Hello.
Watching the results of Eric's weekly photo digging on the net over on ML, (my Saturday morning wake up with a coffee), this time I was intrigued by the 2 Tiger I photo's of the (I believe) SS Pz. Abt. 101 Normandy Front. I have some question about them.
Is this a 'late Tiger I' we see on the photos?
Are there better photos of this specific Tiger I with Noº 332?
Very interested in the camo scheme...
Location of the photo taken...
Who are the men we see...
I understand from the difference in photos, spare tracks are gone from one of them, so they might have changed some tracks / there was damage...
I want to build this Tiger for a project / campaign on Armorama in 2020.
So help is needed from the Tiger I specialist group.
Thanks in advance for any information that would give me a better picture.

My subject for the 2020 campaign 'Building a Photo'



Kind regards,

Robert Jan

Seems like mid production Tiger from Leibstandarte.

Check this out http://stabswache-de-euros.blogspot.com/2011/04/us-army-military-policeman-from-2nd.html

"Also seen is Tiger n°332 from schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, commanded in Normandy by SS-Unterscharführer Albert Leinecke." - you could search furher on him.

Maybe this link also would of use for you

https://abteilung101.ucoz.net/index/ss_s_pz_abt_101/0-18

Thank you very much for this information. Probably a name that will narrow the scope. Information / links are much appreciated!

Kind regards,

Robert Jan

It’s a great pity a couple of idiots – yes you know who you are - who’ve made no material contributions of their own decided their lives were so small they had to engage in a pedantry war with David Byrden a few months ago, I don’t blame him for taking his unique store of knowledge about Tigers elsewhere, otherwise you’d have probably got a definitive answer by now. Maybe try Missing Links RJ, I think they have more respect for his research there – if memory serves he also has his own website somewhere.

Here : http://tiger1.info/

H.P.

Yes Tim you are probably right. But David Byrden already was of a great help getting the project on air. The experts are at ML, I knew that. Also goes for Ron-Owen Hayes. I admire their knowledge and will to share.
Tiger I info provides very nice tweak lists to build an almost perfect model.

Robert Jan

But look at the foot of the page right now...he's baaaack!

If it was the difference of opinion over the perceived contents and what was supplied with a particular release that you are referring to then I guess his ego just isn't capable of others expressing a difference of opinion.

Let's be clear, for my part I never questioned his knowledge, which is without question the most comprehensive and detailed on the Tiger of anybody out there.

My response in this thread is merely to counter your sideways slur, and as such lets call it done and move on without further remarks.

OK Alan I withdraw that perjorative with sincere apologies, it’s exactly what none of us like to see here including me. My issue, and I don’t think I was alone, was that while you may have had a point (I honestly don’t know either way) it only needed to be made once & then let go - and it seemed that we lost a valuable contributor immediately following that fracas. Anyhow I appreciate your restraint, let’s move on and again I’m sorry

Well said guys and the olive branch has been extended. lets have some more info about SS Pz. Abt. 101

I don't know if this helps but the Tigers of 101 were in Normandy between June-August 1944.The photo shows a tiger surrounded by vegetation, this vegetation is tall and upright no evidence of broken trees/limbs and the smaller bushes in the foreground like all the trees lack any form of foliage. Could it be these tanks were photographed in late winter somewhere other than in Normandy?

Just had a quick look at the Tiger site via the link from the ever helpful Frenchy, and it is stupidly in depth to the point of you could probably build a Tiger from scratch. but it only seemed to list the HEER units and no mention of any of the SS Pz. Abt's ? does anyone know if ones been done along the same lines for SS units ?

After Anthony's comments, I must admit, I did have the same feeling. After some very novice digging around, 101 SS got their Tigers in mid 43 and then in Aug went to Italy where it stayed until Oct, then 1st and 2nd Company were sent to Eastern front until they were recalled in Apr 44. That pic does look like other pics I have seen from the eastern front ( or at least the beginning of autumn/winter ) ....but, the turret numbers wouldnt match for a 3 company wagon as they supposedly stayed in western europe? ...... unless, its a late 43 pic from the 3rd Company which stayed in Italy over winter ?? its definitely a SS 101 wagon as you can make out the shield with crossed keys on the glacis plate ....... a conundrum .....

I agree on the point that the vegetation points out that the location of this tank is somewhere else. The Tigers had training in January / February 1944.
As from the 9th of January 1944 they arrive in Mons (Belgium). Training at Maisieres Training Area near Mons is attended by Dietrich last until February 12, 1944.
I think it explains the environmental location of 332.
All information comes from the links above by raivo 74.
Thanks everybody for participating.

Any ideas on the choice of kits to model this Tiger I...


Robert Jan

I'm not a total rivet counter so if i was doing it, then I would go for the Tamiya mid production and get a zimmerit sheet but then one of the Dragon kits does come with Zimm .... I have done a few of the tamiya mid versions and always got on fine with them with some PE thrown in as well. and i suppose budget is always a factor

Maybe it's even better to solve the Zimmerit issue first.
Which ATAK set for a Tiger I matches this (Late August/October) Mid Production?
I go digging the shops for a while.

See you later.

Robert Jan

He is? Do you mean David or someone else?

Robert, here you can find an interesting and detailed discussion at Missing Lynx on the s.Pz.Abt. 101 Tigers as well. They say 332 was an early-Mid, still with Feifel filter mountings, turret pistol port plug and WITHOUT the travel lock. I haven't checked all this thread though, it is possible it contains many more interesting things.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/mid-tigers-in-ss101-where-is-the-19th-t320625-s20.html

Besides, there are quite a few pics of 101s Tigers in very similar environment as shown in your photos. Maybe there is a way to deduce time and site by tangential evidence.

Good luck.

P.S. Just browsed some links and I see you had found this already

Yeah, how could I ever forget Nacho Roces on ML.
Thanks for the link again, appreciated.

Robert Jan