My Amusing Hobby Lowe arrived, it was the old one with the plastic barrel. No nicely turned metal barrel, what can one do? Solution - I had an "old" barrel for something else that was doing nothing.

So I leapt into even deeper fantasy land the kit was designed for and making a sort of MKII two version based around the original kit.



I hope my attempt at German was correct. I was thinking of nickname for it (something the soldiers on the ground might have called it) - either Racheengel (avenging angel) or Drachenoden (dragons breadth) - a reply to Brad Pitt's Fury tank.

Kits used / ordered for this build:

Tank:
Amusing Hobby 1/35 35A005 Panzerkampfwag​en VII Löwe x2
Academy (last production) Tiger II.

Barrel for 12.8 cm Kanone 43 bzw. 44 - RB Model 35B116
Shackles (4 pcs) used in different military vehicles - RB Model 108
Verlinden 1/35 King Tiger Engine Pack for Dragon kit #2117
1/35 EUREKA XXL ER-3526 TOW CABLES for GERMAN FERDINAND
Aber 1/35 Barrel Cleaning Rods with Brackets for King Tiger #R-32
And a job lot of plastic card.

Figures:
Academy ACA01377 1/35 German Infantry Battle of the Bulge late 1944
MINIART, Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes, 1944
Zvezda 3614 1:35 German Tank Crew 1943045

Kraut Kits:
Replacement Tiger II style hatches.
Rear Idlers
Rear Stowage
Cooler Fans (not used on this build)

Replacement exhausts, I thought the extant ones with the kit looked a bit weedy hence the boy racer look ones now fitted.



Some ballistic enhancement to the turret with some concrete armour added around the cupola. Seen some thing similar done to a Tiger II.



Some more mock-up views.







"Where's the end of my turret"?

That is the same type of exhaust I put on mine.

Great minds think alike - I had a recollection of seeing something like it so it may even have been yours I was inspired by. Double take - the ones I saw were straight pipes, I've put a bend in mine - notionally to direct the exhaust smoke towards the ground.

Having fun with this build as you get a bit of leeway with regards to detail as it is a "paper" tank.

Some more work on the turret - thought I would get a bit creative with the camo, it is a what if after all so some time for a bit of fun.







Red primer, then some layers of the traditional German three colour camo - gone for an extreme ambush camo effect. Some mild scratching back to the primer. Chipping to add later. Still awaiting the stencils (Alliance Models) for the markings.

The photos have made the colours a bit vibrant than reality - the primer red is much more muted.

Started to add on the revised side armour - yet to decide whether this will be welded on of the bolt on variety.

Looking good like the beefed up side armour. The German infantry figures in winter gear [cream plastic],what kit are they? I like the look of them Cheers Geraint.

The cream figures are Academy ACA01377 1/35 German Infantry Battle of the Bulge late 1944:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301218017905?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

got them of ebay for £4.99, free postage - absolute bargain - they fit together quite well.

Thanks Andrew cheers , I will try and get a set, never made any of they're figure sets. How's the Lowe shape'n up interesting camo, like it quite differant.

Lowe has stalled a bit as I am awaiting some extras - I'm going adapt a King Tiger engine & cooler set, may change the barrel (again) + trying to source a decent perforated metal muzzle break. Also to add (when they arrive) Panther style rear stowage boxes, metal shackles + some replacement tow cables (using some Elephant tow cables as the stock ones looked a bit weedy for this tank) & gun cleaning rods.

The stock is based on early concept drawings so I'm to incorporate lesson learnt from Panther design etc - sort of a Lowe Mk II / Super Panther.

Unfortunately this means cracking on with the tracks - Friulmodel apparently are working on some tracks for this kit so I may wait.

