Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

The Battle of Kursk, Operation Citadel. Any participating German or Russian aircraft, armor, figure, etc.
Runs July 5th to August 18th, the approximate dates of the main battle.
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Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

Here we go then with the venerable Tamiya Tiger I. There's a lot of talk about Classic British Kits on here, well here is a Classic Japanese one. This example dates from 1970 according to the base of the hull and this is not the most accurate Tiger I now available with, I think, errors to the lower hull sides and the profile of the turret. Looks enough like a Tiger to satisfy me though and I last built one of these back in the late '70's. Contents shots will follow at the start of the build.

Image

This should be enough to put the wind up the crew of Chris' T-34 :grin:
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Chris »

I built that same kit many moons ago, seemed pretty accurate to me! :)

Going for an SS machine or for one of Tiger brigades?
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

Chris wrote:I built that same kit many moons ago, seemed pretty accurate to me! :)

Going for an SS machine or for one of Tiger brigades?
I usually try to avoid the SS and will probably try and cobble together markings for one of the brigades. However, if I can't avoid it, then I'll more than likely go for a machine belonging to the 2nd SS Panzer Division "Das Reich" as I've got some piccies in one of my few books as far as I can recall - time is of the essence for me here as we are going on holiday during the last week of this GB (damned poor timing, I know :grin: )

I think this kit was considered accurate back in the day Chris but IIRC there are errors in the hull and turret, which Tamiya subsequently addressed in their later versions. Still, I think this old stager will build up into a nice enough replica and it only cost me about £11.00 a few years ago when I think the later steel wheeled version was about £35.00! When I was a lad, this was quite a dream kit, as in fact were most of the Tamiya range as they were quite expensive. I only received kits like this on special occasions - read Christmas and birthdays!
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Chris »

I understand about the SS, but they were the only divisions to get Tigers, the Heer only used em in brigades.

Of course for Kursk, actual unit markings are not needed as most german tanks didn't have them, in fact usually only the lead commander's tank recieved division signs, usually they were omitted or camoed over on most operational tanks. You will find the national markings and numbers though.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

Chris wrote: Of course for Kursk, actual unit markings are not needed as most german tanks didn't have them, in fact usually only the lead commander's tank recieved division signs, usually they were omitted or camoed over on most operational tanks. You will find the national markings and numbers though.
Of course, I hadn't thought about that. I can get away with crosses and turret numbers. I'll have a good old scan of my books and Google Images before the build starts proper for me at the weekend.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by BWP »

Depending on how much accuracy you want to go for, you'll need to double-check what the kit offers vs. what Tigers at Kursk actually offered. I'm sure there's plenty of appropriate research out there! At Kursk the Tiger was still a relatively new machine and I'd be willing to bet that the Tamiya kit made use of whatever information they could get -- the Tiger at Bovington is a very early machine, for instance, and a lot of available photographs were probably of lots of different versions. I couldn't say exactly what the difference might be though -- I've not built a Tiger kit in any scale since I was a boy, so have never bothered to study them. Also, Tamiya kits from the '70s were very much "eehh, good enough" most of the time -- plenty of their contemporary kits are rife with dimensional errors, it would be surprising if there were none on this one as well.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Softscience »

By the time of Kursk, the particularities of the REALLY early tigers (small turret bins, square exhaust shields, etc.) were gone. The Tigers at Kursk had much of what one expects on the standard early production tiger. I don't recall all of the particulars on the old Tamiya kit. But here is a list of major things that come to mind.

-no loader's periscope (get rid of the small "[" shaped hood in front of the loader's hatch if the kit has it (the square hatch on the turret).
-rubber rimmed road-wheels
-narrow track (should not extend far outboard of the wheel rims)
-a length of spare track usually carried on the front glacis (the part between the wheels)
-typically NO spare track on the turret sides.

Some tanks had S-mine dispensers on the hull top
I've also seen many photos of tanks with the smoke generators removed from the turret sides, but with the brackets left on.

If I recall, there was some grumbling about the shape of the turret, but don't quote me on that.

