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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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Tiger I #121
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 02:08 AM UTC
I found the Dragon Tiger 131 kit on sale at a LHS yesterday. Greatly impressed with what's in the box, and originally planned on doing 131 using the Haynes book as a guide. After looking at the decals supplied, I saw 121 on the sheet. Now I think I might go a slightly different route, and do #121.

So what I'm asking here is "what are the differences between the two tanks?" The Dragon instructions are very busy, and it's at times hard to tell what's what. If by chance the 121 tank doesn't work out then what others fit the bill here?

Thanks for all your help in advance
gary
PanzerKarl
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England - North West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 03:02 AM UTC
Do you mean the Tiger from the schwere Panzer Abteilung 505?
By the looks of it from the one photo of the rear looks more or less the same,same Feifel filters and what looks like a fire extinguisher on the left side of stowage bin,also they might of depleted the turret/hull smoke discharges but can't see.
I'm sure Mr Byrden might be more help.
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 05:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Do you mean the Tiger from the schwere Panzer Abteilung 505?
By the looks of it from the one photo of the rear looks more or less the same,same Feifel filters and what looks like a fire extinguisher on the left side of stowage bin,also they might of depleted the turret/hull smoke discharges but can't see.
I'm sure Mr Byrden might be more help.



I think that's the one. Gotta start searching for photos
gary
Byrden
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Wien, Austria
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 06:08 AM UTC
That Tiger can be painted in all Dunkelgelb, with only the "knight" logos on the turret, if you like;



It had its right front mudguard missing, with a gouge in the front armour at that place;



The kit paint plans represent it in 1944, when the knights were mostly obscured by bands of camouflage. At this time it wasn't using its Feifels, and the smoke launcher system was cut off.



There is one other decal option in the kit. It would have been possible to include several more, but Dragon didn't want to lose the focus on "131".

David
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 08:35 AM UTC

Quoted Text

That Tiger can be painted in all Dunkelgelb, with only the "knight" logos on the turret, if you like;



It had its right front mudguard missing, with a gouge in the front armour at that place;



Thanks Dave!
Question; did they simply torch off the smoke grenade launchers while leaving the part on top the turret?

I may hunt up a second kit and still do #131, as the Haynes book is at least a good starting point. Problem is that everybody does that one.
gary


The kit paint plans represent it in 1944, when the knights were mostly obscured by bands of camouflage. At this time it wasn't using its Feifels, and the smoke launcher system was cut off.



There is one other decal option in the kit. It would have been possible to include several more, but Dragon didn't want to lose the focus on "131".

David

Byrden
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Posted: Sunday, January 08, 2017 - 03:57 PM UTC
The photo is not clear enough to show that part, but I would expect them to leave a tab remaining on the turret roof. Apparently that was the easiest way to do it.

I should also add that the colours of the camouflage scheme are not known for sure. We're just assuming that it's red and green stripes over dark-yellow. There are photos of the scheme where the two stripes do seem to have alternating levels of darkness.

David
trickymissfit
Joined: October 03, 2007
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Posted: Monday, January 09, 2017 - 08:36 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The photo is not clear enough to show that part, but I would expect them to leave a tab remaining on the turret roof. Apparently that was the easiest way to do it.

I should also add that the colours of the camouflage scheme are not known for sure. We're just assuming that it's red and green stripes over dark-yellow. There are photos of the scheme where the two stripes do seem to have alternating levels of darkness.

David



David, once again thank you for your informative post. I don't know what happened to my last post, but so be it. I've heard #131 painted in everything from green to desert tan. What's the latest opinion? Also any thoughts about 714?
gary
AgentG
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Posted: Monday, January 09, 2017 - 09:42 AM UTC




Gary this is 131 as she sits today. The restoration revealed the true colors RAL 8000 and RAL 7008. 714 would have been painted the same colors.

G
Byrden
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Posted: Monday, January 09, 2017 - 05:07 PM UTC
It seems certain that the African Tigers were painted in the first Tropical scheme. Possibly some of the last ones to arrive were painted RAL 8020, but not the Bovington Tiger or any of the 501's Tigers.

The crews may have done further painting on top of that. Some of the 501 tanks appear to have additional green to make them greener (this would be RAL7008), and additional RAL 8020 in places to cover up damage, paint new equipment, etc. But, since the RAL 8020 was a lot brighter, they didn't seem to use a lot of it.

http://tiger1.info/pictures/121-501-detail.jpg

This Tiger of the 501 uses RAL 8020 on the turret bin and exhaust shields.

David
trickymissfit
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Posted: Tuesday, January 10, 2017 - 01:00 AM UTC
[quote]



Gary this is 131 as she sits today. The restoration revealed the true colors RAL 8000 and RAL 7008. 714 would have been painted the same colors.

G[/quote

I think I'll do either 714 or 131, plus 121. I do like the camo on 121 while loaded on the flat bed rail car. Plus the kit came with the correct decals.

Am I correct in thinking 121 & 714 were not coated with zimmerit?

gary
Byrden
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Posted: Tuesday, January 10, 2017 - 04:16 AM UTC
None of these Tigers had Zimmerit.

I'm not sure what you mean by "714"; are you referring to "712" from Tunisia? In that case, you can't build it from this kit; there are lots of changes.

David
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