Tiger I Ausf E (Late)

[Foxbat]

I looked at the stash - nestling there minding their own business were a Sturmtiger, a Ferdinand and a King Tiger. Two of them were 1/100, my usual GB armour scale. The other was a massive 1/76 monster. They're not really very Tigerish though. Need something with a bit of heft, some presence, something that captures the essence of how much of a game changing behemoth these things were at the time. 

 

Another consideration is finish; my last German armour suffered from a lack of zimmerit and a weedy paint job. No excuses this time. I went with this kit specifically because there is a zimmerit set for it that I've seen others on BM get good results from. 

 

Finally, I wanted something Eastern front, both to balance out my D Day build, and because the Great Patriotic War has always fascinated me (is there an etymological connection between being intrigued and a bundle of sticks used to fill trenches? A Google for another day perhaps). I found something perfect in Hannant's special offers section. My D Day build will be a Polish vehicle in the west. My build here will be a German in that part of East Prussia soon to become Poland. That symmetry appeals.

 

Anyhoo, enough waffle, here's what I'm building (library pictures only until the 18th):

 

This Tiger

 

With this zimmerit

 

 Using one of the first two schemes from  this sheet

 

Andy

All excited

Edited May 15, 2019 by Foxbat
Smelling korrections

[Ozzy]

Welcome Andy, a nice change in scale. Not built a 1/48 kit yet but I have used the zimmerit before, that goes on very nicely. I’m still undecided on unit yet for my eastern front build.

[Robert Stuart]

Sounds interesting, balancing your D-Day build against your Tiger build - that is an appealing project mix.

[SleeperService]

I've focused on the Skybow/AFV Club Tiger I family but the Tamiya kit will be a certain workable alternative. At the very least I'd suggest photo-etch engine grills (Hauler does a set).

 

If you don't want to splash cash on a metal barrel then I suggest putting the rear in a drill chuck, steadying the front with a cocktail stick or similar, spinning it slowly with a fine filing stick lightly held against the barrel. Keep it moving in one direction only (else the centre gets twice as much attention as each end), and viola a lovely round barrel with a great finish for paint. 

Next trick is to mask off behind the muzzle break and slap Mr Surfacer or similar over the brake. When tacky remove the tape. When completely dry remove the surfacer from the machined surfaces. The kit break is the right size but looks skinny because of the very smooth surface.

 

Trust me that those two mods will make a huge improvement to the finished item.

 

I'll be very interested in how the H-Models decals work out. I took one for the team with Peddinghaus's variable print quality (buy only if you can check them first, especially yellow areas). As I'm at the mercy of Universal Credit due to ill-health funds are tight.

[Foxbat]

3 hours ago, SleeperService said:

I've focused on the Skybow/AFV Club Tiger I family but the Tamiya kit will be a certain workable alternative. At the very least I'd suggest photo-etch engine grills (Hauler does a set).

 

If you don't want to splash cash on a metal barrel then I suggest putting the rear in a drill chuck, steadying the front with a cocktail stick or similar, spinning it slowly with a fine filing stick lightly held against the barrel. Keep it moving in one direction only (else the centre gets twice as much attention as each end), and viola a lovely round barrel with a great finish for paint. 

Next trick is to mask off behind the muzzle break and slap Mr Surfacer or similar over the brake. When tacky remove the tape. When completely dry remove the surfacer from the machined surfaces. The kit break is the right size but looks skinny because of the very smooth surface.

 

Trust me that those two mods will make a huge improvement to the finished item.

 

I'll be very interested in how the H-Models decals work out. I took one for the team with Peddinghaus's variable print quality (buy only if you can check them first, especially yellow areas). As I'm at the mercy of Universal Credit due to ill-health funds are tight.

The review I read said that the Tamiya was a nice kit but second to the Skybow one everywhere except the tracks. What swung it was my LMS having the Tamiya in stock plus them having had a 20% off sale pretty much since the day they opened. 

 

I've never used PE before, but this may be the place to start. I've just splashed out on an RB metal barrel in the meantime as that sounded like a lot less work than doing things to the plastic one. It looks gorgeous, be a shame to paint it.

 

Was on UC for a couple of months, really REALLY not fun. Hope you get your health sorted and get off it soon.

 

Andy

[PlaStix]

Hi Andy. Good to see you here and great to see one of these Tamiya 1/48 Tigers being made. I'm going to build the Skybow Tiger 1 (late) so it will be interesting to see the comparison between the two kits.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

[Badder]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 7:47 PM, Foxbat said:

(is there an etymological connection between being intrigued and a bundle of sticks used to fill trenches? A Google for another day perhaps).

 

In 22 AD, the Roman Centurion Rammstein Metallicus launched a surprise attack on an encampment of Vandals who'd though themselves safe on a  low hillock hidden within a reedy marsh. When the chief of the Vandals saw the Romans turn up on horseback, he was transfixed, utterly stunned, and incredulous. and marvelled at their seemingly impossible feat of crossing said marsh.

