Hey all!

Okay, I've gotten started on my RammTiger. I'm using Dragon's Sd.Kfz.181 Panzerkampfwagen VI (P) [kit number 6210] as the base:


Step 1 has you put together the road wheels (two sets of six) and two of the sprockets:

The paint instructions would have you paint the "edges" road wheels flat black...however these are "steel wheels" and should not be painted as if they were rubber rimmed.

Steps 2 & 3 have you putting together the left and right side suspension systems. Each arm consists of five parts:

The only thing to watch out for at this step are the inherent seams when parts F6 & F7 and F11 & F12 are assembled. Additionally, there's a bit of a seam along parts F5 and F10 that will need to be attended to. A word of caution when gluing these parts together: take care when gluing parts F8 & F5/F10 & F13 - they are designed to have the arms "free-float" - working suspension I guess you could call it

Step 4 consists of attaching the suspension and two of the mud scrapers to the lower hull:

When gluing the suspension arms to the hull, there are "keys" on the arms and the hull for alignment. There is some play there, so I glued the arms on and temporarily added three of the road wheels to each side to set their angle properly (this will allow all the road wheels to touch the ground evenly).

Step 5 & 6 is attaching the road wheels, sprockets (front and rear), and the last two mud scrapers:

I've chosen not to permanently attach the road wheels (for ease of later painting) or the sprockets (for ease of setting proper "tension" [or lack thereof] of the Dragon DS tracks).

Mike

Continuation of Step 6 - sprockets and road wheels on (this picture shows the articulation of the running gear):

Step 7 is adding a part of the front glacias plate. I will wind up skipping to Step 9 before I add this part to get the proper angle as Step 7's part sits above and the little knobs on the back of it (for positioning) leave some room for play. I'll put the lower part in first, then that part.

Step 8: The bits and pieces for the rear portion of the lower hull:

I've run into my first bit of filling - parts H4 have ejector pin marks that can't be hidden...so, out comes the Testor's white putty. I'm not too sure why Dragon did this, but to add parts A2, A3, and H4, you need to drill out the holes for their pins. On the back side of part K1, they've given you indentations for the hole locations. The only thing I can think is that this part may have come from another kit or it's from another version of the Tiger VI (P). Don't know, but I'll pull out a drill bit and open the holes up.

Mike

One more before I go watch a couple of movies.

Step 8 put together:

No problems other than having to fill the ejector marks. Also, the two inner parts for Step 9.

Mike

Good to see your rammtiger started. As for the lower hull, I only had minor fit issues. Nothing alittle putty did solve. Best I can figure the kit shares alot of part with the elephant. At least with the lower hull sections. I am just finishing up the weathering of mine today. Just the final track weathering and istallation. Then a final pigment dusting to bleand it all together.

Hey Kim, looking forward to seeing your's completed. It's been looking really good. So far, there's nothing for me to complain about on this kit. I've run across the second parts that need some filling due to the ejector pin marks - parts H3.

So, here's Steps 9 & 10 and the bits and pieces:


And them assembled:


Step 11 has a bunch of "fidley" bits:


And the fenders clamped and drying:


Mike

Step 11 is complete:


Step 12's engine louvers (and for the most part, the only PE that'll go on):

There's a pretty large ejector pin mark on each of the twelve louvers...but, they're on the underside and won't be seen

Mike

Step 12's bits and pieces:

PE screens are on....The DS Tracks are "reverse-rolled." One of the problems of Dragon's DS tracks...they're wrapped around the cardboard and have a couple of major "kinks" to them. I've rolled them up "teeth out" to try and negate the kinks.

Mike

I'm going to hold off on the hull's MG (I managed to bore out the barrel crooked ). I have a couple of others, so that shouldn't be a problem.

The other thing I'm going to wait on, after relooking, are the headlights. Based on their position, and the opening of the RammTiger's hull in the front, I will probably devise a way to extend them to the outer hull and recess them. And the rear "blackout drive" light; that's another I'll reposition to the rear of the RammTiger hull plates.

Mike

Mike, go ahead !!!!



I have this project in my computer and in my mind, a long, long time ago !!!!

I´ll accompany your project sincerely....

All ahead flanck, please !!!!!

Marcos, I hope you're following this and Kim's, and Darren's! Three very different and distinct reditions of a RammTiger!

Okeedokee! Last step is done (the remaining kit steps are for the turret which this here puppy won't have!).

