Tiger I Late #133 Normandy Taigen/TK7.0 swap

[MrChef]

Tank of the Month!

I appreciate the support.

I'd enter if we still did it but Louis would rock my world. I remember when I first started visiting this forum. Before I even joined, late 2018 and I was researching my first tank. Never thought I'd be full on into this. And here we are.


Thank you All for the comments. Even You Ian

[Meter rat]

Thank you All for the comments. Even You Ian

Welcome.
Looking how your work has progressed over each of your builds, you really should have changed the mudguards for etch. They (I do not know how to say this without sounding terrible) spoil the model, as they are so thick, and out of scale looking. You are well capable of doing it, and is definitely in your skill sets.
Definitely tank of the month material.

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Another old trick among modeler's (or is it an "old modeler's trick" ) is to sand or file down the inside edges of the thick plastic to make the part look thinner, more in scale. This is especially good for cheapo guys like me.

[Panzermechaniker]

While the Aber photo etch mudguards might look beautiful on a static model if you use the Tiger/KT/JT for any battling at all the lifespan of all that hard work is probably less than a few weeks. Even transporting them will result in inevitable damage. I think Herr Doc's suggestion of thinning the edges is a lot more practical and something I will be doing retroactively now he has planted that seed in my brain . On my Tamiya Tiger I gave up trying to keep the mudguards on. Let them fall where they may. I prefer my big German cats with most if not all the mudguards gone anyway

[HERMAN BIX]

I use the old trick of thinning the edges too.
Its just as good to look at from the usual distance these are seen, and robust.

[MrChef]

Such offensive fenders

Welcome.
Looking how your work has progressed over each of your builds, you really should have changed the mudguards for etch. They (I do not know how to say this without sounding terrible) spoil the model, as they are so thick, and out of scale looking. You are well capable of doing it, and is definitely in your skill sets.
Definitely tank of the month material.

Ohhhhh myyy Scottish brother from another mother. I'm convinced you just want me to do them so I can suffer the same as you did when you did yours I seem to remember you cutting yourself nicely... Or maybe that was another tank... But there was blood...

As I have explained previously I draw a line to limit things. And of anyone who may comment you ain't hurting my feelings. I don't ever think I'll be building delicate parts on an RC tank that can just get bashed off in a heartbeat, But I couldn't imagine alot of things I'd be doing in this hobby not too long ago.

I appreciate you looking out for me and helping to improve my modeling "threshold". But as Clint Eastwood said "A man's got to know his limitations".

[MrChef]

Another old trick among modeler's (or is it an "old modeler's trick" ) is to sand or file down the inside edges of the thick plastic to make the part look thinner, more in scale. This is especially good for cheapo guys like me.

I like this idea.

Can't say as I've seen it done before but definitely an intriguing technique

[MrChef]

While the Aber photo etch mudguards might look beautiful on a static model if you use the Tiger/KT/JT for any battling at all the lifespan of all that hard work is probably less than a few weeks. Even transporting them will result in inevitable damage. I think Herr Doc's suggestion of thinning the edges is a lot more practical and something I will be doing retroactively now he has planted that seed in my brain . On my Tamiya Tiger I gave up trying to keep the mudguards on. Let them fall where they may. I prefer my big German cats with most if not all the mudguards gone anyway

Precisely why I draw a line with how far I'll go. I love the support and coaching on this forum though, it's definitely helped me immensely. And yeah I'm quite partial to Tiger I's missing front and side fenders altogether.

[Rob59]

Even I did file down the edges of the fenders, mudguards and side armor on my Kingtigers.
I did not want to put a lot of money in them by buying brass skirts or fenders!
I am a bit of an El Cheapo myself too!
Just file down the sides of the fenders you look at.
As I took some side skirts off some of the KT‘s, the edges were too thick indeed.
But in the end, nobody will notice this effort while cruising around outdoors.
Rob.

[MrChef]

Some more bits and pieces and doo dads...

Soooo knowing my strong point is Not figures, I'm cheating with some of the prepainted Torro Panzer crew. They're a bit bright so I had my way with them. I threw a greenish-grey wash on them then dusted some pigments.

I like the way this first figure sits in the copula allowing for the AA MG to sit as such



The commander doesn't sit properly with the way his arm is extended. He'd never fit in an early Tiger Copula



and their skin color is this weird pink but the wash did tone them down a bit