KingTiger/pantiger build
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This section is for posting a build log of your Heng Long tank.
Questions relating to issues you are having with your tank(s) should be posted in the General Questions forum here: viewforum.php?f=14
This section is for posting a build log of your Heng Long tank.
Questions relating to issues you are having with your tank(s) should be posted in the General Questions forum here: viewforum.php?f=14
KingTiger/pantiger build
Inspiredby a thread about the pantiger upper hull fitting different lower hulls I decided to build something a little different using bits and pieces from other tanks, I decided to build a king pan tiger or what if tank which is kinda similar to some of the VK paper tanks.
I used a Taigen king tiger lower hull and a pan tiger upper hull, I was going to shorten the king tiger hull but decided it would be easier to lengthen the upper hull instead, the Taigen lower is too nicely made to cut up and by lengthening it I could make a heavy tank version which suits me better as I like super heavies the most.
So, the pan tiger upper was sectioned, the turret ring cut out and a heng long king tiger upper was purchased and that too was cut up to donate its turret ring and other sections. The pan tiger upper was lengthened to suit the lower hull, the larger turret ring fitted and the joints filled with model filler. The front glacis plate was modified to fit into the lower hull using the glacis plate off the king tiger upper hull, so the new upper has a continuous slope rather than the stepped front the pan tiger normally has.
The turret needed to be large like a king tiger but somehow different, my first idea was to just modify the king tiger turret until a friend had a pan tiger turret he let me have. By some careful measurement and a bit of imagination I cut the front off the king tiger turret and the back off the pan tiger turret and mated the two together, the cut lines were positioned were the profiles were the most similar and I think the resulting turret works well. It still needs a lot of work to make it look like one whole turret and not two pieces together but it is work in progress.
I used a Taigen king tiger lower hull and a pan tiger upper hull, I was going to shorten the king tiger hull but decided it would be easier to lengthen the upper hull instead, the Taigen lower is too nicely made to cut up and by lengthening it I could make a heavy tank version which suits me better as I like super heavies the most.
So, the pan tiger upper was sectioned, the turret ring cut out and a heng long king tiger upper was purchased and that too was cut up to donate its turret ring and other sections. The pan tiger upper was lengthened to suit the lower hull, the larger turret ring fitted and the joints filled with model filler. The front glacis plate was modified to fit into the lower hull using the glacis plate off the king tiger upper hull, so the new upper has a continuous slope rather than the stepped front the pan tiger normally has.
The turret needed to be large like a king tiger but somehow different, my first idea was to just modify the king tiger turret until a friend had a pan tiger turret he let me have. By some careful measurement and a bit of imagination I cut the front off the king tiger turret and the back off the pan tiger turret and mated the two together, the cut lines were positioned were the profiles were the most similar and I think the resulting turret works well. It still needs a lot of work to make it look like one whole turret and not two pieces together but it is work in progress.
Last edited by Tankdude on Mon Jan 25, 2021 5:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Update time, as I'm on lockdown because of the Corona virus I have done some work on my project tank. Mostly loads of hand finishing the filler to get nice smooth lines and paint, then smooth down with wet and dry, filler again and smooth off, paint and repeat until the curves are right and the filler is feathered out.
Very pleased with how the turret has turned out, I think it looks correctly proportioned and balanced.
Very pleased with how the turret has turned out, I think it looks correctly proportioned and balanced.
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Some pics of it placed together to check it looks right.
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Today I have been fitting all the tools and towing cables and bits, working out were they should go and drilled little holes for them. The parts are mostly all Tamiya King Tiger as I had a few sprues with various bits on, when I bought my Tamiya King Tiger ( in the background of some of these shots ) they were spares. Other bits are Heng Long Tiger I and Sherman bits.
All the bits will be removed then I will do some more hand finishing before I start painting. I think it needs some kind of " skirt " along the sides, I think Panthers had these fitted so I will do some searching to familiarise myself with how they looked.
I have parked my Tamiya King Tiger next to the VK as a comparison, although the VK is sitting too high at the moment, it will get lower.
The King Tiger runs an IBU2 board which runs all the Tamiya functions, although the muzzle flash is a Taigen item, the sound is excellent out of the Tamiya speaker.
All the bits will be removed then I will do some more hand finishing before I start painting. I think it needs some kind of " skirt " along the sides, I think Panthers had these fitted so I will do some searching to familiarise myself with how they looked.
I have parked my Tamiya King Tiger next to the VK as a comparison, although the VK is sitting too high at the moment, it will get lower.
The King Tiger runs an IBU2 board which runs all the Tamiya functions, although the muzzle flash is a Taigen item, the sound is excellent out of the Tamiya speaker.
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Really interesting build. I like the use of the pantiger as a basis for a paper panzer.
" ...use a gun. And if that don't work ...use more gun" - Engineer from Team Fortress 2
HL: 2 M4A3 105s , Panther ausf G, M41
Taigen: Tiger 1
HL: 2 M4A3 105s , Panther ausf G, M41
Taigen: Tiger 1
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Update pics.
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Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Really cool , nice job
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HL /Mato tiger 1 early, Tamiya Tiger 1 early, Taigen tiger 1 mid
Taigen T34/85, HL SU-100
Jagdpanzer Lang
Taiga Jagdpanther
Heng Long Sherman DGS Firefly kit
Tamiya King Tiger (unbuilt)
Mato all metal Panzer III
1/10 Jagdpanther
Taigen T34/85, HL SU-100
Jagdpanzer Lang
Taiga Jagdpanther
Heng Long Sherman DGS Firefly kit
Tamiya King Tiger (unbuilt)
Mato all metal Panzer III
1/10 Jagdpanther
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
What tools did you use to cut all these plastic parts?
" ...use a gun. And if that don't work ...use more gun" - Engineer from Team Fortress 2
HL: 2 M4A3 105s , Panther ausf G, M41
Taigen: Tiger 1
HL: 2 M4A3 105s , Panther ausf G, M41
Taigen: Tiger 1
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Update time, work has slowly progressed over the summer, then I acquired an old Humbrol airbrush and was eager to play with my new toy so I get the VK ready for some paint. I have not used an airbrush before so a little experimentation was required. Overall I am very happy with the results and it looks pretty much how I envisioned it. It is not finished yet, still have some items to paint like the mudguards and I want to fit skirts along the sides similar to those fitted to Panthers, to hide the gap between the top of the tacks and the body, it looks like it is sitting too high. And paint the hubcaps to match the camo on the wheels.
Re: King "pan" Tiger biuld
Sorry for not answering earlier, I used my dremel rotary tool with those little abrasive slitting discs in, and a razor saw.AshMann wrote:What tools did you use to cut all these plastic parts?