Step 13's bits and bobs:

Part L2 (rear blackout light) will be reinstalled on the outside of the RammTiger's hull. I did bore two holes in Part A35 to simulate the German's removing the light and bracket to move it). Parts A6 and A7???? Sheeit...I dunno where they go. They're the second antennae on the left rear. I've looked and best guess is they, uh, go there, but I haven't figured out just where!

So, Here's how the back end looks:


I've been contemplating just how the tank's commander would have a "visual" of the battlefield, especially before impact into a building. The Tiger VI (P) has a Commander's coupla...and a loader's hatch, and some other options. I'm inclinded to believe (or find plausible) that the commander would direct the vehicle towards the objective building, confirm the driver knows which one he's going to slam into, and maybe 20 or so meters away, the commader would drop into the hull, and brace for impact, So, I'm thinking instead of a "traditional" cupola, maybe a hatch on top????

Mike

Oh, went to the LHS and bought some "I-beam" and other plastic and aluminum bits. Much like Kim's RammTiger, this one will also have some framing. Now that the basic kit is done (sans the tracks and road wheels), I'll begin, I hope tomorrow, on the ram-hull.

just a thought what about a periscope like you would have on a sub, just smaller.

Got home from work yesterday and while there I enlarged the plans to 105% - I had enlarged them to 107% (per Kim) but that seemed too large by about a 1/4 inch in length. So, I start cutting the plates out....got the front, back, and two lower sides cut...and come find out the width was too short! I had compared the enlarged plans to the side of the Tiger VI (P) but didn't check the rear and the width. Anyhow, I now need to cut them at 107%.

I've been thinking about how to do the Commander's station...considering there isn't a turret I'll do something similar to what Kim did...but square (and angled at the top). This would allow me to (fictionally) create a station that would have the equipment for the Commander to include a periscope or vision blocks (or both) and a top hatch. The kit's turret comes with a lot of things that could be used for the Commander's vision (the cupola, loader's hatch, side view ports, miscellaneous little hatches (some molded seperately, some molded onto the turret)). I think that there will be enough there that can be used and once used would "make sense."

More to follow.

Mike

I ended up using the vision blocks from the drivers position. There was four of in my kit. So my build didn't have vision blocks for the driver. The armored covers are there but not the blocks. Figured would not be noticed to much.
Looking forward to how your build turns out.
Keep up the great work.

RammTiger hull/shell parts - back plate and lower side plates glued - front plate and upper side plates cut out. Measure twice, cut once, and hope or measure twice, cut once (but on the "large" side?)....we'll find out tomorrow!! :


Mike

Howdy!

Today's bit of work (man, I love the weekends!!).

The initial upper hull's framing, the upper hull as is right now, and (I'll use this term loosely) the "conning tower:"

So much for a four-sided commander's area. I decided to follow along with the kit's (what's it called?) raised turret ring.
I tried to do the conning tower in one piece of .020 sheet...I have no idea where I went wrong, but after two attempts, and missing on one of the measurements each time, I said "screw it," and now it's three different pieces:


The real fun will come when I cut the conning tower's top edges to fit the Ramm hull. From center-mass to the top peak of the Ramm hull, it's 1-1/16 inch...haven't measured to the sides yet. Hehehehehhe. I plan on an entry/egress point at the rear of the conning tower and some form of commander's hatch at the "roof." I'll probably have to make the rear access doors (as nothing from the kit would fit the purpose).

More to follow (tracks for my A-40 are here and that campaign ends Monday...gotta get that one finished, so the Ramm Baby is on hold for a couple of days).

Edit: It's my intention to either create a "wood" floor (kind of like the flooring for a Berge) or a "metal" floor for the base of the commander's position. In the floor will be an opening off to the "passenger's" side that will allow access to the lower hull. On the "driver's" side will be "seating" and the periscopes and the like. Right now it's a "concept," in a couple of days?; it may actually make sense or it may be tossed out the proverbial window.

Mike

One more from the front:

Seriously, I really have to stop for a day or so! Gotta get my A-40 finished! Sheesshe!

Mike

Ha! Couldn't stop quite yet.

Haven't done any more on the framing, but the Ramm hull got some attention. One half of the roof is now glued (with the tape). The other half is just sitting there...I took the top of the kit's cupola and cut a 13/16-inch hole in the roof so that the kit piece would set in snug. The hatch ring is not glued in place yet. I'm still determining which way the commander's hatch will open - to the rear [which is the way it's currently sitting] or to the side [which would make it open downward]. What do you think?

