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KING TIGER (LATE PRODUCTION) + UPGRADES


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Afternoon all. Finally found some time to start a new thread. Been a bit in a rut recently with many ongoing projects and hit a brick wall on a few so decided a nice simple build is in order to get back on track. Decided on a King Tiger (my first) from the stash. I chose this one as on the whole they seem to have minimal detail really, even with the PE upgrade set. Based on some research, many had little left of detail by wars end like fenders and side mudguards etc.....so going that route. Here's the kit itself.....

 

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The kit has the option to build a type with a larger gun and night vision that was never actually built......not realy one for "paper panzers" myself, so stuck with the 88mm version. Now here's an interesting point. The 88mm barrel in the kit has a larger diameter that the Voyager one in the PE upgrade set. Curious.......:wonder:.......so thinking Voyager is more accurate, it'll be the metal upgrade one to use.

 

Here's the PE set I went with. It's for the Tamiya/Dragon KT's....but can't imagine the Takom being that much different.

 

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And of course my favourite track upgrade option, R-Model. Can't fault these, so easy to throw together....all complete in under an hour, both sides.

 

T3cPER9.jpg 

 

As you can see, the set comes with new drive wheels as in fact later KT's had more teeth and the tracks had no non guide horn links. Later models had a guide tooth on all links. I can't imagine it's too much of a stretch to say by war's end with lack of supply of parts to switch back to the earlier drive wheels and tracks.....so that's where I'm going with this one.

 

I ploughed into the build late last week and it flew by, so haven't got many early build pics. So intend to post where I am tomorrow as I've just finished the re-texturing of the armour. Overall, there's isn't much to a KT build, very simple so a speedy build so far.

 

Anyway, that's all for now.

 

Cheers

Simon.

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On 1/12/2022 at 1:18 PM, Lazy Modeller said:

You have plenty of very nice little metal parts to play... watching...

Cheers

LM

 

20 hours ago, Stef N. said:

This looks good so I will follow along. Just veered into using Voyager sets and they're rather nice to work with. All the best in your build. 👍

 

Thanks Gents.....:yes:....and yes Stef, I switched away from Aber and Eduard and mostly go for Voyager and Griffon now. I find them overall better and more comprehensive. As regards the KT, here is where it stands at present prior to weld beads which I am working on at present on the turret. Should be able to pop up some pics later in the week on that stage.

 

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Anyway, off out for the day. 

 

Cheers all...:yes:

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14 hours ago, Redcoat2966 said:

I switched away from Aber and Eduard and mostly go for Voyager and Griffon now

same here almost all my etch is now Voyager...better quality and things like tool clamps are far closer to scale than the Aber stuff...still have some Aber kits but there slowly being replaced as well.

 

Got the same kit myself ...can't make up my mind on doing a late march production or converting like you too the more common KT with the 26/800/300 track.

 

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March prod KT with 73/800/152 track and 18 tooth sprocket also January prod track guards but from what i can see standard prod turret.

 

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Late prod Wegmann turrets on dollys waiting to be fitted...note two groups of six hangers and loops for camo also no ring for commanders MG

 

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Wegmann turret on knocked out KT.....area and company unknown....as far as i have been able to tell out of the last 30 or so KT produced (march) only two wore this turret

 

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Same vehicle as above as far as i can tell.....note no turret numbers and no armoured guards over the air intakes on engine deck...and hard to see but what i think is the standard 9 tooth sprocket and 26/800/300 track

 

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The 73/800/152 single pin tracks were seen on the early "Porsche" turret KT's but i think these were dropped from production because of the bad wear they caused to the 18 tooth sprockets....i think they were later fitted to some march 45 production KT's because of stock shortages

Should be pointed out that these were fitted after the war by the museum but there are pics floating around of both Porsche and Ardennes (pic below) Tigers wearing these single pin 73/800/152 tracks so not really a hallmark of a last prod KT.

 

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As can be seen here were every other tooth is dog legged......and after a very short period of use.

 

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And one of i think was three octopus KT's again 18 tooth sprockets this time with transport tracks and January production track guards and standard prod turret

 

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And from the front ...january track guards and 18 tooth sprockets transport tracks and a standard production turret.....

 

To sum up late production were a mish mash of whatever was left on the line ...most were not numbered (turret numbers)for there units and some as can be seen here were painted in some very unusual patterns and most of the last thirty or so probably came of the line straight to the hands of the crews about to take them into combat.

Also i think the 105mm gun was pure paper panzer territory as i can't find any solid evidence that these were slated for production...probably considered but who knows for sure

I really want to build mine now :rofl:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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20 minutes ago, Lazy Modeller said:

although it seams the suastica was added later

It was...... the original pic does not show that ...can't imagine why the pic was doctored in this way.....strange thing to do...especially since it is back to front for the swastika as we know it meaning it was a religious symbol meaning divinity and spirituality ...think its Hindu but i might be wrong

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2 minutes ago, M3talpig said:

It was the original pic does not show that ...can't imagine why the pic was doctored in this way.....strange thing to do...especially since it is back to front for the swastika as we know it meaning it was a religious symbol meaning divinity and spirituality ...think its Hindu but i might be wrong

I've seen some information about this event, but cant remember where... Sorry.

