Hey all, been a while since i posted anything here, real life got very busy, unfortunately. But i have managed to nearly finish my Tiger 2. It is the "older" tamiya tiger 2 with the CMD July 45 conversion, a very good and simple way to start with resin conversions. I also used a set of Fruil late tracks, some photo etch from Eduard and the infra red site is from the steel wheeled Panther.

The paints are tamiya and the only part i do not like is the way the tracks have come out, hopefully when i weather it that will take care of the darkness. Anyway hope you all like it, any comments welcome

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

Hawkeye, nice job, but it seems to be sitting very high? I see what you mean about the tracks, there are parts of the run that look very irregular.
Vinnie

Love the King Tiger. Your photo host must not allow direct linking to the pictures. I copied and pasted the properties to check out your model. You have free space in a gallery here that will allow you to post them.

Anyway, fine job so far. Looking forward to pictures after the weathering is finished.
Shaun

EDIT: Maybe I was the only one who couldn't see the pics.

Thanks for the comments guys,

Vinnie,yeah i saw that after i took the pics, the tracks just need centering a bit more, tis no biggy

Once i have weathered them i will sort out the final details like that, thank you for the comments

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

Sorry Hawkeye, I didn't realise you could still adjust them, I thought they had been fixed. The paint job itself is great, you have a really nice edge on the 3 colours, mind sharing how you did it?

Vinnie

Vinnie,

I think it might look like it is riding too high because she doesn't have her skirts on. I thought the same thing...

Shaun

No worries Vinnie, that is the beauty of Fruil tracks i find, no matter how many times i smeg them up i can still change it afterwards........that makes them worth all the expense in my books

As for the coloours, i started with a red oxide primer, then base coated it in Olive Drab, then lightened that, then sprayed the Dark Yellow and Red Brown over that. the dots were done with a brush, can;t remember the size, and then i used three filters of the above colours to blend the scheme together. Then three coats of Humrol dull coat, unthinnned to seal it in preparation for the washes.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

one of these kits that make you go... wow! nice work! and i see what you mean about the tracks, but iam sure you'l manage to fix that

Frank

Hawkeye, about your tracks....to me they look like they have 1-2 many links. It might be just the way it is in the pics. Have you looked/thought about shortening them by one link.? (It would be two actually since the way they are built) I had the same problem with my KT, then shortened them by those 2 links and they look a lot better. Just a thought. Love the camo. "Q"

Hawkeye, I think it's a great model you've build there!

But, OK, I'm not a great expert on Tigers, so what exactly is the July 45 conversion?? I thought war was over May '45 so what's the story behind this?



PAUL

That looks great! The tracks look kinda squirelly, but the rest is awesome! Is it going into a dio?

Roger

(++) (++)

Great job, you have really done this kit justice.
Robert

very nice tiger you have there! camo is well done. Is it just me or are the tracks bent on the outside edge?

Thanks for all your comments guys, i appreciate you taking the time. The problem with the tracks looking like they are "bent" i think is to do with the sproket. I used the white metal one that came with the Fruil Tracks and keeping that in position and allowing it to turn, means it ca n"sag" a bit on the locating pin. That i think, is responsible for thetrack looking like it is bent.

As for the question about this being the July 45 Tiger 2? This is one of the few Panzers that could easily have been built, all the drawings exist for the new parts and it is not that difficult to manufacture the changes. This was to have been the last version of the Tiger 2. After this there was supposed to be a Tiger 3which would have been a completely new tank. Knowing the German propensity for addingweight to their Panzers i hesitate to think how heavy the Tiger 3 would have been.

To me, the experimental Panzers, like the Flak Panthers, the E series etc etc, were more "pipe" dreams. This one i believe could have been produced if the war had not ended when it did.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

Thanks Hawkeye.

Now I understand!
OK, it's more like a scheduled update planned for July 45 but it did not actually exist or participate in war.
Was there, however, allready one prototype build (like for instance the 2 prototypes of the Maus) or did it realy only exist on paper?

Just curious you know....

PAUL

Hey Paul,

as far as i know the parts existed for them to be able to construct the turret, and it would not have been that difficult to manufacture the three doored engine hatch. The range finders had been tested and so i have read, the stabilisation problem with the optics had been solved. The twin range finders where the same as the ones on the Panther 2.

Usually i stick to vehicles that have been put into production, but this one issuch a simple change, that really amounted to no problems changing the production lines over, that i thnk it is a viable Panzer......thankfully the Allies never had to face this varient.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

Amen to that!
It's an interesting tank. Hope to see more pictures of it soon?

Happy modelling!

Paul