This is going to be an OOB to get me back into armor. I am using the Academy kit and aftermarket decals to build an early Tiger 1 of Otto Carius on the Eastern Front. I am doing his early mount turret number 213 in dark yellow. Not too many good images of this tank exist so I can use my artistic licensing.

More work on the lower hull and turret. I cleaned up the barrel and will use it. I also have most of the items on the rear hull. I can't seem to find a photo etch grill set specific to 1/35 Academy Tiger 1 early. Will the Tamiya or Dragon grills work?

I am also thinking of adding the tank commander and loader. What color were the uniforms in early 1943 when Otto Carius had command of tank number 213? I am thinking black?

I have the deck on the hull assembled and added.---John

I added the PE screens to the rear deck.---John

Looks good so far. Feifels shouldn't be flat on top?

They're flat in every photo that I can find.

David

There's 2 style Feifels, early and late. I used late. This image is roughly the same time frame.---John

I have done more work on the turret.---John

I lost a part off the exhaust so it was suggested I try making it. I purchased a punch and die set at Harbor Freight for $40 and will give it a go. The set works decent the only draw back is it is in inches and the part measures almost exactly 7mm. So I will punch it slightly oversized and try sanding it down to a closer diameter. It sort of reminds me of the old Greenlee knockouts for electrical boxes. I use to run an old Buffalo Ironworker many years ago punching holes in plate steel. Never thought I'd see a punch again! LOL---John

The real discs were 250mm in diameter.
In your model that's 0.281 inches, or 9/32

Thanks, 1/32 under 5/16. Would have been nice if the sizes were in 1/32 increments OR mm.---John

I took the 5/16 disc and sanded it to 7mm then cut some 1mm diameter pieces of plastic and glued them on. Now I have to flip this over on a sanding stick to even out the 1mm diameter bosses to make them flat and all the same height, I hope.---John

All sanded, cleaned up and given a tan primer coat.---John

The new part glued in and hoses added to the Feifel filters.---John

The new part has been removed and the original is now back on. I was watching TV with my wife, she got up from her chair and had something stuck to her foot. She took it off and handed it to me and said "isn't this the part you lost?" Sure was but how did it get in the living room a week after I thought it went down the sink when I was wet sanding the hull? Sure wasn't the Carpet Monster as there is linoleum in the kitchen and tile in the living room.---John

Everything was cleaned up and the hull, turret and road wheels painted dark yellow. The rubber on the road wheels was also done. Now for the next camouflage color.---John

The turret is painted. I found a schematic of the Bovington Tiger 1 in Tropical camo so that's the pattern I used.---John

Hi, John, I'm following your built with great interest - I have Tiger I interior kit in my stash but due to very negative opinions in the net I can't push myself to start it meanwhile, it looks that "exterior kit" isn't so horrible when you're building it, so - maybe I even could start mine, someday. keep it up!

Nice work!

I have a similar kit, but with the added zimmerit. It was given to me half built and I understand why.
The single link tracks are a nightmare too!!

I agree nice work. I also have the kit and have gotten advise on here. https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/275225#2318662. I am stalled at the painting stage as are most of my projects.

What don’t you like about the tracks, being one piece links seems easier then the multipart links of many aftermarket links options in general.