KING TIGER 211,506 S.PZ.ABT,GERONSWEILER,DEC '44

[HERMAN BIX]

Just got the MG set up painted.
An H/L MG dressed up, mato mount, and a gurtsak from the spares box.
Not as flash as a Shumo version but a lot less heartbreaking if it breaks !

[Abe Froman]

Herms, the King Tiger is looking very good. Will be watching this one.
D

[HERMAN BIX]

Thanks Mr Froman, its coming along ok.

Got the wash on and a small amount of chipping.
Keeping in mind the likely manufacture date & delivery to the combat unit in time for action during the operation in the Ardenne's
it would not be that badly savaged by wear & tear.
The pictures show it had mudguards on some of both sides, but I just dont like them !
For an authentic representation I'm off the mark without guards, but a King Tiger just looks better without them.
I dry-fitted the tracks and made adjustments to the tensioner position accordingly.
Now its almost finished, I still need to gather actual metal spare track links for the turret(not the crap H/L ones with deep ejector marks & half hole pins) , do the 2+11 markings, then add dark/muddy pigments to suit the pre frozen winter slop.
I might try using MIG 3007 Dark Earth pigment with a gloss Burnt Umber & diluted PVA to get the appropriate look.
There is no evidence of any white wash over these machines during the Ardennes operation, who knows why, but to bring a cold look to a summer camo'd tank that looks close to the period pictures, the theme should be clinging mud.

[BarryC]

Looks Great Herman!

Barry

[Jimster]

Great detail work!

[Soeren]

Very nice looking camouflage on this tank.

[Maccrage]

Where did you get the gurtsack? I use Trumpeter MGs and mounts, but they didn't make the gurtsacks.

[PainlessWolf]

Good afternoon, Herman,
The General sends his Happy New Years Regards! ;o) Also, your Tamiya King Tiger is a Work of Art! Subtly and masterfully done.
regards,
Painless

[HERMAN BIX]

Where did you get the gurtsack? I use Trumpeter MGs and mounts, but they didn't make the gurtsacks.

No idea! Four of them came in amongst a load of bits I got with the tank from the estate sale.
I have a spare one if you want it, pm your address & I will mail it if you like.

[HERMAN BIX]

Turret numbers on............

I've also laid a base for pigment mud to be applied once the MIG 3007 Dark Earth comes back into stock
Used a Vallejo Splash Mud 73.802 but its a bit less easy to get the right look. It will be a good base by which to overlay a pigment coat to get the texture and look I want.
The pictures of this tank show heavy dark mud and rain soaked paint, but there is no way I'm painting a tank gloss to depict a rain soaked surface !!