Another newcomer in my collection, this is Dragon's interpretation of Corporal Bellof's "hybrid" Tiger.
This vehicle pertained to Gruppe Fehrmann, a motley unit of reworked Panthers and Tigers that saw action in Germany in the last few weeks of the war. The paint scheme is controversial, and there is much debate on what the real colour was, with the various experts advocating for Dunkelgrau, Dunkelgrün, and even Dunkelgelb, with or without mottling on top. A British veteran declared that this vehicle "surprised" him in that it was painted dark grey; many doubt the accuracy of veterans' recallings, I do not in this case (especially because it "surprised" him"). The tactical numbers have been also described as red, light red, yellow, and white. My opinion (consistent with that of the above-mentioned veteran) is that they were red. Dragon has used white.
The vehicle is a hybrid consisting of a late running gear and "probably" an early production hull and turret - note the absence of sideskirts, and of stowage bin aft of the turret.
Dragon is still providing Tigers with solid sprockets - the holes are merely depressions in the wheel disc. Also, and despite photographic evidence, Dragon forgot about the (badly chipped) zimmerit that clearly covers both the turret and the hull (which I don't care much about), and also about the track links hanging on the turret sides (which I find irritating!).
Even with its faults, this makes a nice addition to any collection given the vehicle's historical background, and its distinct "hybrid" features; the absent bin and sideskirts, as well as the grey background with both green and brown mottling will make it stand out from other Tigers.
