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

[grim_marmazet]

That was an excellent link Rivet, thanks you. It had all the info I needed. 
Cheers,
Rik

[Wight]

I hope im not boring everyone, I just wanted to keep a really documented build for anyone who needs help in building one of these things. 

No way,I love detailed build threads like this.
And it is a fantastic way of documenting your build,for yourself as well as others.

Keep it coming!

Steve.

[grim_marmazet]

It has been a bit of a while since I last updated, life has an annoying habit of getting in the way of tank building! lol  Also, Matt has got me throughly addicted to Red Orchestra/Darkest Hour! Damn you Matt, lol. 

I have managed to get some done though. Firstly, I got one of the Turnigy Servo Speed Regulators in. Im still tweaking the settings, but im getting the hang of driving with inertia.



Next up are a few random upgrades, I added a JST connector (thanks Tankman!  ) to the co-axial MG, so the turret can easily come off. I plan on adding one to the hull MG as well.




The finished, but unpainted commanders cupola takes up the next few shots. I'm immensly proud of this. Its the first really complex bit of detailing i've done to the Tiger yet, even more than the engine bay door. I've included all the standard details, like the rain cover holders, sighting wire, copper wire spring on the hinge, and filled and redrilled the rain drainage holes. The interior is finished as well. I'm just waiting for a pot of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black to come, then I can paint it, and add perspex ballistic glass.






Finally, the lighting! I've rewired in the lighting, and made it easier to remove the upper hull. I've also finished my convoy light. I went with the four window style one commonly used on the Panther, as Tigers have used them, and I liked the design. They were made with a rectangle of brass sheet, wrapped around a drill bit and soldered together. Before soldering, I cut the 4 windows in it. The blue lense is a strip of plastic from the cover of a paintbrush painted with several coats of Tamiya X-23 Clear Blue. It adds a nice coloured glass effect.




The front lights dont look very bright though. The dull brass behind them makes the light look orange. I will try to add foil behind the bulbs, but its not easy to get foil to stick to brass.



Tell me what you think guys.
Cheers,
Rik

[Tailend charlie]

I think you are on your way to having a very well built, great looking, functional tank. As for the headlights, I have a 1938 Chrysler with the separate lamp and reflector and they give off low light and have an oringest yellow tint. Besides you are at war and don't really want bright Hella lamps. Keep up the great work and the pics flowing.

                         Richard

[grim_marmazet]

Thanks for the comment Richard. The light is just a bit too dim. I added a tiny bit of kitchen foil behind each bulb. It adds just enough brightness to make it seem a bit more real to me. I do agree the lights would be dimmed to prevent air raids, its just a shame there's no colour footage to show what they were really like.

Now tomorrow brings the adding of many, many, many tiny rivets and a lot more brass, coupled with the eventual loss of my eyesight! lol
Stay tuned. 
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik looking good like the convoy light . I recently bought an AFV magazine and it had an articule on a Stug III bought up from the red sea. The guys realy done a top job resturing it to working condition . You can clearly see the convoy light on this and its a tube thats compleatly blue ?

All the best Andy

[grim_marmazet]

There seems to be a variation between completely blue tubes, and the 4 window versions. Tigers mostly used the blue tube. I just liked the 4 window one, it adds some variation. I think it came out ok, though I may tweak it a little.
Cheers,
Rik

[littletankman]

Hi Rik , It looks fine on your tank mate , well done .

Andy

[tankmad]

Thats some tiger you are building there a true master piece keep the pictures coming 
Stevie

[xrad]

convoy light:
see 4 = too close
see 3 = just right
see 2 = too far

Your looks great!
Nice brasswork, too.