[A3driver]

Hello.

In addition to the '1/72 Super Heavy Tank Maus with Testbed at Böblingen "Ready to Test"' (DRR 60323) mentioned before there will be another 1/35 King Tiger Henschel Turret w/Zimmerit, this time belonging to 3./s.Pz.Abt.506, Western Front 1945 (DRR 61011)


Quote: "It even features delicately detailed engine mesh screens made from photo-etched metal."

Well, let's see...

[Mr. Football]

What was the first 1/35 King Tiger?

[A3driver]

1/35 King Tiger Henschel Turret w/Zimmerit, s.Pz.Abt.506, Ardennes 1945, DRR 61008


Not in the shops yet, as far as I know.

[Martin Baker]

Where the best place to buy these 1/35 king tigers ?

[A3driver]

Originally Posted by Martin Baker

Where the best place to buy these 1/35 king tigers ?

If you are looking for mail order in the UK you could try TankZone.co.uk (I bought several models there in the last years and was never disappointed), but there are certainly lots of other dealers unknown to me.

[chascbv]

Hello.

The first three models (initial-production Tigers) in this 1/35th-scale range were extremely good - I bought the DAK version, tactical number 142, and compared it to the existing pictures of the real thing. The replica's accuracy is outstanding, even down to field-applied modifications. While the Tiger by Minichamps is all metal, it is nowhere near Dragon's model accuracy-wise, not to mention Minichamps' blatant error in the positioning of the sprocket with respect to the road wheels!

However, the next issues by Dragon are not on a par with the aforementioned Tigers. Elefants lack zimmerit (all Elefants had zimmerit; no Ferdinands had it, a basic fact that seems to escape Dragon designers' attention) and have ill-fitting soft tracks (according to pictures); these upcoming King Tigers have no track-hangers on their turrets (only the initial handful of Henschel-turreted King Tigers produced during June 1944 lacked such hangers, but had them retrofitted by November), a very obvious feature (especially with track links in place) in the real tanks.

These models are rather expensive, and I feel Dragon should pay greater attention to both historical and technical accuracy with these ones.

Hope this helps!

[mikeb1958]

Since the MAUS was not really operational, I would think that one 'type' would be enough or even too much. Do not think the sales are there for that, but who knows. Ugly looking bugger with no gun. Not for me. Looks like a large "Hilter mobile", maybe like the "Pope mobile". If the crowd didn't like him, just roll them over.

[Martin Baker]

Originally Posted by chascbv

Hello.

The first three models (initial-production Tigers) in this 1/35th-scale range were extremely good - I bought the DAK version, tactical number 142, and compared it to the existing pictures of the real thing. The replica's accuracy is outstanding, even down to field-applied modifications. While the Tiger by Minichamps is all metal, it is nowhere near Dragon's model accuracy-wise, not to mention Minichamps' blatant error in the positioning of the sprocket with respect to the road wheels!

However, the next issues by Dragon are not on a par with the aforementioned Tigers. Elefants lack zimmerit (all Elefants had zimmerit; no Ferdinands had it, a basic fact that seems to escape Dragon designers' attention) and have ill-fitting soft tracks (according to pictures); these upcoming King Tigers have no track-hangers on their turrets (only the initial handful of Henschel-turreted King Tigers produced during June 1944 lacked such hangers, but had them retrofitted by November), a very obvious feature (especially with track links in place) in the real tanks.

These models are rather expensive, and I feel Dragon should pay greater attention to both historical and technical accuracy with these ones.

Hope this helps!

Not all Elefants had zimmmeit fitted & it was only put on after the battle Kurst
A good book on the Elefant is combat history of the german heavy anti tank unit 653 & it has loads of photos of the tank

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Martin Baker

Not all Elefants had zimmmeit fitted & it was only put on after the battle Kurst
A good book on the Elefant is combat history of the german heavy anti tank unit 653 & it has loads of photos of the tank

I thought that only Ferdinands served at Kursk where their lack of machine guns for defence made them extremely vulnerable to infantry assault. Later the Ferdinands were upgraded to Elefants and MGs were fitted ... I think?

[chascbv]

Well, I think Cardinal is right.

According to all references I know of, the tank was initially nicknamed "Ferdinand" (after Ferdinand Porsche), and it was Ferdinands that served at Kursk. One of their shortcomings was their lack of a close support weapon to fight enemy infantry off; another area of concern was their lack of a commander's cupola.

After Kursk and a brief tour of duty at the Dniepr front, all surviving Ferdinands were recalled and subjected to a number of modifications at the works in Austria. There Ferdinands received (1) a machine gun for close support at the front of their hulls, (2) a commander's cupola replacing the previous hatch, and allowing the tank commander to see the world outside without risking his head, and (3) their characteristic coat of zimmerit paste; tanks so modified were officially designated "Elefant", and went on to serve in Italy and the Eastern Front. These changes took place between October 1943 and early 1944.

Zimmerit was one of the factory-applied changes that turned Ferdinands (no MG, no cupola) into Elefants (MG, cupola). A review of photographic evidence clearly reveals the association of cupolas with zimmerit (all Elefants had zimmerit!); in contrast, all photographs of Ferdinands (no cupola, no MG, as at Kursk) - as far as I know - show zimmerit-less surfaces, and references consider that no zimmerit was ever field-applied to Ferdinands before their conversion to Elefants (no Ferdinands had zimmerit!).

I encourage you to review all photographic evidence available to you in books or the Web to refute or confirm this information; at least for me this sort of research means a lot of fun!