'Urg! How in the name of all the gods did you get across?' He asked, as he was clapped in irons.

Metallicus replied 'Magicus'.

Only later did the amateur Celt historian Tony Robins-son find remains of brushwood matting laid across the marsh.

 

 

 

Latin: Fascinatus, past participle of Fascinare - bewitch, enchant, charm, spell.

 

Fascine: Rough bundle of brushwood or other material used for strengthening an earthen structure, or making a path across uneven or wet terrain. Typical uses are protecting the banks of streams from erosion, covering marshy ground and so on. In war they are often used to create paths for tanks and other vehicles across uneven terrain.

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Badder

[Foxbat]

2 minutes ago, Badder said:

 

In 22 AD, the Roman Centurion Rammstein Metallicus launched a surprise attack on an encampment of Vandals who'd though themselves safe on a  low hillock hidden within a reedy marsh. When the chief of the Vandals saw the Romans turn up on horseback, he was transfixed, utterly stunned, and incredulous. and marvelled at their seemingly impossible feat of crossing said marsh.

'Urg!' He asked, as he was clapped in irons.

Metallicus replied 'Magicus'.

Only later did the amateur Celt historian Tony Robins-son find remains of brushwood matting laid across the marsh.

 

 

 

Latin: Fascinatus, past participle of Fascinare - bewitch, enchant, charm, spell.

 

Fascine: Rough bundle of brushwood or other material used for strengthening an earthen structure, or making a path across uneven or wet terrain. Typical uses are protecting the banks of streams from erosion, covering marshy ground and so on. In war they are often used to create paths for tanks and other vehicles across uneven terrain.

 

 

I'm glad somebody else has a mind that works like mine. Even better when they can build stories like that with it  

 

Andy

Fascine-ated

[German Armour]

Hmmmm. I have the same tiger. I'll be interested too see how it turns out!  

[Foxbat]

First off, a view of what's in the box - lots of lovely Caramac coloured plastic plus 4 poly caps (can you still get Caramacs? Job for tomorrow, to find out and hunt one down).

 

 

There are two identical sprues of running gear and tracks, so I started with them and gave them an initial coat of thinned paint. I've read a few threads on BM recently on the metallurgy of tracks, and how the particular alloy of steel used is basically brown - shiny where it gets worn, dull where it doesn't but brown none the less - never silver. So I used Vallejo Game Colour 72060 Tinny Tin as my base. It'll get washes and drybrushes galore before its done, but it gives a good base.

 

 

That's where I'm leaving it for tonight. Unless I get a sudden urge to build that Jagdtiger between now and bed time  

 

Andy

[Ozzy]

Nice start Andy.

[Foxbat]

There's now a brown and an 'oil' (actually more like petrol blue) was over the tracks. While I was painting the cubs, I also splashed a bit of Tamiya XF60 over everything on the sprue that isn't tracks and then gave that a sepia wash to bring out the detail. I'm not sure where to go next with the tracks now - in my usual scale what I've done to them so far would be plenty but these ones are crying out for... something. Any suggestions would be useful.

 

 

Andy

Flummoxed

[PlaStix]

Well you are certainly making good progress with the wheels and tracks - the detail seems to show very nicely under your washes.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Robert Stuart]

18 hours ago, Foxbat said:

in my usual scale what I've done to them so far would be plenty but these ones are crying out for... something. Any suggestions would be useful.

Depends how far you want to go Andy, your wheels look good as they are.  IMO, start assembling the model, and work out what you want when you see it in a more complete state.

 

Try digging out images of the real Tigers in action, and take inspiration from those (this is just one of six pages of ideas on just one site http://www.alanhamby.com/gallery4.shtml).

There are good images on the Bundesarchiv site:  https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de - that is a bit quirky to operate, just remember to type 'Tiger' (or whatever) into the search bar, and enter the year(s) you are interest in.

 

Or for a more creative (read extreme) approach, take a look at what @Badder does in his builds

 

and also his Nashorn in the Pz IV GB

 

[Foxbat]

12 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

Depends how far you want to go Andy, your wheels look good as they are.  IMO, start assembling the model, and work out what you want when you see it in a more complete state.

 

Try digging out images of the real Tigers in action, and take inspiration from those (this is just one of six pages of ideas on just one site http://www.alanhamby.com/gallery4.shtml).

There are good images on the Bundesarchiv site:  https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de - that is a bit quirky to operate, just remember to type 'Tiger' (or whatever) into the search bar, and enter the year(s) you are interest in.

 

Or for a more creative (read extreme) approach, take a look at what @Badder does in his builds

 

and also his Nashorn in the Pz IV GB

 

I've followed Badder's builds and he's given me a lot of ideas. I think I'm just struggling for a final vision, especially as I like my tanks hot and dusty rather than cold and muddy. Maybe I just answered my own question?