You may also choose to get some PE mesh screens to go over the engine grills. The mesh was pretty standard. There are inexpensive PE sets available that include just the screens. It goes a long way to improving the look of the kit.

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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

Many thanks for taking the time to give me some additional info here boys, it is really appreciated. What I intend to do here (which may of course be different to what I actually do :grin: ) is to pretty much build this OOB as a bit of classic '70's armour modelling and to spend most of the time on the painting and weathering. As it so happens, I did pick up a set of PE mesh screens with this kit in mind from a bargain bin at the Huddersfield show back in February (I can usually be found ferreting through boxes of bits and decals at model shows, looking for stuff that might come in handy for kits in the stash) and although the screens are not specifically designed for this kit, hopefully I can persuade them to fit!
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

OK classic Tiger fans, here's what's in the box:

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The parts are not too bad really considering that the kit was released some 43 years ago. There is some texture on the upper hull and turret parts and as you can see, the lower hull has cut-outs and battery holders as the kit was also offered in motorised form back in the day. I may or may not fill the various holes in the hull floor - it depends whether I feel lazy or not. The tracks are rubber band type and, typical for the year of manufacture, feature detail only on their outer faces. As you can see, there are also two crew figures provided and two lengths of vinyl tubing to represent the air cleaner tubes. Decals are classic old Tamiya, a little glossy and a little on the thick side but they should be useable enough.

And here's what's not in the box:

PE engine deck mesh from E.T. Model, picked up from an odds and sods box at Huddersfield show earlier this year. As you can see the mesh is really designed to fit a mid or late production vehicle as kitted by Dragon. I hope I will be able to persuade the set to fit this kit too as the engine mesh is such a characteristic feature of these tanks.

Image

And my sole reference book on the subject from Vanguard, which is a useful title and features colour plates, descriptive analysis of the differences between the various production types and brief synopses of the main units that deployed the vehicle.

Image

Right, I've got some chores to do now but hopefully I'll find some time to get started this afternoon.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Chris »

That kit really brings back memories.

Hard to believe its so old now!
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ntrocket88 »

Chris wrote:I understand about the SS, but they were the only divisions to get Tigers, the Heer only used em in brigades
The Heer's Grossdeutschland Panzergrenadier Division also had a Tiger company in it's Panzer Regiment. And it was loaned the only Panther Regiments in existence at the time (grossly mishandled them too...). Fought as part of the XXXXVIII Panzer Corps with Army Group South, on the left flank of the SS Panzer Corps at Kursk. Not sure if they kept their famous 'Stahlhelm' emblem as most other Panzer Divisions had to use temporary ones for Kursk. Hope this helps.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by ShaunW »

Cheers Neil. I've been on Google Images regarding the Grossdeutschland and photos seem to suggest that the Stahlhelm was not applied to their Kursk Tigers. In any event, I'll keep on researching markings for the period.

Jeez, but it's hot here in North of Blighty for a change! I did manage some time at the bench despite the heat (never let it be said that I don't suffer for my art :grin: ) and have assembled the main hull parts. This hull, despite its 43 years, was a sight better to assemble than the Italeri/Zvezda SU-100 that I built the other month. A little filler is required here and there but overall I'm pleased with the way it went together.

Image

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I've begun to fit out the rear hull plate and am currently cleaning up the air cleaner housings. The exhausts are done though and I've applied a few dings to the exhaust shrouds using a small triangular section file. On the full-size, these shrouds were thin sheet metal and were easily damaged, I've noticed that otherwise quite pristine Tigers seem to exhibit some damage in this area.

Image

So far, so good then. Thanks for looking.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by spitfire1677 »

Coming along nicely Shaun :grin: I have a soft spot for WWII German armour, especially Tigers and Panthers 8-)

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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Chris »

Even barely built a Tiger looks mean.
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Re: Tamiya 1/35th Tiger I Ausf E (old tool)

Post by Softscience »

the 40+ year old hull doesn't look that much less detailed than the newer hull on my kit. It's not 1:1, but really nothing to sneeze at. I forgot how nice this kit is.
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