Tracks & tow cables on;



Looks like my Kitmaker gallery space is full. I can't face creating yet another internet account to make this blog work on two sites simultaneously, so if you want to see it through to the end please catch up with me via the "Panzers In Scale" link below (there will be a link to the Tiger Evolution blog from there).

Many thanks for all of your support & advice so far, but the Armorama picture cache size isn't big enough for me to continue here.

Over & out!


Bill Hazard

http://panzersinscale.blogspot.com/

For further updates, pls follow this link, until I have found a way of posting pictures here;

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=38892&p=1

Thanks!

Hi Guys!

Looks like there is quite a bit to catch up on - sorry for the delay. I have a total of six completed builds on the Tiger Evolution series to show you, so hang on & I'll post them up as soon as I can.

All the best.


Bill

Panzers In Scale

Hi Bill ...Great job so far ...I`m getting ready for a Tiger build soon and I didn`t quite get where you got the PE for the Feifel system ? I'm going to need that to backdate my Micheal Wittman Early to an even earlier one ..

Rick

Hi Rick

PE for the Feifel system can come from a variety of sources - Voyager do include it in the Early Tiger set (and the super-duper Pro set), the Tamiya Afrika Troop Tiger sets (there are now two of them) and the one dedicated Feifel system AM set; also Aber and Lion Roar include PE for the Feifel system in their sets (and I guess Eduard do also).

Later in the series I will show you use of the Voyager Feifel set; PEA087 without recycling Academy parts - NB the filter boxes in the Voyager resin set are the 'late' type.

Cheers!


Bill

Hello Fellas

I wonder if any of you might care to join me in a discussion.

Tiger 323 of sPzAbt 503, summer 1943 - I am sure that this is a late 1942/early 1943 build, but wonder whether the members of the forum could identify exactly which month this Tiger 1 rolled off of the production line?



sPzAbt 503 took delivery of 25 Tigers during Decmber 1942 and later 10 Tigers in March 1943 - I am sure this was manufactured (at the earliest) December 1942, but have an idea that it was later (i.e. February 1943). Does anybody have any firm ideas on month of manufacture?

Thanks in anticipation.


Bill

It's December 1942 because there are no welded mounts for exhaust shields.

Also, the side fenders form a straight line on one side and a bent line on the other!

Interesting that it had the hole cut in the rear plate for the original antenna mount, and this had to be plugged.

David

Hello David

Thank you for that - I had every intention to build this as a February 1943 Tiger 1, but there were nagging doubts in my mind like;

Why aren't there any exhaust shrouds?
Why aren't there any S-mine throwers mounted, yet the apparatus is there?
If this is a February build; why isn't there a production Gepack Kasten?
If this is a February build, why isn't the crank starter mounted on the bottom right rear of the rear plate?
Why is the mantlet atypical, yet devilishly similar to Fgst 25053, and others of sPzAbt 503 (built during December 1942, yet slightly before due to absence of turret escape hatch)?
Why are there no hatch stoppers?

Now I know - it is an earlier build (it looks to me like I'm playing snakes & ladders).

So - next up is a December 1942 build.

I have the January 1943 build in the bag (Tiger 822, 'Das Reich'), but will consider options for February 1943 now - units I have to choose from would be Gross Deutschland, LSSAH, sPzAbt 503, sPzAbt 508, sPzAbt 507 & sPzAbt 504. I wonder which of the LSSAH Tigers from Kursk were February builds - do you know David?

By the way; regards Tiger 323 which fender edge is bent and which is straight (talk about caught just at the moment of change)? Where was the original antenna mount? Top right of the rear plate?

I guess Tiger 323 was somewhere between Fgst 250054 and 250076 inclusive (25 of the 34 sent out that month went to sPzAbt 503).

Thanks again!


Bill

I will get the pictures of the 5 completed Initial/Early Tiger builds very soon;

Tiger 111, sPzAbt 502 (August 1942)
Tiger 112, sPzAbt 501 (September 1942)
Tiger 123, sPzAbt 503 (November-December 1942)
Fgst 250053 (December 1942)
Tiger 822, Das Reich (January 1953)

So for the upcoming 'Early' Tigers I have this in mind;

December 1942 (again); Tiger 323, sPzAbt 503
January 1943; Tiger 822, Das Reich (built)
February 1943; Tiger 131, sPzAbt 504
March 1943; Tiger 323, Pz Dv Muncheberg, Berlin 1945 (assumed March build)
April 1943; F02 Fehrmann (assumed April build) or Tiger 1331 LSSAH (? late April/early May build? - confirmation/advice would be appreciated)
May 1943; Tiger 1331 LSSAH (? late April/early May build? - confirmation/advice would be appreciated), or Fgst 250234, or Tiger 323 sPzAbt 502
June 1943; Tiger 122 'E Schnapur', Tiger Gr Meyer, Italian Front 1943 (late June build - confirmation/advice would be appreciated)
July 1943; Tiger 8 'Strolch', Tiger Gr Meyer, Italian Front, 1943 (July build)

This represents the list of to do's for the Early Tiger 1's and should keep me busy for a while...