 

I'm off to follow your links for a while, see where I end up.

 

Andy

Research monkey

[Foxbat]

Bingo!! It's not a late model, but this is what I had in mind. Summer heat and dust rather than winter mud. 

 

The first few pictures at the top of this page: Dusty Tiger

 

Andy

[Hewy]

On 18/05/2019 at 22:26, Foxbat said:

can you still get Caramacs?

"Cor" they were delicious weren't they,  back in the day, a bit of spare pocket money that was left after buying  the next frog model kit on my list , and it was spent on caramacs and parma violels, and depending if it was a twin engine job or a fighter there might be a bit left over for a few blacjacks, anyway I digress, I haven't got any of these 48th tamiya armour kits but they do look really good👍

[Foxbat]

Today's work. The instructions with the decals show all four of this unit's tanks wit the hull sides (and only the sides) painted black. I've never seen that before and I haven't seen any photographs to support it, but it's there in all the illustrations, and the black is on their paint list so it isn't just a printing error.

 

So, I added three brackets, sacrificed one to the carpet monster, stuck on the drive and idler wheel mounts and painted everything black. Then I added the the wheels to one side, which took long enough that that's me for tonight. 

 

 

I've a dinner date tomorrow, so see you all on Thursday for the next exciting installment.

 

Andy

Multitasking

[Ozzy]

Nice progress Andy, hope your dinner date went well.

[Foxbat]

Today has been a bit of a curate's egg modelling wise. The upper hull pretty much fell together because it's Tamiya. The zimmerit stickers wrere a piece of cake to work with, even for someone as ham fisted as me - a little patience and a new scalpel blade made short work of the big, simple shapes for the hull.

 

Those tracks though. They fought me every inch of the way and to be honest, so far they're winning hands down. There are 10 individual links that go round the drive sprocket and idler. There are no positive connections, either between links, or between links and wheels so everything is bodged and wonky. I dare not sneeze near it for fear the whole lot will fly apart. Also, each time I try to add a link, everything else moves, so I'm reduced to adding one at each end every couple of hours in the hope that what's there will set. Can I have my  rubber bands back please  

 

Anyway, this is where I am tonight. I've left everything to settle while I blitz build a Dingo and I'll come back fresh tomorrow.

 

 

Andy

Edited May 26, 2019 by Foxbat

[Badder]

On ‎5‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 2:31 PM, Robert Stuart said:

 

Or for a more creative (read extreme) approach, take a look at what @Badder does in his builds

Whilst I am very flattered to find my recent builds being 'advertised' in this way, I couldn't say that I knew what I was doing in any of them!🤣

Yes, I can glue parts together and, when highly motivated, do some conversions to make the model more interesting (My 'Pit Stop' Sherman being an example)  And yes, I can put some paint on and do some 'standard' weathering, using the normal techniques, and end up with something that lookse  adequate.

 

But I wouldn't advise anyone to follow my 'more creative (read extreme) approach' (Thanks for that @Robert Stuart) Even I wouldn't be able to 'copy' what I do! My 'approach' is best described as 'throw things at it and see how it turns out, and if it doesn't work, take most of it off and shove another layer on until I like what I see' In truth, I have no idea what something is going to look like until I've done it.

 

But, Andy, what you've done so far is looking good and 'right' and I'm sure your Hot and dusty Tiger will look great!

Mud is not easy, but if you want to learn how to do it well, I'd advise looking at @PlaStix's work rather than mine!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

btw your last photo isn't showing (not to me, anyway)

 

[Foxbat]

Badder, your 'suck it and see then have another go' approach sounds a lot like the one I have honed over years of figure painting. Glad I'm in such good company. As to mud, so many people do it so much better than me I'm trying to avoid it and carve my own niche - helped by desert schemes being my favourite.

 

On to the Tiger, and I have one track complete. I have three single links left over which shouldn't have happened and I'm not sure about the sit of the top run, but I have a complete track so I'll take that for now. The excess glue did some damage to the sprocket so a little mud might happen yet  

 

I also got the last pieces of the top hull tub on and added the etched screens so I can get into adding detail. This is how it sits tonight.

 

 

Andy

[Ozzy]

Nice work Andy, your left over track sounds like me doing DIY furniture.

[PlaStix]

Hi Andy. Shame you had such problems with the tracks. Link and length tracks don't suit everyone. As you said - mud can sometimes be your friend!

Kind regards,

Stix 

[Yetifan]

Hi @Foxbat i share your pain with the tracks on my Tamiya Tiger. Just about the mot aggravating and frustrating build to date. i’ve managed to get one side on without a complete meltdown but am really not looking forward to the other side.

 

 

So hopefully the model will survive my next go at it. It’s such a shame because the rest of the build went fine even the zimmerit stickers went pretty well.

 

Will follow the rest of the build with interest 🙂