Great idea Lowe II this tank is going to be a monster. What about the muzzel break off a E 100? What are the kit tracks like? it dont sound like you like them. I thought they were very wide, aint that the case? this beefed up baby is going to need wide ones

Yup - have a nice muzzle break on the way - there was cheap barrel + break but it is a Barrel for 12.8 cm Kanone 43 bzw. 44 (?) so maybe a bit big will have a look at the E-100. Once I get it I may swap the barrel out for the new one rather than just using the muzzle break. Can't find specific E-100 ones about.

The track are indeed very wide - I have made a tactical error, I misread the instructions and made the tracks without opposing the patterns on the thin bites. I think the width will suit this beast though. Once I got going the tracks fitted together quite well - about 2-3 hours to complete.

I was looking at the with those side plates and I just kept thinking the space needed filling, once the idea was there it was a done job.

One upgrade I thought about when it was too late was to move the commanders hatch to outer left edge - saw someone else do this and looks more in keeping the general build of German tanks. So a missed opportunity there.

Yes I agree. With only one turret hatch seems like a big old turret just for a commander to use, maybe add some more vision slits/optics something like seen on the KV soviet turrets? The gunner and loader wouldn't get alot to see button'd up [not very German] They would have wanted them to have more of look/understanding of what was going on during a battle. If you are adding Panther type rear bins, maybe a I.R. bin. The lowe was designed early on possibly before I.R was thought of, again leaving no room inside the tank for the I.R bits and bobs. What is the size of your gun going to being in this Lowe II?

I'm intending to use the muzzle break from this beast:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181481572552?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

However it the whole gun looks better I may use the whole thing. Only thing I'm worried about is the amount of recoil and is the extant turret big enough to accommodate it, especially as the commander is essentially situated on top of its rear end.

My thinking was along lines of original concept about 1943 - sees the real world about 1946 so my assumption was that that the Germans would have applied lesson learnt. I am on the verge of scratch building a re-engineered turret with sloping plate armour as cast turrets were not really a German thing.

I'm trying to source these:

http://www.creativemodels.co.uk/great_wall_hobby_135_wwii_german_ir_nightvision_devices_2_in_1-p-29207.html

But every man and his dog has sold out.

Barrel looks Great. The I.R gear, if you cant, get the GW set maybe most of the night fighting scopes can be sorced off either Tamiya Panther G with night fighting or even better Dragon's 125 3 in 1 kit its a 125/9 normal 125 or a night fighting 125 the kit comes with a great nightfighting figure set with loads of wicked kit its a great model. maybe someone would have the kit second hand for sale. Ive got it but have used most of it sorry, but would recommend it.

Thinking about the 128m pak fitting in the turret. It is a big gun. just look how much room it takes up in a Jagd Tiger. Would have to over lay some scale drawing of a Lowe turret over a Jagd Tiger again sorry aint got any, plenty for Panthers. Thin on thhe ground with Tiger reference's

"Dragon's 125 3 in 1 kit its a 125/9 normal 125" could you put a link to this - I'm having a blond moment and can't find it. Cheers for the advice above. Will have to look into a bit more.

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6233.htm Hope this helps Geraint

Latest developments - a possible replacement turret (unfinished build - WIP) and a resin Tiger II engine for a bit of extra detail.



Need to source a replacement hatch the resin does not come one despite showing one in the advert picture :-(

Loose fit together of the proposed new turret.

Hi When I 1st seen the turret I wasn,t to sure, thought it looked way to futuristic War hammer 40 k ish looking at it it longer and it does look like its a sort of pogression of the Porshe Tiger II turret. Nice one. Hopefully you can bring the turret back from the future with some 1945 I.R gear. Keep up the hard work

This is really hawt!

I love it when a kit bashing idea comes together!


(I still want to build one of these in 1/16)






Jeff

I have done a bit of re-working - loved the shape of the first try but the more I looked at it the more it nagged - this is a bit close to an angular derivative of a Porshe Tiger II, I currently have a Tiger II on order (Academy last production) to plunder for some detailing of the turret, i.e. hatches etc.





Need to add some weld seems - haven't had much success in the past - any advice welcome.

Great kit bash....and the alternate history angle is superb.