I have a question as far as detail which of the following companies makes a better tiger 1, tamyia or academy. The reason I ask this question is cause I am torn between the two. And since I missed the one dragon just released, I am looking for one for diorama, but I like to make them as accurate as possible

AFV club makes a couple very good Tiger 1's too. You can get the kit and the AFV club upgrade workable tracks for about the same price as a Tamiya kit, and the suspension is workable. I think they are both later kits though and need zim too. One is another Whittman edition. PMMS has detailed reviews on both of them.(35079 and 35s27 & track set 35093)

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/afvclub/afvclub.htm

I just made a tamya tiger 1 its the early version and has a metal chases.
If you take a look at my post think its the one below yours titled my first tiger 1 then you may get some idea on how good this kit is.

thanks for the input and the pics, they wer awesome, nice paint job on the tiger too. i am also working on a diorama placing the tigers in Russia, just haven't decided on the year to represent yet.

Academy's kit has a partial interior in one version (marked Interior Model on the box), but the shape of the turret shell is wrong, and the cupola is mispositioned on the early variant.
According to Great Models site, Dragon appears about to re-release their Tiger I Late, so that would be my preference, though I would swap the AFV Club workable track, which looks as good as Model Kasten's with much less work (two large parts per link rather than one big piece and four teeny little ones). In fact, I'm building one now. Dragon's also has good bit of the engine compartment interior and the turret interior included, as well as all the brass parts usually available only as aftermarket accessories.

I built the Tamiya one years ago and found it to be a bit basic. About a year ago I started an Academy one with full interior detail but stopped once i'd finished the inside as I got distracted by other projects. The acedemy one is really nice considering the interior details and I don't remember any probs putting it together, however, I hav'nt assembled the exterior of the model yet, I think I hesitated on the colour scheme and wether to add zimmerit and so never got it completed. Personally i'd go for the academy as its a better kit, though if you want a quick and simple kit then you can't go wrong with the Tamiya.....

The choice is yours!

James

Had a look at my kits last night and I stand by my earlier comment. The Tamiya one is a basic, nice and easy kit, while the Academy is much better quality with nice moulding and attention to detail. Also discovered that you get a set of photo etched grills (bonus!) which I had forgotten about.
The only additions I would make would be an aluminium barrel (Does anyone know who makes one of these?) and a set of individual tracks if you don't like the vinyl ones provided, though this would be the same for the Tamiya kit.

Happy building,

James