Samurai Modeler wrote:"My only reservation is that when zimmerit was bonded to tanks, it rarely came off, and was seldom patchy unless the tank had absorbed some battle damage...That's my understanding, but I could be wrong."
Hi,
Yes, that 1/16 KT write up is a Tamiya Master Model built over a decade ago, and your zimmerit theory, while interesting, is mostly your theory. Check out the photos in both "Tigers in Combat, Vol. 1 and Vol. II" and perhaps, read the books too. Anyway, I don't like the looks of zimmerit and it isn't a necessary finish on a KT as posted above. Even a few of the early Tiger IIs were fielded without zimmerit.
Enjoy, John
A moot point indeed. Incidentally, I
have looked at hundreds, nay thousands, of Tiger 1 and 2 photos, and also compiled a file on Pinterest of destroyed tanks (many sporting zimmerit). But then, I wasn't looking specifically for zimmerit damage.
That said, I've not noticed many examples of tanks- damaged or otherwise- with a patchy coating. Not that it really matters. Like you, I don't particularly like the look of zimmerit, except on the front of a Stug.
Oddly enough, not that much is known about zimmerit itself. Mike Gibb describes trying to recreate it for the restoration of s Stug (p.p. 62-63 'Tiger tank: owners' Workshop manual). Apparently,( he maintains), when newly applied, zimmerit contained benzine (and sawdust), which made it something of a fire risk when hit. In the cold winter of 1943-44, tanks would often leave the factory with the coating still wet; but this wouldn't necessarily cause to fall or flake off. Flames, it seems, had the effect of hardening it.
In reality, this was a useless product that added 75 to 225kg to the weight of an armoured vehicle.
I like your model, by the way

it's very tastefully done. If you could post a pic with a slightly higher resolution, it would look even better. Louis, a contributor here, ('Imcq11) has a knack of posting pics that seem to leap out like a jack-in -a box- of detail.
Roy.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.