Merry Christmas gents/ladies
I have been given the hybrid Tiger 1 from I taleri as a present. My question is what can I do,add to make it into a decent representation of the above and what markings should I use? The ones supplied or from another company?
Many thanks for any help,advice,
Matt Edwards

Hmm,new tracks for sure.Weakest part of any Italeri tracked kit. Just no fun to deal with. Then maybe some engine deck screens for more detail-scratch or buy(UK maker who's name escapes me has a nice set for decent price. Metal barrels are plentiful if you don't want to detail shape the kit's plastic one.
Any other detail like scope lenses,tow cables,etc. are better scratched than bought IMO.
Kit has a nice fit and clean parts. Have fun with it.
Cheers!

Ta mate ,

Matt,

I can't help with version-specific details, but to give you an idea of what it takes to build an Italeri Tiger here's a build review I did of their late version which shares the same running gear as your hybrid kit: Italeri 6471 "late" Tiger

I personally found the plastic link&length tracks adequate, so unless you really need open guide horns concentrate your AM cash on more visible things like grilles and tools. After all, if you really want the "ultimate" Tiger you'd really need to start with a Dragon kit at more than twice the price, so just enjoy the build and have fun tweaking!

Tom

Aries is the name of the PE grill maker in the UK.
Memory cells need to warm up a bit longer as we age you know..........

Dear Tom
Thanks for your advice. I'm building a dragon tiger 1 at the moment and next will be the gift. I hope to be able to use some tools etc from the dragon kit.
All the best
Matt

Thanks Rick
Yeah I know what you mean,well it is cold.

Dear Tom
I've just read your review and it is a big help thanks very much.
Matt

It's supposed to represent the tanks from a training center assigned as a last ditch defense force as the Allies drove into the Reich. These tanks had mismatched turrets and hulls from different production batches, as they had been cobbled together from salvaged wrecks. If you want to know what they should like, just Google the phrase Gruppe Fehrmann. You'll get discussions as well as photos and drawings.
The engineering of Italeri's kit is poor. The mantlet may not sit level without modification, as the trunnions aren't in line with each other. The barrel will also flop down unless you counterweight it inside (or just glue it in place). The turret is also symmetrical, whereas the real turret is not (compare with your Dragon Tiger). AFV Club workable tracks are an inexpensive upgrade, and you will need a set of photoetch engine deck screens, at least.
Dragon's Cyber Hobby brand did offer a kit of this version, but it's pricey, now.

Ta mate.
Yes I know it has a few problems but as I said it is a gift and it would be a shame to bin it. So I'll give it a go using all the helpfull advice.
Matt

Matt, good luck, and remember to have fun with it! (If you come to OnTrack at Folkestone in Feb you can see my effort in the flesh at the Essex MAFVA stand...)

Tom

That's a good idea, Italeri tools are poor.

For my Italeri intial prod Tiger I cannablized one of those Tamiya on vehicle equipment sets, Tamiya strip tracks, and Elefant tool clamps (hey! it was a long time ago) but LR or Abe clamps r could be used instead.

It isn't a really accurate kit, but it was fun and rather challenging to build.

I just had a good root through the box and it is without a coat of Zimmerit. Is it likely that some of the hybrids were without this. I can only see it added to the ones I do have photos of.
Any ideas?
Matt

Hmmm - good question, and I hope one of the more knowledgeable Tiger folk chime in. However, I found this thread on the hybrid ( Hybrid build ) and leaving aside the questionable "facts" the pictures sure look like an early Tiger without any zimm. If these were "early" Tigers built before zimm came in in 1943 and returned to Germany for either rebuild or training use then it is very possible they were smooth. The new wheels might have been an upgrade to get them back on the front line in the crisis at the end of the Reich, or possibly even deliberate testing of the new wheels before they went into series production. Either way, zimmerit went out of use around Oct '44 and Tiger production stopped about the same time, so if these were old tanks refurbished at the start of '45 they wouldn't have got any zimm...

Any advances on this, folks?

Tom

Hi chaps,
Well it.s built. I've had to use parts from spare Tiger kits and also had to do a fair amout of work to the loaders hatch as it's sunken in a kind of recess. I wonder why the master model was made like this or is there a real one out there with this feature?. Hope to post a photo of it when finally painted.
Matt