Bill Cross takes an in-box look at the 1/35 Cyberhobby KingTiger Henschel Turret s.Pz.Abt. 505 w/ Zimmerit.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Hey,

Thanks for the review.

I must comment that I was disappointed that this kit didn't come with the extras as in their DML 6303 kit, such as the aluminum barrel and 88 shells as you mentioned. I purchased this kit as my first king tiger kit because I love the unit marking on the side of the turret, as it makes this KT distinctive.

Alexander, I agree totally.

In my case, I purchased an AM barrel from Armorscale for 6303 and can swap out its turned aluminum barrel into this kit. But the metal tow hitches, for example, are hard to replace without an annoying expense.

That having been said, it looks as though it will build into a fine kit.

While the metal barrel and towing eyes are missing, I have to ask, are they missed for their superior detail or just because they are metal extra bits?

Nowadays, a metal barrel isn't what sets anything apart from any other, it is the muzzle-brakes that really offer that superior quality. Yes, an aluminum barrel takes away the job of working out the join of the plastic barrel halves, but beyond that, there's little extra a metal barrel offers given the very good plastic barrels we find in kits today.

Same for the clevices. Is it superior detailing on the metal bits, or just that no mold seam needs to be sanded of?

If companies like Armorscale or Aber would releases only the muzzle-brakes of guns, they would still sell like hot-buns. IMO thats where the money really goes to. The multi-part muzzlebrakes are really a vast improvement over the plastic ones, even the multi-part ones.

And the 88 shells, now, when would we see those near a Tiger-B? During re-loading, so only when you would place a supply truck next to it, would you have any use for those shells. With no ammo-racks in the kit OOB you can't put them in the turret either.

The only real lacking feature of these Zimmerited Tiger-Bs in my view is that the kits do not give an indication of where the trackhangers go on the turret. DML could use their technique from the Smart Kit Panther-G where they have small dots to indicate the location of the D-rings.

I know from converting the older arrangement on the turret to that of the final Tiger-Bs, the 6 sets per side instead of 4, I had a fair bit of trouble getting the positions of the hangers right. And yes, I am a accuracy freak when it comes to Tigers and Panthers.

As to the kit, I can only echo what is said in the review, marvelously well engineered and detailed and certainly, the charging knight emblem really sets these Tiger-Bs apart from other Zimmerit Tiger-Bs.

Once finished, it will look rather nice next to it's 1:16 brother.

Herbert, you make a good point, and the aluminum barrel can be over-valued. Is it more than not having to sand off the mold seams and joins? Yes, because there is no worry about the "trueing" of the barrel or any warpage from an over-heavy hand.

But I also mentioned the barrels because this kit derives from the earlier Tiger B Henschel Zimmerit, so if one is comparing value-for-money, the absence of the barrel and other metal parts is more telling IMO.


Again, good points. Even the original Tiger Henschel kit this derives from does not include a metal brake, and with good reason, since the detailing on the brakes is where the "rubber meets the road." Turning a metal barrel is no special trick, and the large number of AM barrel makers proves that (some with quality inferior to the best plastic).


True, but if comparing this to the generic Tiger B Henschel Zimmerit, some modelers may feel they are getting less for the same or more money. And we all like a little "extra" in a kit that can go into the spares box for use in a diorama later on, perhaps with a Munitionsschlepper parked alongside?


A VERY good point. Since I have not yet built this one, I am glad you pointed that out.[/quote]

I have been getting some Lion Roar gun barrels (for KT's) with excellent detailing and a terrific muzzle brakes.
It's cheaper than the Aber sets.

I agree with your opinions Bill & Herbert !

Hello,

I am also disappointed about this "new" set which is nothing less than a light weight of 6303.

Therefore I decided to use the 6303er-kit I have got in stock and apply the characteristic
emblem of the 505 HTB by using DML's instructions

http://www.dragon-models.com/catalog/dml/insidestory/6303/6303-02.htm

and stencils I bought at my local retailer.








The total price of both the kit and the stencils is less than this latest deception package of CH...

Marco, thanks for posting this alternative. But some of us lack the patience and/or skill to machine off the Zimmerit (from 6303) or Zim ourselves to make the characteristic rectangular slot for the 505's striking unit insignia (which is also available in a dry transfer from Archer). I wouldn't call this a "deception," just an alternative for those who are looking more for things to go together OOB.

My Tiger im Kampf books are still packed away so I can't verify this myself.

I've built the 1/16 RC Tiger-B and it too is a 505 one, and the instructions had the rear turret numbers all on the hatch.

CH shows it as one on the turret left rear, the middle on the hatch and one on the turret rear right.

Which one is correct?

Hello Herbert,

all on the hatch.

[Osprey Publishing "Kingtiger Heavy Tank 1942 - 45 / Tom Jentz & Hilary Doyle", page 27]