Bill

I am on the hunt for a set of Bison decals; BD35021 - Early Tiger 1's, Ostfront;



I can't see them in my usual sources & guess that they had a short print-run. The only place I have found them charges 20 Euros for delivery from Italy.

Does anybody have any leads to where I might be able to source this set from?

The particlar vehicle I have an inkling to add in as a June 1943 Tiger (delivery/build) is this one;



Tiger 231, built during May/June 1943 (by my reckoning) and delivered to sPzAbt 505 in June 1943, I reckon it might be a good replacement for Tiger 122 E Schnapur, as Tiger 8 Strolch and E Schapur share too much in common to be juxtaposed in the series for my liking. If you disagree with my estimation of build month, please let me know.

Cheers!


Bill

231 of 505 is a little curious.

It was photographed with a HL230 engine adapter, but it also had welded frames at the rear mudguards. This is not expected. I suspect that the engine was a HL210, just the adapter was out of sequence.

I don't know about any legs on the engine hatch.

It had every other mod from April backwards, so April is the earliest possible build date.


David

Following this week's planning I have come up with this tiger Timeline formula;

Aug 1942; Tiger 111 sPzAbt 503, Fgst 250008
Sep 1942; Tiger 112, sPzAbt 501, Fgst 250012
Oct 1942; Fgst 250014, delivered to sPzAbt 501 (TRANSPORT)
Nov 1942; Tiger 123, sPzAbt 503
Dec 1942; Fgst 250053, Wa Preuf 6
Jan 1943; Tiger 822, Das Reich (TRANSPORT)
Feb 1943; Tiger 131, sPzAbt 504 (Bovington Tiger)
Mar 1943; Tiger 323, Pz Dv Muncheberg, Berlin 1945 (assumed March build)
Apr 1943; F02 Fehrmann (assumed April build)
May 1943; Factory-finish Fgst 250234 (TRANSPORT)
Jun 1943; Tiger A02, Großdeutcshland
Jul 1943; Tiger 8 ‘Strolch’, Tiger Gr Meyer, Italian Front 1943
Aug 1943; Tiger ‘Red W11’, sPzAbt 506
Sep 1943; Tiger ‘Black-outline 231’, sPzAbt 501
Oct 1943; Tiger 334 sSSPzAbt 101, Fgst 250570
Nov 1943; Tiger ‘White-outline 2 or 3’, sPzAbt 508
Dec 1943; Tiger ‘Red 308’, sPzAbt 502
Jan 1944; ‘Tiger A’ Panzerbefehlswagen Ausf E (ref pp 140-141, Jentz & Doyle); sPzAbt 507

I hope it works.

Thanks to all for their assistance with dating the Tigers. I reckon the Lates will keep me thinking for quite a while. Currently, I think I need a rest.

Phew!

Tiger 323 sPzAbt 503 has been scratched infavour of adding October 1942 and doing Tiger 131 of sPzAbt 504, North Africa. I have to take care of a little Panzer painting first, but will kick off with the Timeline ASAP.


Bill

Since you seem to be looking for variety in your Tigers, why not start the Mid line with one of the very first Mids? The ones with the cupola hatch opening forwards? And twin headlights, and the flat mantlet?



I can't see enough of 'A' / 507 to pin it down, but 'C' / 507 is indeed a January '44 tank and I can list its features.


David

Have been following this blog for a while and I am loving your work with the PE. Great research is really showing in the detailing.

But this is the first time I have read your blog from the beginning and when I read this...





... I spilled my beer all over the place. Good God man you must be mad!

I will most definately be subscribing to this... for the next few years I would guess!

There is a campaign starting in February called The Desert Fox. It would be great to see #2, the DAK Tiger involved.

Good luck!

Hello Noel

Thank you for your interest. I suspect I might be doing three DAK-themed builds by the end of it. How would one join a 'campaign'?

The most recent list is a little most extensive than the original nine - like you say, this could take time...


Bill

Hello David!

Please do list the features of Tiger Befehlswagen C; January 1944 - is that also sPzAbt 507 or is is GD?

Is the 'original' Mid-Tiger a July 1943 build? Was that one of sPzAbt 505? I thought that particular Tiger had a Mid-style cupola retro-fitted to an Early-style turret (with an MP Klappe vs an MP Stopfen)? Am I wrong? I thought that I read that somewhere...I would be delighted to oblige, but it would have to substitute Tiger 8 Strolch, unless, of course, that was actually a June build? Maybe Tiger 112 E Schnapur was a June 1943 build? What do you think - I had hoped to do one of those two along the way.

