Tiger 412 - s.pz.abt 506 - Ardennes Offensive

[Gigantohawk]

Wow, just dropped in on this build. I don't thinh I've seen a pictorial Tiger 1 build before. It looks fabulous and your extra detail is making it look even better..

Nick.

[vonrundstedt]

Fantastic work, any thoughts on camo sceme yet?

[grim_marmazet]

Thanks for the comments guys. Its definitely going to be 3 colour camo, but i've not decided which scheme yet. I've just got to wait for a few more bits and my airbrush to arrive before I can continue.
Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik , Thats a good post .This is were I got the idea from . The tv ariel spliter you can get in Wilkinsons cheep not sure about poundland , dont pay ££££££££££ at Maplins.

Andy

[grim_marmazet]

Well a little bit more done today.

I got the Schumo gear reduction things for the Tamiya gearboxes. I haven't had a chance to run them yet, but I did notice they come with a selection of pinion, so I may try a few to get scale speed.
I also made a start on the weld lines, which are a royal pain in the rear to do with milliput, the stuff sticks to your fingers, the craft knife, the tweezers, everything apart from the model! But im happy with the ones i've done so far. I also added them to the bottom, as I plan on adding some detail there as well. I know it mostly wont be seen, or be 100% accurate, but I would like the whole model done.

I did buy a few Aber PE sets as well, I got the Driver/Radio Operator hatches, Commanders cupola, Basic set and grills. I also got a finer mesh to go under the forward grills, which can be seen in the last picture. I've started to 'distress' the mesh as well to make it look like its been walked on. One other part I did get was the wonderfully detailed Schumo headlights, and some grain of wheat bulbs to go in them. I'm considering putting the lights on an RC switch so they can be turned on and off with the transmitter.

Hope you enjoy the pics guys, please any constructive critisism is highly welcome, this is the first kit i've built in 15 years! lol
Cheers,
Rik

[Ern]

The Tiger is looking great!  Keep the pics coming!! 

[littletankman]

Hi Rik its looking good mate well done . The three part strip above the mantlet Ive seen them with recesed bolts to ?

Andy

[grim_marmazet]

I cant find any pictures of the strip to hand. Im tempted to just change the circular bolts to hex ones. They may not be the most accurate, but I think it may look better.

I started on the Aber PE set for the commander cuppola. I've never built a PE set, and boy is it fiddly! lol  It may not come out perfect, but it'll add to the tank in the end.

I'll post some more pics once i get a bit finished.

Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik . I think your strip looks good ( I meen on your tank  ) . The picts I meen are in the tank modeling book . You are right those parts are fidly . Dont glue them to your fingers  :-\ Now theres a story in my last full time job there was a bloke and he only had to touch a tub of super glue and it was a trip to casulty  . Your doing a fine job on your tank . Im looking forward to the next picts . Just one thing regarding your picts as I had this problem myself . Can you downsize them . I use Picaso3 or whatever its called . Ive done the rear end of my tank today . Im not 100% sure on the jack clamp yet . Im going to try and do the front end and notch out the supperstructor as per late war tom . My mums been told she will possibly be of work for 6 weeks ! oh my god all that ironing etc Ive gotta do  . Its a small price to pay realy Im helping my mum as much as possible ( think what they do for us !) . Ive bought a second HL barrel/mantlet of here . Im altering it so I can fit the recoil , on the cheep , god it sucks not working . The barrel has been extended . So I have removed the barrel , drilled the sleeve/mantlet out on my dads pillar drill so it will take the barrel . Im going to have to remove the barrel extension piece and make a longer one or extend it again . It doesnt need much . The sleeve / mantlets going to need a sleeve inside it so the barrel moves better  ?

All the best Andy

[grim_marmazet]

I got new parts and managed to get some done today!

I got the Aber side skirts, Impact late war tracks, and schumo tow cables. I've also ordered an etch-mate 3c, which im still waiting on at the moment.

I re-did the weld seams today as I wasn't happy with them before. I used a round needle file to gouge a U shaped trough at the edge of the panels the filled the gap with milliput and used a craft knife to texture it. The pictures don't really do it justice, but it looks a lot better!

I've also used Perma Blue to blacken one of the track sets. The test I did on a spare link and it came out perfectly! Black with just a hint of rustyness. Unfortunately it didn't come out so well on the whole track. It went nicely black, but as it dried white splotchy patches appeared on the surface. Unfortunately again I realised one bottle is not nearly enough to do both tracks, so i've only managed to get one done, though I may strip it off and do it again.

Well just a couple of pictures of the welds tonight.

Cheers,
Rik