Question for the Tiger 1 Aces on here

[Jimster]

Either way, wouldn’t that seam be ground down smooth and practically invisible? The Tiger 1 was a bit over engineered and special attention may have been paid to such details during the initial production phases. It is certainly a good question for debate but definitive answers may be hard to come by. I look forward to any 100% correct documented answers.

[Rob59]

Unfortunately there is not much info and/or pictures available from these very early ones.
So if we ever might get an answer about this particular weld....??
Rob.

[Son of a gun-ner]

I find this subject interesting purely from the manufacturing side of things.
I've noticed that a 1/35th kit has that weld moulded on that top plate, which makes me wonder where they got their information from, maybe from looking at pictures, like the ones above.
Looking through scarce factory pictures, you can see evidence for and against. Sadly, there is no real reliable way to date those pictures, unless obvious upgrades, modifications etc are evident.
Likewise with the restoration of the tank in Australia, although they believe it was destroyed in 1944, it doesn't mean the hull was manufactured late war. Nearing the end of the Eastern Front conflict, the Germans were cobbling together whatever they could find laying around so to speak.
I believe there is a database somewhere, with records on most German tanks, one would need the relevant designation numbers and manufacturers marks to find anything out.
My gut tells me that weld was part of an early design, then was scrapped for the quicker to manufacture single part. But at the same time, could that part have been manufactured in two halves by a factory that didn't have the capacity to manufacture a larger single part, whilst the Germans were desperate to produce tanks a bit quicker.
Two picture showing welds and no welds.

[Aussie]

In Australia they did a restauration on a Tiger 1 at a tank museum.
It is all to be seen on YT.
So I wrote them an email with the same question I did ask on here.
Was or was there not, a weld in the middle of the upper hull from front to rear?
Today I received an answer.
Look:

Are you sure that's a real Tiger 1 resto' , or the Fury movie replica?
Can't say I've seen a real Tiger 1 at the museum.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Are you sure that's a real Tiger 1 resto' , or the Fury movie replica?
Can't say I've seen a real Tiger 1 at the museum.

This may clear things up.

phpBB [video]

[jarndice]

Are you sure that's a real Tiger 1 resto' , or the Fury movie replica?
Can't say I've seen a real Tiger 1 at the museum.

This may clear things up.

phpBB [video]

The original enquiry from Rob referenced the Tiger 1 early but this video is about a Tiger 1 late and we all know the many changes in the production run between the early and the late Tiger 1.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Are you sure that's a real Tiger 1 resto' , or the Fury movie replica?
Can't say I've seen a real Tiger 1 at the museum.

This may clear things up.

The original enquiry from Rob referenced the Tiger 1 early but this video is about a Tiger 1 late and we all know the many changes in the production run between the early and the late Tiger 1.

I meant as to there being a Tiger 1 restoration

Although, it does make things curious if this is the one with the central weld

[Rob59]

I think I started quite an interesting discussion.
But I am afraid it will be a never ending story......
Rob.

[Rob59]

Look.....