60-tonne Porsche

[Kiwikitbasher]

This 1/72 scale Dragon kit that represents Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P) Tiger Fgst.Nr. 150013 as it appeared for Eastern front use in 1944, but sadly lacks the zimmerit coating applied to it. I decided my Porsche Tiger would be a development prototype as trialled in 1942. I wanted to use as many kit components as possible (something I initially failed to do as I shall explain later). The figures are by Ceasar and represent the crew taking a breather and chatting about the new Porsche design.

My prototype needed to have the higher roof turret without the raised section for gun depression clearance (as adopted for production) had to be a version with four rather than eight-spoke sprockets and idlers so I could use the kit parts (most VI (P)s seemed to have had eight-spokes).  I settled on building Fgst.Nr. 150013 without the additional frontal armour and zimmerit. I scratch-built a new glacis, and the front face with driver's visor and hull-mounted machine gun. Once all of this was in place I glanced at the kit sprues which are a mish-mash of three other Dragon kits - the Ferdinand, Henschel Tiger and Bergepanzer Tiger (P) parts. On closer inspection, this last kit provided me with ready-made bow parts and driver's visor, so I ripped off my bits and kept just the hull machine gun mount I had made.  As far as I can tell, the other adjustments from the kit version I needed to make were to remove and also avoid using some track-guard supports, towing attachments and smoke-grenade dischargers (just their brackets were needed), and I had to mount the lights in a different position.

 

Some of the crew's 43-pattern forage caps may not be quite right, certainly not for the 1942 trials. However, this prototype was completed in October 1942 and went on to be modified for operational use in Russia in 1944, so continued trials in 1943 are a distinct possibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Buzby061]

Nicely done.

 

To my eyes it's an odd looking beggar. The turret seems to be too big for the body, the rear end of which has a touch of Valentine about it. Or is it just me?

 

Pete

[Kiwikitbasher]

The sloped rear is reminiscent of a Valentine's, and the forward position of the turret is a bit unusual as it's even further forward than a T-34's.

[Rumblestripe]

Nice model.

 

The "design" is an odd looking thing, the main body looks like someone drew an engine and crew compartment and then dropped a cuboid over the lot, stuck, some tracks on each side and a turret on the top... "yeah, that'll do, schnapps anyone?"

[Kiwikitbasher]

46 minutes ago, Rumblestripe said:

Nice model.

 

The "design" is an odd looking thing, the main body looks like someone drew an engine and crew compartment and then dropped a cuboid over the lot, stuck, some tracks on each side and a turret on the top... "yeah, that'll do, schnapps anyone?"

The Porsche Cayenne of the tank-world perhaps?

[malpaso]

1 hour ago, Kiwikitbasher said:

The Porsche Cayenne of the tank-world perhaps?

Only this is significantly better designed than that ghastly-looking car!

Edited October 28, 2018 by malpaso

[Bill.B]

You’re being very kind, I’d say the Cayenne infinitely worse than ‘ghastly’! 🤮