After our machinations on Missing Lynx - do we now ascertain Tiger 231 of sPzAbt to be definitley a September 1943 build, or is it an August 1943 model? I am sure that there is absolutley no Zimmerit on the left hull side photograph & that one is pretty close up isn't it?

If we agree on the July Mid-Tiger - can I exchange June 1943 from GD Tiger A02 for Tiger 112 E Schnapur or Tiger 8 Strolch?



Bill

Tiger C of s.Pz.Abt. 507




Leaving aside the really obvious items, it had:

C-hooks; centered headlight; cleated tracks; no S-mines; no rear toolbox; crank handle beside antenna base; no Feifel system or leftover mount points; no pistol port; a rear travel lock; the 20-ton jack (square base); a shovel on the glacis; no cutouts in the hull armour for the C-hooks; the original wheels; no heater port in the rear wall; the large idler; no ring around the turret base; the third type of starter adapter; the 25mm turret roof; a binocular telescope; the large muzzle brake; etc.

The crew stored 3 links of spare track above each front mudguard, 3 bundles of sticks on each side, and a single jerrycan in a frame above the jack. Tiger B had a step added on the left, and it looks like the same was done to C, although no photo shows it.

It was of course a Befehlstiger with the antenna tube on the left rear wall, the supports on the right side for a tall antenna, a turret roof antenna and a left hull roof antenna, the rear C-hook stored diagonally at the left, and a plugged MG hole in the mantlet.

I can send you photos...

David

s.Pz.Abt. 503 got a few new Tigers in August '43, including some of the very first Mids with the forward-opening cupola. Numbers 100 and 300 are clearly photographed.



David

If you go to the CAMPAIGNS section at the top of the page you will see a massive variety.

There is The Desert Fox campaign starting in February on the 14th, the 70th anniversary of Rommel's arrival in Africa.

I also see The Tiger Tank campaign too which is obviously very suitable!

I have just joined my first campaign and like the idea of having a bit of a deadline to keep the focus and a theme to share ideas etc. Just click on the "ENLIST" button and head to the Campaign are of the Forums and you will find the relevant thread.

I have signed up for the Tiger campaign.

This should help me, then;



maybe...

Thanks for the reference David - all support & pictures would be gratefully received.

Actually David/Phil - or anybody else for that matter (??Grant), now we see that Tiger 231 of sPzAbt 501 and Tiger Red W11 of sPz Abt 506 are probably both August 1943 Tigers; can anybody point me in the direction of an sSSPzAbt 101 September 1943 Tiger? I fancy keeping Red W11 and changing 231 for 113 (October 1943), thereby displacing Tiger 334 of sSSPzAbt 101 from the October 1943 slot; currently September 1943 seems to be vacant. Any ideas? Maybe even sPzAbt 509 - seems to be (as yet) unrepresented?

I have wracked my brains & have so far drawn a blank - I see some early Mid-tigers on Tiger Im Focus, but can't pin down any September ones...

Here's hoping!


Bill

I'd expect to find September Tigers in 501, 505, 509 and GD.

509 is poorly covered by photos, but this is one:



505 has a few good examples, with the C-hooks stored on the front plate:





I didn't spot any in Grossdeutschland, but they did have this July/August Tiger with a forward-opening cupola:



David

Thanks David.

This is the up to date list of the Initials, Earlies & Mids;

Aug 1942; Tiger 111 sPzAbt 503, Fgst 250008

Sep 1942; Tiger 112, sPzAbt 501, Fgst 250012

Oct 1942; Fgst 250014

Nov 1942; Tiger 123, sPzAbt 503

Dec 1942; Fgst 250053, Wa Preuf 6

Jan 1943; Tiger 822, Das Reich (TRANSPORT)

Feb 1943; Tiger 131, sPzAbt 504 (Bovington Tiger)

Mar 1943; Tiger 323, Pz Dv Muncheberg, Berlin 1945 (assumed March build)

Apr 1943; F02 Fehrmann (assumed April build)

May 1943; Factory-finish Fgst 250234 (TRANSPORT)

Jun 1943; Tiger A02, Großdeutcshland

Jul 1943; Tiger 8 'Strolch', Tiger Gr Meyer, Italian Front 1943

Aug 1943; Red W11, sPzAbt 506

Sep 1943; Tiger 113, sPzAbt 509

Oct 1943; Tiger 113, sPzAbt 501

Nov 1943; Tiger ‘White-outline 2 or 3’, sPzAbt 508

Dec 1943; Tiger ‘Red 308’, sPzAbt 502

Jan 1944; ‘Tiger A/B/C’ Panzerbefehlswagen Ausf E (ref pp 140-141, Jentz & Doyle); sPzAbt 507

I am open to debate about July 1943...