Re: Newbie's attempt at an initial Tiger
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2026 9:08 pm
Meanwhile, back in English and thanks a lot guys for your positive comments. I have no idea why some can see the pics and others can't, perhaps it's a glitch with imgur?? Any suggestions??
As Anton surmised this project is a little farther along than the pics suggest, but I thought it a good idea to chart the transformation, and difficulties I encountered. Once I'd chopped the lower hull, removed most of the tools on the deck, and made room for a better ball-mount MG and vison port, the turret seemed the next area requiring attention. Instead of trying to mod the original item I sourced an early model Taigen replacement with recoil and alloy barrel of the correct length! The difference in quality between certain HL and Taigen components is well known, and this was clear with the replacement turret: better detailing, nicer finish, and the cherry on the proverbial gateau: the rear storage box could be painlessly unscrewed without resorting to cutting and grinding. Yeah!
I'd read that at least a couple of the few initial models sent to Russia in '42 were outfitted with Panzer III/IV rear storage boxes, so I decided to go this route for the turret rear. Mato makes a metal version with an opening lid, which I purchased at the same time as the turret. It's perhaps less than perfect, and the apparently biggest conundrum was how to affix it to the rear turret wall? In a rare moment of clarity I realised a couple of nylon rawl plugs would fit in the flared sections of the box, and with a healthy dash of JB Weld they were fixed securely in place and the box trial fitted.
As Anton surmised this project is a little farther along than the pics suggest, but I thought it a good idea to chart the transformation, and difficulties I encountered. Once I'd chopped the lower hull, removed most of the tools on the deck, and made room for a better ball-mount MG and vison port, the turret seemed the next area requiring attention. Instead of trying to mod the original item I sourced an early model Taigen replacement with recoil and alloy barrel of the correct length! The difference in quality between certain HL and Taigen components is well known, and this was clear with the replacement turret: better detailing, nicer finish, and the cherry on the proverbial gateau: the rear storage box could be painlessly unscrewed without resorting to cutting and grinding. Yeah!
I'd read that at least a couple of the few initial models sent to Russia in '42 were outfitted with Panzer III/IV rear storage boxes, so I decided to go this route for the turret rear. Mato makes a metal version with an opening lid, which I purchased at the same time as the turret. It's perhaps less than perfect, and the apparently biggest conundrum was how to affix it to the rear turret wall? In a rare moment of clarity I realised a couple of nylon rawl plugs would fit in the flared sections of the box, and with a healthy dash of JB Weld they were fixed securely in place and the box trial fitted.
