Tiger I late production camouflage question

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hi fellow modelers, I recently bought tamiya their “tiger I late production 1/48” kit.

Since this is my first tank build I don’t know much about all the perfect/ historical accurate camouflage schemes. So I have a question regarding the right historical accurate camouflage scheme.

For this project I wanted to paint the Tiger I in Dunkelgrau/German grey (tamiya XF-63). And I want to build a diorama represention a small town somewhere in Northern-Europe.

but since German grey is only used during the begining of WWII. I doubt if this is historically accurate, since this is a Tiger I late production.

Here are some photos with information regarding camouflage schemes.

So I want to paint my tiger I in German grey, but can anyone tell me if there was a German tank unit which used this color to paint their tiger I tanks?

I hope someone can give me an example and that I not just paint it in a random color that is not historically accurate at all.

thanks for your help and I apologize for any incorrect English grammar and if anything is unclear feel free to ask.

2

Only the very first Tiger I’s deployed to Lennigrad were painted in Pz Grey. Tanks were painted at the factory, and there would be no reason for a unit to paint its tanks grey in the field. In addition, seeing as you want to be accurate, that Tiger you have alos needs Zimmerite, which i am guessing the kit does not include.

If you want to stick with this scale, Tamiya did an early production Tiger I, that can be done in grey and no zimm needed.

3

I already have the zimmerit coating sheet from tamiya and I think I’ll buy the early production later on but I think I’ll have to go with another camouflage scheme

4

This is a photo of an mid-production tiger from the 13./Plz.rgt. Grossdeutschland. July 1943

is their a chance that their were also late production tiger in this regiment or was the “late-production“ not yet in production in mid 1943?

5

Your “Late” kit features the distinctive steel road wheels. These were introduced in early 1944, along with the other mods which constitute a “late” Tiger 1.

You could conceivably find a “mid” production Tiger 1, coming on-stream in about July '43, but not a late.

6

thanks, Right now I’m reading many articles and I just learnt the same thing. I think I’ll just go with a Dunkelgrau base color and a mix of olive drab and Dunkel Rotbraun as shown on the boxart. It looks beautiful as well.

7

Hi, well, I just bought the same kit! You’ll need zimmerit for it. Tamiya and some other companies sell zimmerit but I’m not sure who. Keep on looking round the internet and you’ll find lots of good photo’s to help you build your model.[:D]

8

It should be a Dunkelgelb base color and not Dunkelgrau. The box cover machine has the Rotbraun camo applied over the Dunkelgelb base. Olivgrun is the other camo color used on most Tigers.

9

Thats not a photo but a computer generated image, and without checking any referances, i am sure thats an early production model judging by the cupola.

10

It still has the smoke grenade launchers and pistol port too. I believe these were deleted from the mids.

11

I think yourright. I just wasn’t sure of the dates and whether these features were carried over for a short period. By this time changes to vehicles were almost monthly it seems.

12

yeah, I know it should be dunkelgelb, sorry my fault[sn0ps]

13

tamiya has their own zimmerit decal like sheet, they are really easy to apply!

14

There’s lots of great kits of Battle of Poland, France and early Russian campaign Panzer I, II, III, & IVs. Hold on to the German Grey and you can always do one of those when you finish your Tiger!

15

And not fogetting a nice selection of pre 1943 251 halftracks.

Just sayin [whstl]

16

I look forward to all the german grey panzers and halftracks on my shelf!!!