This question comes as the result of a good-news/bad news scenario. Back in about 2006, I was fortunate enough to purchase a Cyber Hobby Tiger I Initial Production 3 in 1 kit. This was Cyber Hobby's first kit, IIRC, and nobody knew who they were, and the whole "botique kit" think had not really begun. In any event, I was also fortunate enough to have kept it all in original unopened packaging, and just recently sold it on Ebay, for a very good price. That is the good news.
The bad news is, I now find myself seeking an early Tiger I, and there is not much currently out there. (I really am not into the 1st production series, with the funny-lookinig turret-side bins available from Dragon!)
So I am wondering, what is the general consensus on the best early production Tiget I that is not from Dragon? So far as I know, the competitors are Tamiya and Academy. Are either worth looking-at?

Tamiya is the way to go in my book. An aftermarket PE set, barrel, and tracks, and you should be on your way.

I think you and EVERYBODY else would like to see an early production '39-'45 series from DML.

Below are is my attempt at the Tamiya Tiger. It was supposed to be from 'GD' in Russia during the summer of 1943. I don't think unit C22 had camouflage. Also, I would expect the turret sides to also have identification. I didn't have the decals for the sides too, just the rear. These things aside, the model came out pretty accurate. Tamiya gives you a bunch of different parts to make quite a few different production timelines with their early kit.









Hey, if Bronco is coming out with stuff like this, you think DML could drop an early Tiger non-white box to us.



Hell, charge me $75 dollars for it, I'll buy it. That said, DML has been coming out with some other very high quality stuff lately, so it is hard to fault them. Its kind of like a drug, when they come out with soo much good German Armour, you expect they will keep delivering. This is basically me telling myself to shutup:

Greg IF you decided to go the DML route you can do one without the elephant ears in either the original release of the DML Initial or the second one... either or you can build it without the ears on the side... There is enough reference out there to make it happen. YOUR MUCH better off with the DML kits then anything else. Those kits came out AFTER the MMIR Tiger book back in the day and they have everything in them...

Here is the first one....
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg250/SteveCoops/6252-01.jpg

and here is the second. The second one has more options for later issued Tigers. It has the bin on the back rather then the side. You can also mix and match later versions of the side panels. I have plenty of them if you need them. I also have an influx of back panels as well... GO with the DML you WONT be disappointed...

http://scaleplasticandrail.com/kaboom/images/stories/Adams_Dragon_6600_initial_production_tiger_I/dml6600.jpg

DML is the ONLY way to go with the Tiger... TRUST ME....

The first one is much harder to find. But its out there...

I like the Dragon/DML offerings. I completed one of their Tiger I Late kits, and enjoyed it very much. (Also very happy with how it came out!)
I nearly picked-up one of the Dragon Initial kits at the nationals a couple weeks ago, but held off. Biggest hesitation was the lack of the turret rear bin, and I don't mean the Pzkw III version! I suppose if I could get a hold of after market replacements, I would be good to go. I'd like to do one of the Tunisia versions, so I suppose I will have to do my research.

I'm afraid there are many more differences than the turret bin between Dragon's 6600 and an Early Tiger.

David

DML looks more like a Tiger 1 than Tamiya.

Tamiya's one is incorrect in a lot of places due to it's age and old technology.
DML released an initial Tiger, not an early one.I think DML will give us an next version of Tiger soon..early type this time

David is it me or are the bolts on the side of the DML Tiger I's too SMALL...

Hi David! Gret to "see" you!

Yeah, I figured there are lots of other differences between the two, the bin is the most conspicuous thing to try to find, at least to my eye.
What do you think, is the Tamiya kit worth a shot, or is it better to wait & see what Dragon might give us? It seems like they already have all the necessary sprues, baring any corrections/reworking, they just need to package and release them in a kit.

