Jan Etal provides us with an overview of the Dragon Models Armor Pro, Sd. Kfz. 181 Tiger I Late Production w/Zimmerit + Tiger Aces, kit 7440. This includes the general impressions of building the Tiger Ace figures.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Very informative review but kind of disappointing that Dragon didn't have the tank have open hatches for the two crew meant to go in those hatches. Jan, you didn't make mention of a problem with the width of the rear idler. I've read several reviews that say the Tiger I idlers on the Dragon tanks need some surgery for the tracks to fit properly. The build review you link to says there was a need to trim one of the idler halves. Is this the case with this kit also?

Regards,
AJ

My thanks to Darren for getting this one up so quickly. I know that there's been a lot of talk lately about this kit with little "concrete" information available.

@weathering_one - AJ,

I too was quite disappointed about the closed hatches as the end result with all five figures would have bee quite something. I am sure that each individual will come to their own conclusions about this kit.

As for the idler, it appears that not only does the idler appear the proper thickness but the entire sprue appears new. I've checked the sprues of many, if not all the Tiger I kits and could not find one that uses the exact same 'B' sprue as in this kit.

Cheers,
Jan

I see Dragon still haven't sorted the solid drive sprockets. Shame as they had the ideal opportunity to fix it. The figures look very good though. Nivce review Jan

The solid drive sprockets should not cause too much of a problem other than they will require some skill and finesse when painting them. However, I agree with you and with Dragons slide-moulding one might have expected something better. there are enough examples of Dragon producing sprockets with lightening holes of varying configurations in other of their kits (Panthers, Churchill, Chi Ha...).




Thanks for the kudo about the review but comparing the figures in this kit to those with the PaK-40 gun crew, I'd have to say the gun crew is quite a bit superior.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look and comment.

Cheers,
Jan

On the figures but non opening hatches, what to say? Perhaps a diorama with the Tiger parked up by a pub, hatches down to stop anyone nicking it, the crew sitting / standing in the beer garden with their 3/4 length mate standing in a couple of feet of water in the drainage ditch that he hadn't spotted. If only the others were laughing.

I notice the box to illustration insert helpfully shows a crew member in an open hatch. Dear oh dear.

I believe that there isn't much to say that won't be obvious to the vast majority.




While a diorama with these two sets comes to mind, there is one important element missing. At least on this side on the pond, a diorama is expected to tell a story. Since the crew figures are posed to be relaxed after a hard day on the battlefield, there is no action implied by their poses. This at least might garner a yawn from the judges.




The 3/4 figure is meant to occupy the open loaders hatch and the driver was to have his feet jutting into his hatch. Could we perhaps accuse/sue Dragon on the grounds of false advertising.

BTW, your diorama idea does have merit (a beer garden scene) but alas as you point out, exhaustion more than levity is more apparent on the facial features. I do have a Stug III in the stash and the 3/4 figure might fit perfectly into an open loaders hatch.

Cheers,
Jan

To be fair, at least here are some figures with a vehicle kit, a lack of which I have bemoaned before, so that is to be applauded, even if they're not quite right.

The Dragon website has this carefully phased piece of marketing:

The figures may be grouped together on a Tiger as indicated in the box-top art, or they can be mix and matched with any other German tank type. The fact that the Tiger I is accompanied by such an impressive crew puts this set in a class of its own, for no other manufacturer offers such an ideal combination!

It's true that many of us small scale builders have bemoaned the lack of suitable crew figures from this company. Indeed, I have run into a number of individuals that have bought this kit solely for these figures. One individual I recall has gone so far as to buy five kits and then offer the Tigers to "good homes" for the cost of postage.

While I am not really a figure type tinkerer, I can see that there might be some potential for modifying some of the figures' poses. Perhaps Dragon might consider packaging several sets of these figures from the various kits that have them as a separate kit unto itself? The market is definitely out there!

Cheers,
Jan

Well... I thought the Caesar Miniatures Panzer crew were pretty decent, and with some OK poses.