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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
Hosted by Darren Baker
King Tiger Octopus and Takom/Meng
jwest21
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 16, 2006
KitMaker: 3,374 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 02:43 AM UTC
Which kit would be best to build the King Tiger with the octopus scheme? The Takom King Tiger, the Takom King Tiger March-July 1945 King Tiger or the Meng King Tiger?
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 03:58 AM UTC
It depends. Are you a superdetailer or an OOB builder? Is accuracy an important factor? Do you need interior? For an easy and uncomplicated, but inaccurate OOB build go with Academy offering. If you want it to be as accurate as possible, have a look at DML boxings along with tonnes of AM PE, metal tracks and barrel.
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 03:59 AM UTC
Oh, and there is a very decent (and recent!) HobbyBoss kit of the beast. Cheaper and better than Meng, let alone the Takom ones.
ctkwok
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Alabama, United States
Joined: May 21, 2018
KitMaker: 197 posts
Armorama: 183 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 04:25 AM UTC
I think Paul is referring to this...
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/1119532-hobby-boss-84533-pz-kpfw-vi-sd-kfz-181-tiger-ii

Coming out just about now, with suspension and workable tracks. Ordering one myself.
darklen
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: September 16, 2003
KitMaker: 72 posts
Armorama: 70 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 06:57 AM UTC
I've done an in box review of the HobbyBoss one on YouTube. I'll be doing a comparison video of it and the Mig/Ammo one hopefully next week.

Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
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KitMaker: 570 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 07:39 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'll be doing a comparison video of it and the Mig/Ammo one

It was really interesting to watch, thanks a lot!
Do you happen to have ANY DML KT boxing? It would be really nice to see not two, but three kits compared. Not only the moulding quality and value for money, but some SBS size comparison (lower hull, upper hull, turret length and height, road wheel and idler diameter, visible gun barrel portion etc.etc.).
jwest21
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 16, 2006
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 08:35 AM UTC
The Interior would be nice but not necessary. Hobbyboss would be fine, too. So if I am following correctly:
Hobbyboss first
Dragon
Takom 1945 (?) if I want an interior
avoid Academy

Meng's and Takoms regular KTs aren't the right variant.

Is that right?
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 08:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The Interior would be nice but not necessary. Hobbyboss would be fine, too. So if I am following correctly:
Hobbyboss first
Dragon
Takom 1945 (?) if I want an interior
avoid Academy

Meng's and Takoms regular KTs aren't the right variant.

Is that right?


It's not a question of right or wrong. Their kits simply aren't good enough to be called decent representations of the actual thing, HobbyBoss one is far better and at a fair price, at least if we talk about exterior.
Again, if you are into superdetailing, any existing kit would need final pattern road wheels that you won't get OOB, but only in the form of AM resin set from PanzerArt (suitable for DML).
Here is a very comprehensive, 49-page blog on the vehicle of your choice. It is in Russian, but the images are pretty easy to read from:
http://www.tigerscorner.ru/index.php?topic=31.0
jwest21
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: October 16, 2006
KitMaker: 3,374 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 10:01 AM UTC
So the Hobbyboss and Takom 1945 what-if kits don't have those wheels?

I am looking for most accuracy first.
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
Armorama: 1,860 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 11:15 AM UTC
Before Andy from Andy's Hobby Shop in Arizona shut down his Google+ community site, there was a fellow who posted a beautiful build of this vehicle; one of the closest to emulating the photos. The posts are sadly gone, but I may have dl'ed a couple of the photos. If I have them I will post them. He used a Dragon kit with some additional PE.
darklen
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: September 16, 2003
KitMaker: 72 posts
Armorama: 70 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 01:09 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'll be doing a comparison video of it and the Mig/Ammo one

It was really interesting to watch, thanks a lot!
Do you happen to have ANY DML KT boxing? It would be really nice to see not two, but three kits compared. Not only the moulding quality and value for money, but some SBS size comparison (lower hull, upper hull, turret length and height, road wheel and idler diameter, visible gun barrel portion etc.etc.).


I don't have any Dragon KT kit as I build primarily Paper Panzers but I will be comparing both of them to known measurements, details, etc. that would have been present on the March 1945 aka final production version as well as comparing to measured drawings of the changes proposed for the July production version.
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 09:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text

So the Hobbyboss and Takom 1945 what-if kits don't have those wheels?

The wheels you need can be found in Academy KT set (you could also take narrow transport tracks from it), Tamiya Mid (Carius version) Jagdtiger or AM PanzerArt set.
Like I said before, PanzerArt set is suitable for Dragon kits and Academy's rendition of the parts is not best, so it's all up to you in the end.
Wierdy
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Ukraine / Україна
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2018 - 09:07 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'll be doing a comparison video of it and the Mig/Ammo one

It was really interesting to watch, thanks a lot!
Do you happen to have ANY DML KT boxing? It would be really nice to see not two, but three kits compared. Not only the moulding quality and value for money, but some SBS size comparison (lower hull, upper hull, turret length and height, road wheel and idler diameter, visible gun barrel portion etc.etc.).


I don't have any Dragon KT kit as I build primarily Paper Panzers but I will be comparing both of them to known measurements, details, etc. that would have been present on the March 1945 aka final production version as well as comparing to measured drawings of the changes proposed for the July production version.

Eagerly waiting for the review!
 _GOTOTOP