A friend of mine has got a DML Porsche Jagdtiger at a massive discount, because its hull tub was missing. After several failed attempts to make the kit complete, I promised that I'll build the missing piece for him. He did not particularly like the Jagdtiger and wanted something different to be made from this kit. In the spares box we have found a incomplete "Porsche" turret for an older issue DML Kingtiger (both the Porsche and the Henschel turrets were actually designed and built by Krupp). He asked me if I could combine the incomplete hull and turret into a Koenigstiger with the Porsche suspension and the early turret. Challenge accepted!
Here is the what-if story: Schwere PanzerJäger Abteilung 653 is known to have had highly resourceful maintenance crews that have put together some unusual vehicles, such as the BergePanther with a Pz IV turret on top, the Flak Panzer T34 with the Vierling turret made from Sd.kfz 251 armor. And, of course, the unit had another rare beast, Tiger(P) "003". Let's say that in their journeys they found a derelict Tiger Ausf. B whose turret they would graft on the chassis of a JagdTiger that for some reason or another has lost its gun. This vehicle would replace 003, that was lost in the summer of 1944.

Hull tub, the bottom:


Hull tub, the sides:

Interesting concept, I will be watching this!

Enjoy, the longer hull and that beautiful turret should provide an interesting result!

Me too. Have fun with the build, Florin.

Looking forward to seeing what you do.

Why did you just request a replacement from DML though?

The kit is not mine. After finding that shipping costs for the missing part would be too much, my friend just gave up and handed me the kit to have fun with. The end result will hopefully turn up OK.

Interesting concept. This will be interesting to watch coming together.

On a side note though, Tiger(P) 003 was not a field expedient as you allude it to be. It was one of two of the vehicles submitted by Porsche for the Tiger I trials. While 003 actually made it into a combat unit, the other disappeared off the records, and was probably scrapped.

I am fully aware of the fact that Tiger(P) was Porsche's entry for the Tiger contest. There weren't just two vehicles built though, the actual number is one hundred, of which 90 hulls would become the Ferdinand/Elefant.
The first Tiger (P) was completed for the demonstration on the Fuehrer's birthday on 20 April 1942. A second, completed in June 1942 was shipped to Kummersdorf. Five more completed vehicles were reported as present in Dollersheim in September 1942. Two were shipped to Berka for comparrison with the Henschel Tiger in November 1942. One complete vehicle was used as a target for test firing. The last vehicle to be completed was Fgst.Nr. 250013 mit Turm Nr. 150014, and this is the famous 003.

The Jagd- becomes Kingtiger - off with the fighting compartment!





Two weld lines will be added where the new roof plate meets the hull, front and rear:

Hi Florin,

Interesting concept! But I look at the removed JT casement with its 128mm gun and can't help thinking "that would make a nifty rotating turret..."

Maybe as a ground-emplaced defense?

Yes, another what-if, an Ortsfesten Jagdtiger (with full interior) is an excellent idea, since there were factory drawings showing Maus turrets used for that purpose. But for now, it shall be put aside...

Test fit of the styrene sides on the hull:

A few words on the Porsche suspension: the cost of a Porsche Jagdtiger was 462000 ReichsMark as compared to 866000 RM the Henschel vehicle, with a 230 work hours economy. The Porsche Jagdtiger weighed 4 tons less than its Henschel counterpart, both versions being similarly equipped. In spite its obvious advantages, the vehicle was too heavy for the Porsche suspension that needed further refining (the crews complained about vibrations that in time threw the gun out of calibration), and so it was decided that the classic torsion bar suspension should be used in order not to disrupt production.

Mount points for the suspension were drilled, moving one step closer to the hull tub assembly



The suspension looks decent enough

Damn, I actually was thinking to build something similar some time a go as I have those older DML kits in stash and probably never build them otherwise. I'll be watching this one.

May I suggest something? The 8.8cm KwK 44 L/100 from RB Models is awesome! You could move the turret to the rear of the hull and and use the long gun instead of L/71. The barrel looks like this: http://www.rbmodel.com/picture.php?dir=35B108

The hull is now complete, turret is next

Florin, the Henschel system threw the gun out of alignment as well.

Looking forward to seeing some paint on there.

You'll have to wait a bit for the paint job, first the turret is incomplete, so parts need to be fabricated, and its smooth texture contrasts with the rough cast hull, a coat of Zimmerit is in order.

The turret found in the "box full of monkeys" had no bottom part, so one was put together. It's a bit raw, but it will have to do... The roof fan comes from Amusing Hobby's VK30.02(DB), and the loader's hatch is an extra part from the Gefreiter "Alfred Kurzmaul" Late Production Tiger kit. Pilzen come from a late production StuG from DML, lifting eyes are made from thick copper wire, guard for the loader's periscope is made from a piece of PE fret, and the spent cartridge hatch on the roof is of unknown origin. Handle on the escape hatch and torsion bars are made of wire.

Turret roof, all done. The fan cover for submerged operation is only temporarily fit.



The Zimmerit - Zwaluw/ Den Braven Universal Sandable Putty was used, got it from a hardware store. With the consistency of toothpaste, it's odorless and best of all, water soluble. Its adherence to plastic is fantastic, and could be removed at any time by simply dunking the piece in water or applying pressure. It was applied in columns, one at a time, sandwiched between two masking tape strips, let dry for ten minutes, then the pattern was applied with a fine electrical screwdriver. When completely dry the process was repeated. Took a while, but here it is, applied to the left side,



right side,



and front

The turret overhang clears the engine grills beautifully, now to solve the shot trap problem...

The armored ring that countered the shot trap was built in segments for a field modification look, as opposed to the perfectly circular one on the King Tiger or bars on the top edge of the hull as on the VK 45.02(P) Vorne.

Awesome build so far mate. Love the idea!

Ferdinand Tiger(P)s numbered 100 when the decision to go with the (H) model was made. Ninety were converted into Ferdinand tank destroyers, later three more were converted into recovery vehicles. That left seven original Tiger (P) vehicles, from which the 653rd's 003 was sent to them as a command vehicle for several months before it was lost.

So, there were six original Tiger (P)'s, three were reserved for use as "Rammtiger". No,word has been uncovered on their status, if they were started or not.

That gives you three Tiger(P)s unaccounted for! Three. "What ifs".