Greg,

But they won't - Dragon has stated that their CH kit was a one time release. The Tamiya kit #35227 is a good starting point for a Tunisian Tiger. I would add some AM tow cables to replace the plastic ones, Friul tracks, and a metal barrel. You will also need PE as the headlights/brackets are in the wrong location on the Tamiya kit for a 501 PD Tiger. I would also recommend you review photos and pick a particular Tiger, they are some of the more photographed of all Tigers. Good luck!

Scott Gentry

I don't expect Dragon to do the Tunisian Tiger kit again Scott, but they have released a whole bunch of other Tiger boxings over the years, and with a current "hole" in the market, I would be surprised if they didn't do some new boxing of an early production Tiger based principally on existing sprues. Based on the interest in the early version, and that some of their older boxings are going for truly astronomical prices on Ebay, I would imagine it would be a good business decision, and a great seller!

I'm not sure what you mean.

Do you mean the mounting points for the side fenders, which are molded into the side panels? And which kit are you looking at?

I just checked the "Carius" kit, and those ones are exactly the right size.

Is there a photo that suggests a problem?

David

Yes, they could release an Early Tiger very quickly in an emergency (i.e. their competitors do the same) but they're more likely to take their sweet time and milk the Tiger cow for years to come.

And when they say they won't re-release a CH kit, I can't be sure what that means. Certainly the identical kit won't appear again, but if they strip out most of the PE, put in DS tracks and new decals, isn't that a different kit? The CH Tigers have been getting very specific, which makes that easier to do.

David

It's beyond me why DML WOULDN'T release a mainstream early Tiger. They can't be benefiting from the prices on eBay unless they are sitting on a stockpile of unsold kits. An updated DML Tiger Early would sell like hotcakes- a license for Dragon to print money. Another question I don't get is why some AM company hasn't mad a Tunisian Tiger conversion for one of the DML Initial kits. Would it have to be too extensive?

Sure, but they can't milk that cow unless they have something on the market! From a business-perspective, it's hard to see how it benefits them to release another limited production kit of a specific Whittman or Carius Tiger. Sure, they will likely sell-out, if for no other reason than buyers speculating on how much they might sell the kit for themselves once it's out of production. But I have a hard time believing the revenue generated this way is greater than if they do an early 3 in 1 Tiger kit, for example, with a much longer production run. The only thing I can figure is perhaps the market for Tiger kits really is botiquey (to coin a word!) in the first place, and the folks buying the specialized kits are also the only ones who will buy more general, long-run kit. (shrug)

It seams like all the photos of Tiger I's I have seen without fenders but with the bolts, the bolts look bigger scale wise to me in proportion then the ones on DML's kits. The MK bolts look more to scale to me. Or is it just me?

Can you point me to a specific photo that looks wrong?

David

http://ww2db.com/images/vehicle_panzervi121.jpg

Look at the SIZE of the bolts here... they look much bigger to me then the scale ones on DML's Tigers... or is it just me... this is what I am referring too.. thanks.

Hmmm, didn't see any bolts. Just a big 'Verboten' sign!

Those welded mounts are the standard size, but the crew have left the bolts screwed into them, making them seem larger.

David

Okay thanks...

The Dragon kit all the way...if you can find one, and if you do, expect to pay a lot for it. The other option is the Tamiya kit, not as good but the next best thing. I am working on the Acadamy early Tiger and using spare Dragon parts and Fruils .

If you go back to my first post on this thread, youi'll note I had the Dragon kit, btu sold it. For a LOT! That's why I'm in the market for a replacement.
I have a serious moral problem with actually building a kit someone else is willing to pay multiple hundreds of dollars for!

Probably you should wait until Dragon/CH do release something.

David

Right I got that part, just saying they are expensive. I wanted to get one but can't see paying a high price for a kit. One thing you can do is get the Fehrmann Tiger from CH and back date it. This kit has tons of extra parts from most Dragon Tigers including the early. The wheels are the steel type so if you want the rubber ones then they need to be swapped.
Don't get the Acadamy kit whatever you do, the kit is old. The Tamiya one I heard is not too bad,but as mentioned you need a lot of AM stuff for it.