Cheers

LM

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4 hours ago, M3talpig said:

It was...... the original pic does not show that ...can't imagine why the pic was doctored in this way.....strange thing to do...especially since it is back to front for the swastika as we know it meaning it was a religious symbol meaning divinity and spirituality ...think its Hindu but i might be wrong

Just chucking this out there but....

Could this be the original pic and the doctored one being the one without the swastika??

Sure I've seen other period photos with the reversed swastika or is the photo just reversed?

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3 hours ago, Jasper dog said:

reversed swastika or is the photo just reversed?

photo isn't reversed bud... hull machine guns on the correct side 

 

1 hour ago, Tigerausfb said:

It's the same vehicle, the swastika is just added and painted backwards post-war.

 

Andrew

Well i will take your word on that as you seem absolutely certain......have to say that most of the forums i have read about ole octopussy is that its been added later to the pic...i spose there is also the chance it was removed from the original pic also...would work both ways i guess :D

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9 hours ago, M3talpig said:

photo isn't reversed bud... hull machine guns on the correct side 

Of course it is....:wall:

I'm blaming Mr B Moretti....

 

The more you compare the photos they are identical, to my eye, even down to the position of the thin branches and taken from exactly the same angle. What are the chances of two photos being taken from exactly the same spot under the same  conditions one with and one without a worn swastika?

Does that look like the hull MG is still in situ, weren't those removed fairly quickly once being captured? Again limiting the window for the two pics to be taken.

 

Apologies to Simon for hijacking his thread too btw

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26 minutes ago, Jasper dog said:

Of course it is....:wall:

I'm blaming Mr B Moretti....

 

The more you compare the photos they are identical, to my eye, even down to the position of the thin branches and taken from exactly the same angle. What are the chances of two photos being taken from exactly the same spot under the same  conditions one with and one without a worn swastika?

Does that look like the hull MG is still in situ, weren't those removed fairly quickly once being captured? Again limiting the window for the two pics to be taken.

 

Apologies to Simon for hijacking his thread too btw

 

No problem mate, learning all the way. I do have a question for the more learned of the team who might have better research material..........is this I take it a coaxial MG, or a representation of one.

 

zNPVPPx.jpg

 

The kit makes no allocation for one. Anyone got a pic of actually what it looked like in reality, if it is an MG. The Takom full interior has a co-axial, but nothing visible protruding.....is this correct?....just wanted to check before I go so far that I can't adjust.

 

Cheers

Simon.

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4 hours ago, Redcoat2966 said:

 

No problem mate, learning all the way. I do have a question for the more learned of the team who might have better research material..........is this I take it a coaxial MG, or a representation of one.

 

zNPVPPx.jpg

 

The kit makes no allocation for one. Anyone got a pic of actually what it looked like in reality, if it is an MG. The Takom full interior has a co-axial, but nothing visible protruding.....is this correct?....just wanted to check before I go so far that I can't adjust.

 

Cheers

Simon.

Yeah not sure what that is all about simon but that bears no resemblance to the actual layout for the coaxial.......hope these help ...kinda self explanatory

 

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Basically the MG does not protrude past the turret armour but instead shoots through the aperture in the armour and through a similar aperture in the mantlet ...hope that helps ....this is all from the Jentz Doyle book vk4502 to Tiger II design and production

 

 

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On 1/15/2022 at 1:52 PM, M3talpig said:

Yeah not sure what that is all about simon but that bears no resemblance to the actual layout for the coaxial.......hope these help ...kinda self explanatory

 

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Basically the MG does not protrude past the turret armour but instead shoots through the aperture in the armour and through a similar aperture in the mantlet ...hope that helps ....this is all from the Jentz Doyle book vk4502 to Tiger II design and production

 

 

 

Thanks Steve, appreciate that. Really cleared up the question. Must have been proof of the super accurate production standards in the factory.......make sure the rounds were central to the hole in the mantlet.

 

Thanks again......:yes:

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Well here's an update so far in the project. Sorry for the delay, just small slots of time to push on. 

 

All of the hooks for the spare tracks are on and the weld beads done with all the others at that time. I've just added some more other PE detail like the rain guards on the sight's, so will be in the welding business again tonight if I have some.

 

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Wing nuts added to air vent .........

 

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Added the grills to the vents and then popped on the armour covers......most of the tools and cables will be missing on the final. I might throw a could on the rear deck, see how that looks.

 

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Anyway off to get some welding done...... nite all...:yes:

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On 1/22/2022 at 5:21 PM, vytautas said:

The texture of the armor looks very good. How did you do this?
 All the other details look very good too.

 

Vytautas

 

Thanks chaps for that.....wish I could have had the time to post more of the steps to this stage. Just finished some more PE detail last night and the scratch building of the vapour breather tubes for the fuel tanks.....

 

As regards the texture Vytautas, I used Mr Surfacer 500 with an old brush, then sanding back with very fine wet and dry paper (maybe 800 grit). For that I built a little sanding pad on some old styrene sheet and twin sticked the wet and dry; about 15mm square, as it has to be perfectly flat to get the rolled steel look of some of the big tanks. In my opinion you have to do it a little more pronounced as after priming and painting then weathering it will be subdued. 

 

Regards

Simon.

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Really looking the buisness Simon.

As has already been said the rolled texture and all the little pe detail really brings a lot to your build!

Great work 

Darryl 

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