KING TIGER EARLY OR LATE TRACKS

[Redcoat2966]

Hi all

 

Just a quick question for any Tiger aficionado.....is there a real big difference in early or late King Tiger tracks from the Porsche produced units...through to the very final model seen in the rubble of Berlin?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Mattlow]

HI

 

I wouldn't say I was an aficionado, but here's a go.

 

Gg 24/800/300 early multipart. Earliest tracks were quite complex 2 link type where two of the joining pieces were separate pieces apparently fitted to the first few non-production "Porsche" turret vehicles. They look quite different. https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10493347/20/1, https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10493346/20/1

 

Gg 24/660/300 transport tracks (narrow) like above but with only a single separate link https://www.bnamodelworld.com/parts-decals-for-1:35-scale-master-club-mtl-35093?zenid=0c48ca06b5d5c74fab53675e2d14128a these were also to be fitted to the Panther II

 

Kgs 26/800/300 later two part - standard cross country track (i.e. there's a treaded link and a joining link) goes with the lesser (12?) toothed driver (can't recall how many teeth) https://www.scalemates.com/kits/masterclub-mtl35095-pzkpfwvi-ausfb-tiger-ii-mid-gg-26-800-300--1078965

 

Kgs 73/800/152 last single part. Late type, single link (i.e. no joining link) goes with the final (18?)  toothed driver.  Can't find an image.

 

They are quite different if you actually look at the tracks and sprockets... so 99% of people generally and probably 80%+ of modellers wouldn't notice.

 

I would decide on a subject, then see what track it had (not all vehicles followed the rules) and decide if you can live with the difference between what's in the box and what it should have. Biggest visual difference I suspect is those machines that ended up fighting with the clearly narrower transport tracks. That includes the 'famous' octopus camo'd KT.

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

[M3talpig]

On 01/01/2021 at 16:35, Redcoat2966 said:

Just a quick question for any Tiger aficionado.....is there a real big difference in early or late King Tiger tracks from the Porsche produced units...through to the very final model seen in the rubble of Berlin?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

Cheers

Sup bud

I have a few pics of the KT's wearing the late tracks and fenders but the Wegmann turrets layout in the takom kit as far as i have been able to tell were never actually fitted they were however delivered to Kassel for a production run shortly before the factory was captured by the U.S......... in all the pics i have of the last production run they all have the standard layout for spare track hangers and otherwise are as you would expect for the KT's......IE they are wearing new style tracks but carry the older twin pin tracks on the turret....as for the 105 option with the sighting bumps ...pure paper panzer.

First run of Porsche used the same tracks as the Ferdinand later Porsche twin pin same as Henschel...the Henschel Tigers used the double pin jobbies...... and late war single pin and twin pin 

 

 

 

Late tracks and fenders standard turret layout                                                                                                                                         Wegmanns at kassel again basically the same turret with new layout for tracks and hoops for camo......

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  never seen them fitted though they also have a simplified rear escape hatch will try and find the pics of that.

  

[Mattlow]

Hi again

 

I am currently researching the very early 'Porsche' turret KTs that fought around Chateaudun. These had the earliest style of tracks with complex links. If you follow this link, third image down has a really good view of the outer edge of this track, showing the two separate links.  Not clear in most images is the fact that there was also a separate link on the inner edge as well. This makes the track look 'frayed' and is quite distinctive. AFAIK all of these machines (5 or 6) of FKL 316 had this style of track - but it was only the first few (10 or so I recall).

 

https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=19525&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=120

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

[Longbow]

Wouldn't you be better off looking at the drive sprocket production dates ?

I wouldn't actually know, as I'm not a KT researcher, at all, really. 

[Longbow]

On 1/1/2021 at 11:35 AM, Redcoat2966 said:

Hi all

 

Just a quick question for any Tiger aficionado.....is there a real big difference in early or late King Tiger tracks from the Porsche produced units...through to the very final model seen in the rubble of Berlin?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Simon, do you have epic of the one you're referencing ?

 

While on the KT, I came across some photo's of the Octopus, that I had never seen before.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cometracer]

I've modelled Tigers II and never noticed the track differences.  Thanks!  One does learn something new every day.

[andy_AUT]

A little bit late, but maybe it is of interest: there is a PDF available, however only in German, which is called "sohlen_der_tiger" (which might be translated to "paws of the tigers"). The link is attached below. This document gives an overview of the different tracks used by Tiger I, Tiger II and their derivatives, including drawings of the tracks. Additionally, a table with the according Friul Model tracks and some references are supplied.

 

https://www.panzer-modell.de/specials/sohlen_der_tiger.pdf

Edited May 30, 2021 by andy_AUT