SleeperService

@Mig Eater is exactly right. Thanks for the swift response and my apologies for any confusion. Ouch!! I hope it doesn't stop you for long.

Multiple projects are a theme of this GB and circumstances have conspired to allow me to join in. From my other build plans I have this lot and a spare lower hull kit to hand along with an etch set and gun barrel that was intended for it. First job is to go through the wreckage and sort out what can be refurbished or modified for the task at hand... Here are the parts that have received attention so far with three road wheel arms fitted two as seen on the LHS with the other central on the RHS. Get these all aligned and fitting the rest is easy. The hull rear plate was damaged beyond repair so the details are removed ready to be applied to a new part. Mudguards thinned and patching under way, final drive mounts built up to avoid the tracks toeing in at the top, gun mount and cupola for the turret. The hull top is a bit Frankenstein with the front section from the JagdTiger kit fighting compartment from the wreckage, and a spare engine deck being stripped to modify shortly. The strip is to get the turret ring and engine deck in the right relationship. Clamped to a piece of tool steel to keep it aligned until glue solid. A lesson learned the hard way.... I'm using the Jentz and Doyle book for reference and will show the drawing when I can get my scanner and computer to be friends again. Thanks to the Mods for permitting this, to you for reading, and prayers to the styrene Gods that this all works out.

I have mentioned elsewhere my method for masking off inside boxed out grilles so I have prepared an image to show what I do Exhibit 1 In the main image the first and second bulkheads from the rear have a 1.0mm gap at the top which would normally go to the outer edge of the grill. However A couple of longitudinal pieces were needed either side of the turret to avoid damage so one piece was tapered out to the full width then an 'L' shaped piece was used to fill the gap and pass into the turret area just visible on the RHS in the insert image. I used PVC electrical tape for this as it's flexible and won't be as likely to tear when removed. If a straight pull masking tape stuck inside the hull top is perfectly OK. Further to my last entry I have modified my approach as the steel road wheels didn't appear until 1944 and will now use the rubber tyre wheels instead. This means all the Tiger II parts are available for another entry to use up the incorrect gun barrel and etch set I already have. I shall start a thread.

Similar thoughts for me too. In 1/48 aircraft I thought I'd see a Fairey Battle before the Hampden but I'm very happy this has finally been announced by a producer who is doing quite well at the moment. Just a 1/48 Bristol 188 to go now. I agree about Bomber Command getting some attention - long overdue. The Trumpy Wellington is a bit of a curate's egg in my experience as it lacks the positive location of most of their offerings. The wings need some attention with filler primer and IPA to reduce the sagged fabric look which isn't hard. However there is something odd about the engine nacelles/main undercarriage. The Haynes manual has some factory(?) drawings that indicate the nacelles are undersize. I hope this Hampden does well for ICM and encourages more slightly different choices.

Nice job on the grills and a good alternative to it's Henschel equivalent. They really bring the hull to life which is good, the original seems a little toy like. It's also good to see more prototypes being covered. At least I think so

I'm happy you approve as it will clear quite a few items from the Mountain of Doom and keep me focused until the etch brass I ordered arrives. This GB seems to be going quite well so far with some great stuff being built, well done to all I say. For your future reference I misread a source about the steel road wheel's introduction with them actually arriving in January 1944 I think VK45.02 would have had the rubber tyred wheels for several months at least. After that the steel wheels at 3 per axle could be introduced.

Looking at the contents of my smashed Tiger 2 and what will be left of the Porsche turreted kit I've robbed the turret from would a Tiger 2 as would have been built in August 1945 be acceptable? The modifications were all drawn up and would include: periscope main gun sight rangefinder in turret no commanders AA machine gun mounting ring 3 hatch engine deck with louvre vents hull mg34 replaced by plug for the stg 44 assault rifle kgs 73/800/152 single link track with 18 tooth sprocket and the changes in progress as of March 1945 As with my current build the markings will be speculative with the dark green base coat paint scheme. If this is too much of a stretch then I'll be cool with it. All information from Jentz & Doyle Germany's Tiger Tanks: VK45.02 to Tiger II

Be aware that the Tiger repaint (and others at the Tank Museum have come under criticism for accuracy. The 'pea green' Tropen scheme just refuses to die for example. From Jentz & Doyle Tiger 1 book I offer I'd take this as pretty solid and one of the Panzertracts series has paint chips. On 29 November 1944 the base colour became RAL6003 with the brown and yellow sprayed with sharp edges effective 1 March 1945. Armour suppliers were to to start using RAL6003 according to orders issued by 20 December 1945. I hope this helps somebody.

There are many more parts in those photos than a Tamiya and a Skybow 1/48 pair. things have moved a long way from Matchbox. Glad to read about recovering from your unavoidable error I have a Mountain of Doom full of such projects.... the tracks look most impressive from here. Nice work.

Now found your third build and equally impressive good attention to detail as well.

Just had a look for this but at 200USD and up it's way beyond my budget. A sacrifice to the Gods of re-printed books may be called for.

I assumed that the vehicle was the one in the photos above If it wasn't the same then my mistake and I apologise. My point was that a piece of shrapnel might have torn off a piece of the AA machine gun ring at the same time the commander was injured.

You're doing well with this - at the paint stage already! Or you could make the VK45.02(H) from it... just saying.

Certainly an interesting vehicle to choose. That's a good spot I've not noticed that before, could it have been damaged by the near miss, possibly the cause of the guy's nose injury?

