Building a Mid-Production Normandy Tiger 1

[tanks_for_the_memory]

Gentlemen, the next project will be a Tamiya Panzer IV - again from Normandy. But don't ink anything in your calendars just yet...

The next project can just be seen upper left - and in the next shot.jpg (33.06 KiB) Viewed 3812 times

The workbench in all its horror....jpg (35.88 KiB) Viewed 3812 times

[Spartan tracks]

Anymore updates on this amazing tiger !!!!

[jarndice]

Your new to this build aren't you Sparten,? I was still at school when this adventure began I shall be popping up to the Post office for my Pension anytime soon!! shaun

[tanks_for_the_memory]

OK gents - no need to grab those pension books quite yet...

I won't bore you with more tales of my summer holidays. Let's just say that the slight tan has now disappeared completely... There were no tanks anywhere in the south of France this time, although we did hear some artillery far off from the Cote D'Azur. We did, however, find an excellent model shop on the way back in Chartres should anyone find themselves in that fair town (nice cathedral too).

So what have I been doing for the rest of the time? Well, let's just say my fingers are a little scorched and my eyes probably a little more tired. In short, after turning my attention to the rear of the Tiger, I had entered the world of pain which is...

Voyager Photo-Etch Rear Fenders

You won't believe the amount of swearing (and burnt fingertips) that went into the making of this part

This had to be done because, as I have discussed above, for mid and late production Tiger 1s, the plastic rear fenders supplied by Tamiya and Heng Long, etc are all of the early pattern. The main difference is the way they were hinged and mounted on the rear of the tank. The later pattern were simplified by simply welding the hinges to the hull using three attachment points.

I thought I had reached a clever compromise by using the plastic fenders and adapting the hinges by drilling through them and attaching them with home made brass hinges using a track pin for the shaft. Unfortunately these didn't last on my work bench - let alone in the field (still a long way off I know). The plastic fenders simply snapped off...

The Hobbyboss / WSN Tiger does have the correct pattern, but these are simplified and, once again, made from plastic - so I had no faith that they would fair any better.

So it was that I reached for the excellent Voyager set, which includes the front and rear fenders lovingly recreated in brass photo-etch (luckily I am not going to use the front ones on my Tiger).

You see, there's nothing quite like metal for strength. Except you can't glue it with any strength. Which is why you have to solder it. And I'm no good at soldering. In fact, I'm RUBBISH AT SOLDERING...

I have others on this forum to thank for my subsequent pain - but ultimate success. The vital tools are:

- A Pen Torch (like a mini blow torch, usually powered with butane gas)
- A pot of Carrs 188 Solder Paint
- A hand-free jig
- Solder tape (mine also from Carrs)
- A 'hold and fold' tool - which helps to bend the photo-etch with a nice straight edge

The tools of the trade - a Micro tech pen torch, solder tape and a hands-free jig

I will elaborate on some of the trials and tribulations that I had with these tools in my next post, but for now here are some pics of the fenders once I had finished...

Once assembled these Voyager photo-etch parts have an exquisite level of detail

Left and right rear fenders with a little battle damage added to the left

The right rear fender temporarily held in place with white tack certainly looks the part

Another view of the right rear fender

[jarndice]

Getting just as annoyed with the frailty as you I cut to size 1mm plasticard and glued/and pinned using small dressmakers pins the photo-etch "Voyager" rear fender set to the plasticard,
The pins have the advantage of looking like the rivet/bolthead's as used on the prototype and of course they do a great job of securing the hinged (dolls house accessories shop)section.
Just one mans alternative to overcoming the frailty of photo-etch shaun

[tanks_for_the_memory]

Shaun, that sounds like a sound plan.

The thing with photo-etch is to make it work for you. No doubt metal has more strength - but it's only as strong as the bond to itself or something else...

At the end of the day I'm going to have to glue these fenders to the rear of the Tiger - although I'm counting on some additional strength from the surrounding zimmerit.

In fact I decided to do away with the working side hinge altogether because on a running tank (not that mine will get much 'battling') I just don't trust it to hold. My philosophy is: if you cannot see it then don't worry about it.

So I reinforced my fenders underneath with some extra brass strip...

Underneath it's not so pretty...

[jarndice]

TFTM, If you are as incompetent at Soldering as I am then I would recommend you try a "NIMROD SOLDERPRO Butane Torch" and "FRYOLUX Solder"
CAUTION FRYOLUX SOLDER IS VERY VERY TOXIC
keep it away from children and animals especially FISH.
You simply paint that place you wish to solder with the FRYOLUX SOLDER and use the Butane torch to seal it in place,
Easy? why cutting my finger nails is harder!!
shaun

[jackalope]

This is why I made my fenders from scratch from thicker brass, I'd be too afraid to break these delicate ones.

[tanks_for_the_memory]

Jackalope, I admire anyone who wants to build this stuff from scratch!

Jarndice, it looks like you and I are singing from the same hymn sheet...

I used Carr's 188 Solder Paint.

The Magic Ingredient is Carr's 188 solder paint.jpg (33.98 KiB) Viewed 4226 times

There are alternatives out there - which is just as well because it's hard to get this stuff posted abroad due to its 'dangerous' composition!.jpg (32.38 KiB) Viewed 4226 times

I learnt more than a few lessons using this stuff with the Voyager photo etch...

Firstly the parts to be joined need to be very closely aligned - it won't fill gaps like glue. If there's a kink in your brass then you need to clamp or tape the parts together and then the solder paint will melt and bond the parts together.

Secondly, don't use the plastic rod supplied with the set. This is crazy! Plastic will melt (obviously). So use brass rod, except...

Thirdly, for the fender hinges you really need to use hard metal. Otherwise even brass rod will bend. Once again I found that the Taigen or Impact track pins were a perfect solution.

[tanks_for_the_memory]

Kaiser, that sounds like a much more relaxing way of doing things.

The instructions for Carr's solder tape talk of a similar thing where you tape all the parts together and then put them on a aluminium tray which you heat up. Trouble is I just couldn't see a way of taping everything together in one go. Just about the biggest problem I had was finding a part I had already soldered coming adrift as I tried to solder the next...

One tip for the blow torch I forgot to mention was to direct the tip of the flame onto the opposite side of where you are trying to solder - that way you don't literally blow the piece you're trying to solder out of the picture!

Anyway, that's enough of soldering for now. I'm getting back to my rear plate...