Hello,

I have a question for Tiger aficionados about the tank in this picture...



According to “Tigers in Combat I" the tank is “232” of the 503 PzABt in Russia in August 1943. (I’m modelling this tank because it has the panzer III stowage box mounted on the rear of the turret, and looks quite distinct).

But can anyone tell me what there the piece of kit is that is mounted on the back left of the rear plate? It doesn’t look like the tool box. Could it be the jack block? I have circled the mysterious kit for ease of reference.

Thanks in advance

Matthew

Well, I can't see what it is.

The tank has 2 pistol ports, the 2nd type of side skirt, no S-mine system, and other features appropriate for winter 1943. But who knows what the crew decided to carry along.

David

Could it be spare track?????

Good catch!

Yes, it's spare track.

The tank has an added wire frame capable of holding 3 jerrycans.
Two track links are sitting in it, leaning sideways.

David

Thank you David.

Yes, it is impossible to make out what the thing is...

If I leave the S-mine of the Academy with interior early Tiger, could it represent the Tiger in the picture? Would I have to make any other modifications?

Thanks in advance,

Matthew

@Dudley and David: Awesome! spare track - I can see it now.
Thanks very much for solving that conundrum
Cheers
Matthew

If you want it accurate, there are some other changes to make, some of them being quite difficult.

- It needs two pistol ports. I don't think Academy's box contains a second one.

- It had no starter handle on the bottom of the rear wall. That's easy.

- As you can see, no exhaust shields. I don't know what kind of holes you'd have to fill there on Academy's kit.

- Rotate the adapter by 60 degrees. This is the item between the exhausts.

- Omit the caps at the top of the exhaust columns. Instead you want that little flap, propped open.

- The side skirts should not form a straight line, but be parallel to the hull (easy), they should have no end caps (easy) and the rear two should be longer (difficult)

- All S-mine equipment must go. That requires shaving those little rectangles off the hull roof in 3 places, plus the rear corner mounts

- The antenna tube at rear right should be turned around so the wide part is to the rear, and the wide part should protrude beyond the hull wall (easy I think).

- The tow cables on the hull roof should be moved. The clips holding their front ends need to be significantly moved forward (difficult).

- The rectangular item behind the driver's hatch should not be there.

- The front edges of the hull walls should be shaved back and the shackes moved down (like in Initial Tigers).

David

David,

Thanks for all the pointers.

1. The Academy kit includes two pistol ports so I’m all set. Happy days!
2. will remove the starter handle (not even sure the Academy kit has one there)
3. I’ve already filled the mounting holes for the exhaust shields
4. I've also rotated the adapter by 60 degrees
5. Caps omitted
6. I need to work on the side skirts…. This will be tricky
7. I also need to remove S-mine mounting points
8. and the antenna adjustment
9. This is tricky… I’m wondering what configuration the tow hawsers had. There are three pics below. Which one is accurate? pic 1, pic 2 or pic 3?

pic 1

pic 2

pic 3

10. I need to scrape away the rectangular item. On it.
11. I’ve checked out pictures of the initial Tiger I and will definitely scrape away the hull walls at the front and mount the shackles lower down.

Thanks very much for these really useful pointers. This has saved me hours of research…

Could you confirm the right configuration on the deck for the hawsers?

Cheers

Matthew

"None of the above" !

Despite the tank at Fort Benning having this layout, Hilary Doyle has not drawn it, to my knowledge.




The outer cable is to the fore.

Also, I forgot; the gun cleaning rods are in 5 parts, longer than the 6 that you have. Do you need details?

David

David, Thanks for clearing that one up. I think I can replicate that if I use some AM cables, with the cable eyes from the kit. Yes, it would be helpful if you could provide guidance on the 5 barrel cleaning rods.
Cheers
Matthew