Howdy Folks! Thank You for the kind comments. Without further ado Both side plates now fitted and a quick check of the turret fit revealed that the air intake cover fouled the bustle good job I checked that. After some head scratching I scraped away from beneath to free the housing then made good with card, filler and very careful sanding. I did the same on the rear plate to remove the mudguards before adding extra card to fill in the gaps created by the sloped hull sides. The top glacis plate is in position after much careful measuring and adjusting to get a good and square fit, this adds a lot of strength to the hull and is worth taking time to do. I then refitted the front roof keeping the crew hatches as far forward as I thought reasonable to maintain strength in the area. Then it was time to think about the running gear so I looked in the box holding the remains of an old build This triple-damned model fought me tooth and nail, finally finished it went on the display shelf which collapsed three days later. The hull from this project was going to provide parts for this but then I re-read the Tank Encyclopedia piece and started to think how the suspension would cope with the extra weight, as the standard Tiger I needed almost constant road wheel replacements it could be an issue.... So I have decided that the author's argument for triple wheel axles is solid and that the steel wheels would be developed rapidly with 3 per axle to spread the load across the track more evenly. So I have started modifying the donor wheels for their new life by removing the Tamiya axle spacers and adding in a section of tube to allow me to drill out a centered hole for each of them. Then it'll need some work on the hub centres and they'll be good to go on this. I'm intending to build the lower hull up completely before popping the superstructure back on, my reasoning is to have the three parts separate to make progress easier. We shall see. However there is plenty to go at including preparing the hull for the etch sets I've ordered. Hope all is going well for you as well. Until later.

Hi John I misread the title and thought you were building the ancient 1/76 kit for a long moment. I think this is a much smarter idea. With winter 44/45 being one of the worst in recent history there's plenty of scope. 43/44 wasn't a picnic on the Eastern front either.

Interesting choices and I 'may' have some copies of kit funf as well, you can't beat a bit of scratch-building. I'll echo @MARADER about the turret on the Italeri kit it would be worth a few minutes to sort out the issues bearing in mind the work you are putting in. But it's your pack of Tiggies after all. @Enzo the Magnificent has been a bad influence on you although kit retailers probably worship him for the trade they get as a result.

I have a solution for you when you box in the voids under the grilles leave a very slight gap on the front side just below the deck. Paint everything black. When dry put some making or insulation tape on the inside of the grille then add the boxes below. When you've finished painting get a grip of the tape through the turret opening and pull gently and it's done. The tiny slot won't let in enough light to matter. For extra benefit apply the exterior colour at an angle leaving the bottom of the slats black which really makes them pop. I've found green Scotchbrite is perfect for final polishing of bare styrene especially if used wet with a drop of washing up liquid. The finish matches most kit surfaces making an even paint finish easier.

I hope you haven't jinxed the build with those words! 😮 Etch rivets?!? The only thing I can see going wrong is madness consuming you. Like the double build idea and I hope they both go well.

Good choice of subject, when the kit is all styrene I agree with you completely but I find the metal tubs a real mojo destroyer. Hope it keeps going well for you.

Good to see an old model getting a chance at completion too. That's some very nice work so far.

I think you're safe about the '1/35' and 'Made in Korea' bits and the rest isn't in German so best all gone We're all committed here it's just that some hide it better. Possibly a safe option at this stage 'Wise men learn from the experience of others' and all that.

Nice choice! Check the tracks as they 'may' not be quite up to scratch there were issues at various times with them disintegrating if looked at too closely. There are several photos of all grey Tigers in service so I think you're good to go, the heavy tank battalions were kept quite busy and several grey Tigers are frollicking in the snow. Superb paintwork as always too.

Greetings Tiger fans. Managed to make a start on this and being brave I started by destroying the major parts of a poor, defenceless, model kit I started dumbly by cutting off the sponson floor horizontally on the left meaning a bit of rectification work which I avoided on the RHS by cutting vertically. I can hear my former metal work teacher having a fit right now.... Just in case I needed motivation I then butchered carefully removed the side and nose parts before enlarging the turret mount to take the Tamiya Porsche Tiger turret, finally, I removed the front hull roof ready to modify the fit a bit later. Having made my tea I then spent twenty minutes finding both roof parts where Sushi the Super cat had moved them to. That achieved I made up bulkheads as shown and then cut the new side plates from 1.5mm sheet which I dare to warp or bow. The Skybow plastic is quite soft so a bit of bracing will be a good idea and I had an off-cut that will just cover my needs. Everything attacked so far. In the only clear space on my bench, I have joined a challenge elsewhere to built a model without tidying the bench at any stage - I may come to regret this bold move. As the pesky Huns were still relying on strong language to deter sneaky tank hunters the Nahverteidigungswaffe was barely a gleam in anybody's eye at this stage only arriving in March 1944. It was carefully removed from the Tamiya turret which will be replaced by the two triple mount grenade launchers on the turret front still in use in May 1943 production. The S-Mine dischargers couldn't really have worked as the is literally nowhere to mount them clear of the turret footprint. The radio aerial needs some thought too. One thing I want to incorporate is the Feifel air filters which could be made to work I shall see what can be done. The tropen scheme was applied to vehicles intended for southern Russia Grossdeutschland, LAH, Das Reich, and Totenkopf were certainly issued them but there's no way I'll be using those markings so I'll be checking on Heavy Panzer Battalions operating in the area. One tiny fly in the ointment is that upon checking I have the wrong photoetch and gun barrel for this vehicle so I shall be making a carefully considered purchase on pay day. By then I hope to have learned all about Tiger roadwheels, got the basic hull together, and a stretch goal to get the Fiefel system sorted out. Thanks for reading and I hope your build is going well.

That's adorable!! Assembly instructions HERE show the engine as a separate part so conversion would be simpler unless they are planning the HC-102 later. All things considered it was/is a remarkable achievement for the local aviation industry. EDIT: Found a pretty good walkround HERE and it is the ONLY Czech designed mass produced helicopter apparently.