Tiger I’s had the “larger” sized pattern on the turret sides…most of those on the Western front seemed to be of this type…some on the Eastern front had the “fine” pattern all over…that is actually a Luftwaffe Officer inspecting a knocked out Tiger in Villers Boccage after the famous encounter the unit had with the British 7th Armoured Division…the book is the "After the “Battle” hardback on the subject and is excellent in describing the encounter and setting the record straight on many myths and legends that still persist today concerning the engagement…
Looked like you used the older type of muzzle. Since tiger barrels only last 300 rounds (service after 150), not many tigers in normandy still had this type, especially due to the refit few month before that. Photographs shown some tigers from 101 did indeed have the older muzzle brakes (009 from stab company for example). It’d be nice if you could provide further proof though[:)]
Top of the mantlet has zimmerit. And the zimmerit at the edge of the turret used thinner pattern as you’ve done, but should be straight.
Tigers used 8 different types of mantlets (not counting some minor changes during production), so how zimmerit was applied really depend on the type of mantlet. But generally speaking, they used 3 different tools, so 3 different width.
You are missing 2 tie down loops on the side of the chassis (provided in the PE set you used). There’s also an issue with your side skirts, you can message me and I’ll explain that to you in private.
There are 2 racks for the jack attached to the chassis. They are to the left of the clamps.
Double check your references, but the engine clutch doesn’t seemed to fit the period.
One other thing I’ve noticed. You didn’t carve out the space for battlion insignia on your zimmerit. 101 used both battalion and company icons on their vehicles.
Clamp for the cutting tool seemed attached backward. Handles should be near the turret ring.
There are 2 pieces for the turret front (from the model kit), behind the mantlet. I can’t see if you’ve attached the bottom one, I think is PE? The top plastic one is missing.
Most German vehicle of that era had “German interior buff” on the inner surface of their hatches.
The protruding parts of the exhaust fan base should be chopped off before attaching the PE piece.
No zimmerit behind the storage bin.
First of, looking really, really good. Yes the turret zim looks a bit rough, but i think its better than just having the turret and hull the same, it’s closer to real i think and with practice you’ll probably be the master.
I am in full agreement, in all of my 40 or so Tiger tank books it’s pretty much the norm that the turret has rougher zim patern than the hull, another picture to ilustrate this. Note also that the finer patern of the hull is repeated around the mantlet.
I believe that your pic is also from 101, around the time of Normandy…