Hi guys,

U know, it's been a longtime i make models, but i've never made a "KingTiger" by now.
While researching, i've noticed that most of the "winter camo" (Wash) King Tigers don't have sideskirts.
The question is, is this a rule ? I mean is it something like Otto Carius' Tiger's front wheels (u know they're missing) or just a considence !?
Thanks from now.

they take the front wheel off cause of mud build up and stuff like that,
so i guess they took the side skirts off cause of mud build up.
check this site out
http://www.tiger-tank.com/secure/history13.htm

Thank you tazz,
But..this is a Tiger site, doesn't mention about "King Tigers" at all.
I believe, as u say, it's because of the mud & snow or something.
Thanks again

The KT side skirts were supposed to act as stand-off armor, and supposedly were like 5mm-8mm thick. Lots of pics out there of KTs with/with-out all/partial skirts attached. Likely this was very much a crew-situtaion dependent thing as to whether or not the skirts were removed after some degree of damage, etc.

Imgainne yourself as a TC on a KT; if I were a TC, and I felt no threat from "bazookas" in my area of ops, I'd probably toss them too - any weight removal from a heavy gas guzzler with limited range has got to help. For that matter, never could figure out why the Germans put heavy track links on a turret that already had slow traverse speeds. But then, no one ever accused the leaders of the 3rd Reich as being smart.

The skirts tended to torn off from drivning in and out of hiding under whatever overhang the tank crew found.
The practice of removing the outer front idler wheel on Tiger I wasn´t used on TII as it was less prone to building up mud and so on between the idlers.
If you were a TC you would prefere to have as much protection around you as possible and you would also have to have some spare track links with you. Why not combine both and keep them on the turret? If you look at almost whatever tank you find lot af crew added protection besides all the rest of stuff they carry.
regards
Mats

Thank you too nfafan and mats009.