[WINTER 23-24] Tiger I #822

[MrChef]

[MrChef]

people seem to like this pic-

[Meter rat]

That’s the money shot for me.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thanks for the array of photos! I find black and white photos interesting because they imitate most 'forties vintage photos. Of course, color (or colour) photos are the sine qua non of our showing off camouflage schemes. (I will try to get both types when my T26E3 is ready, Mr. Chef.)
I just noticed that the Feifel air-cleaner hoses are not on your Tigers. Is that on purpose? ...perhaps a touch prototypical? ...or are you waiting for parts (like me)?

[MrChef]

Thanks for the array of photos! I find black and white photos interesting because they imitate most 'forties vintage photos. Of course, color (or colour) photos are the sine qua non of our showing off camouflage schemes. (I will try to get both types when my T26E3 is ready, Mr. Chef.)

For you sir-

just noticed that the Feifel air-cleaner hoses are not on your Tigers. Is that on purpose? ...perhaps a touch prototypical? ...or are you waiting for parts (like me)?

Yes it's on purpose. I just don't like the look of the filters so I found examples of early Tigers that didn't have them. It's one of the reasons I originally chose 822 because period pics showed it without them. When she was renumbered S13 for Kursk the filters were attached. After Kursk the were absent again.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

"...822 because period pics showed it without them...S13 for Kursk the filters were attached...After Kursk the were absent again." Apparently you aren't the only one who didn't like the Feifel aircleaners. So, yes, the absence of the Feifels is protoypical. I do wonder, however, what happened to the Maybach engines when there were (apparently) no air cleaners. Or maybe the crews or forward station mechanics replaced them with an internal air cleaner and left the intakes in place atop the back deck.

[HERMAN BIX]

The Feifels were pre-cleaners in addition to the air filters on the Maybach engine under the rear deck hatch.
Many modern engines use cyclonic pre cleaners routinely to assist in cleaning the intake charge so the life of the engines main filters is extended and premature failure risk is minimised.
Donaldson Pre Cleaners are a household name in this area

[MrChef]

The Feifels were pre-cleaners in addition to the air filters on the Maybach engine under the rear deck hatch.

Mr. Bix knows his Tiggers.

Info for fun reading-

https://tiger1.info/EN/Feifel-air-precleaners.html

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Ah, pre-cleaners came into use on farm tractors in the '60s with increasing use of diesels. I should have guessed that pre-cleaners were an older invention. In fact, some farmers added aftermarket pre-cleaners to their diesels, quite the opposite of Panzer crews removing the pre-cleaners. But then again, the pre-cleaners on farm equipment are usually not shot at.

I haven't done a Tiger I build yet, even though I have three, (unh, maybe four?) still stock Taigen Tigers. I have lots of books on Tigers just waiting for me to pay attention. The Tiger I web pages are quite scholarly.

[jarndice]

Certainly when you consider how few Tiger 1s were built the amount of variety in different fittings and positioning of fittings ie headlights/air cleaners is amazing making it possible for everyone of us to build a unique version of the same Tank.
Little wonder so many of us build at least one of them.