Mike

Here's some more: I've been working on the doors for the rear of the Ramm hull.

The picture is kind of blurry, but I think you'll get the gist of it. This is the right hand door...it can't be clearly seen, but there's the strip at the left side that'll cover the seam of the doors. I've also used some thin aluminum tube for the basis of the hinges, brass rod that fits through the tube, and copper sheet as the "hinge." Needless to say, the copper hinge material will be cut down and (I have Verlinden's "rivet" set) rivets/bolts will be added.

This picture shows the right hand side door...I've taken a kit "pistol port(?)" and installed it on the door. My thoughts were if the tank got stuck after hitting a building, the tank's crew may want to be able to see outside of their egress point....to wit, the back end. The hatch on the left comes from the turret and it's frame was cut from the turret roof. This set up will go on the back of the conning tower:

I'm figuring that I'll finish the hinges on the rear door and maybe get them attached today (depends on when my son comes by for a BBQ [Bourbon marinated steaks, lemon-pepper Talapia, and 'tater salad] - I'm HUNGRY! ).

Mike

Looking good TacFireGuru. Wait goto go there is a deer in the back yard and my two dogs are going bonkers.
Keep it up. I like what your doing.

Ola! More work on the hull's rear doors.

They are functional in that they will open and close. Right now the clamps are holding them in their approximate position.

Closed:

Open:

I used some wire for the door's handles.

Mike

Here's some more done on the Ramm hull. Speaking with Rick (aka the Bear), I'm going to put the hull's commander hatch opening at about the 2:00 o'clock position (as pictured below). I've also added the diamond-plate that covers the rear black-out light and the rear doors are now attached (I still need to "clean up," on the inside, the legs of the wire handles and add some form of locking mechanism:

You can see the DS tracks on the right; because of the way Dragon packaged them, they had two noticeable kinks in them...I've rolled them up in reverse and hopefully, without hot H2O or heat, they'll un-kink.

Rick also re-reminded me about Herr Byrden's Tiger1 Info site....the kit's commander's hatch has hardly any interior detail, so...I'll use David's drawings in an attempt to make the inner metal plate and padded headrest (as the hatch will be open).

Oh, at the top of the picture are the four pieces to the front of the Ramm hull. I'm hoping to get them installed tomorrow and perhaps get the conning tower cut down all the way to mate with the hull.

More to follow.

Mike

p.s. Regarding the hull's commder hatch: did it open so far that it was resting on the ring, or....was there some type of "stay" that kept it at an angle to the roof top? If there was a "stay," at about what angle (degrees) would it have stopped?

A quick update:

I've added the heavier front end of the hull and the side framing:


I've also added the "headpad" to the inner lid of the commander's hatch.

Mike

A little bit more for your viewing pleasure and/or critique:

Conning tower is cut down so everything fits nice and tight. I added the headlight to the center of the front armored plate, and the MG (yep, fixed it ). The last hull top plate is now in place and I added that "armored" plate to the front.
Mike

Here's a critical update to the plans that have been floating about: They need to be enlarged to 107%....that will give the width necessary. The kicker is, the hull's lower sides are too long when enlarged. The hull sides need to cut back (either from the front or the back) at least 1/2-inch. If you don't, the "nose" will stick out way too far.

Here's a couple of modified plan pictures showing what I'm referring to:

This is how the author devised the plans....the heavy ram portion is just forward of the front drives. If you use the plans as presented, you will have at least ONE full inch of "gap" between the drives and the heavy ram part. So with that, here's what I should have done:

Were the front to have been "cut back," everything else (aside from the upper hull sides) would have still been in proper position/placement (the two UPPER hull sides would also need to be cut back the same).

So, no...I'm not going to take things apart to "fix" it. Heck no. What I did was move the Ramm Hull to the rear some....a side-affect to this is it kind of helped "balance" the hull to the chassis....more so even between the front and rear drives and the front and rear of the hull.

Mike

Hey all!

The tank's chassis is done and primed. About the only thing, other than priming, I've done to it was add the headlight center-mass on the front armored plate and added a piece of tripwire for the headlight's wiring and managed to salvage the hull MG.

Whatcha think?


Mike