medium scale build - Tiger I

[Softscience]

I'm a chronic sufferer of "grass is always greener" syndrome. The moment I began working on my 72nd scale panther, I began to want to work on my 1/35 scale Tiger.

So I did just that.

Here are the first stirrings of my Tamiya Tiger then. The kit is well engineered and simple to build. The level of detail is not superb, but decent enough.

I began by roughening up the armored plates on the sides and on the glacis. This was done simply by coating them in liquid cement and then stippling and scouring with an old tooth brush.

Step two was to attach the fenders and bang them up a bit. This was done simply by slowly bending them with a pair of pliers wrapped in masking tape. The tape was used to prevent the texture from the pliers from being imprinted onto the plastic.

Like I said. This is pretty simple work. I started this around 7PM, had time for a 2.5 mile run, then came back and kept at it. It is now 11:35 PM.

Not that this is a blitzbau or anything.




Tomorrow I'll probably work on the lil' panther.

[ShaunW]

It's nice to see another Tamiya Tiger in 1/35th. This however looks to be a much newer rendition than my old stager!

[spitfire1677]

I really like what you have done to the side skirts great start

Regards

Chris

[Softscience]

Moving along fast.

Went out to a lake in the morning, but have been building for the last 6 hours! :o

The hull is largely complete. I still need to add the air-cleaner mechanisms and hoses, as well as the tow wires and lamps.

The PE grills fit pretty good, and I added a few generic PE clasps I had to some of the tools. I didn't have enough for all of them, so I added only to the ones where it should be most obvious. Although looking at this photo, they're not terribly visible anyway.

[Chris]

You are making excellent progress on it.

My workshop was too hot today, stayed out of it.

[Softscience]

Turret is on the way.

Not as much time to build today, but I did manage to get the two piece barrel glued and filled in the AM, and cleaned up and attached in the PM.

The Feifel air filter system, and a few bits and bobs will get attached after work tomorrow. Then it will be ready for priming.

[ShaunW]

That is coming together nicely and I can see improvements between this kit and my '70's version in some of the detail, though surprisingly the old stager holds up quite well - hopefully the tracks in your kit will be somewhat improved!

[Dirkpitt289]

Ralph that thing is HUGE!!!!

(And don't tell me that that's not the first time you've heard those words)

[Softscience]

Not really. My laptop is just small. It's one of those tiny Asus notebooks that were all the rage a few years back.

It's actually my mother-in-law's

My laptop died last fall.

Will be replacing it with a real pc sometime soon.

[ntrocket88]

Off to a good start!

[Softscience]

Work has been keeping me away from modeling most of the week, but today I was finally able to start priming the tiger. The first coat went on a bit grainy in spots. I had to stop midway through the job, as I was spraying outside, and it began to rain.

I'm sanding down the very grainy spots and will spray on a second coat of primer in the morning.

[Clashcityrocker]

Looking good. I like the bends and nicks in the side skirts, they'd be the first things to get damaged I reckon.

Nigel

[Softscience]

Thanks Nigel. I figure light wear and tear like that add some life to the model.

So do figures. Unfortunately I'm still learning how to paint ok looking figures. Sometimes I get it right, more often than not, I don't.

Here is Herr Komander's head. It's looking ok so far.

[Softscience]

Base coated and green camoed.

I lightened the colors a whole bunch, as I expect the filters and washes will darken things somewhat.



The fun parts are just ahead, but unfortunately I'll be traveling for work during most of the week, so I probably won't get back to the bench for some time. :(

[Old_Tonto]

Turning out real nice soft. I was just looking at this kit with my son in Hobbycraft and we both fancied it but couldn't think of a way to sneak it past his Mum!

Watching with interest.