Tiger II (Late Production)

by Richard Fisher

Tamiya's 1/35 scale King Tiger Late Production is available online from Squadron.com

It has been about six years since I completed my last armor project. It took a tick bite, the resulting Lyme disease and bad daytime television to get me to start and finish this model.

Like most of us I have accumulated a large number of “Want to do someday” projects. This Tiger II is a prime example. I had several gun barrels, track kits and PE sets boxed with the kit.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I did know that I wasn’t up to doing zimmerit. After doing some research I decided on a very late war machine. I had a set of the Fruilmodel late war 73/800/152 tracks(ATL-37).

I also found a photo of a Tiger II with many but not all of the last production features. This machine was from Schwere Panzer Abteilung 507 and was more than likely one of the last machines completed by Henschel.

This machine had the late single link tracks with the eighteen tooth sprocket, reinforced front mud guards, rain guard over the sight aperture and the four fuel vent lines.

Although I can’t see it in the photograph, my guess is it had the late war rear turret access hatch. And with the planned production schedule, it would also have dropped the jack and wooden block from the rear end.

I used the excellent  1/35 scale Tamiya King Tiger (#35164). I started by building the lower hull per the kit instructions. I omitted the kit drive sprockets and substituted the Fruilmodel 18 tooth sprocket. The small polycaps need to be trimmed to fit inside the sprockets.

Next the jack mount and wood block holes were filled. I then added the rest of the details for the rear. I added the small lifting lugs to the armored exhaust covers and drilled out the hand crank starter support.

Wire was used for the electrical cable to the headlight. On the rear deck there are four vent lines for the fuel systems. (earlier units have only one) I used small plastic rod and wire for the lines. Evergreen styrene was used for the brackets and guards. The Tamiya after market screens were added next. Small pieces of styrene rod were added to simulate the bolt heads. The reinforced fender guards were made from five thousands sheet styrene.

On the turret I added a barrel from Czech Masters. Made a rain guard from sheet styrene. Modified the rear access hatch by filing the corners to an angle and adding the two small round plugs. The sighting rods were added to the front periscope on the cupola and a small blade site was added to the back of the front guard as well. Next the small mounting tubes for the commander’s rain shield were added.

Periscopes were added under the gunner’s periscope cover and the commander’s cupola.

By now I wasn’t so itchy or shaky and felt ready to paint. But first I needed to do the tracks. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated. But after I got started I found the assembly to be straight forward and really quite easy. I started by doing links of two, then joining groups together until I had the tracks completed. If I remember correctly there are 86 links per side.

Now I could start painting. The tracks were paint with Floquil Roof Brown (Lacquer) and weathered with Rub N Buff.

By the time this unit was produced an overall green (RAL 6003) was the standard factory finish. I used Floquil Hunter Green (Lacquer). It was a very close out of the bottle match to the color chip in Chory’s Camouflage Color book. Next small bands of yellow were sprayed on using Humbrol (Enamel) German Overall Sand (RAL 7028). The red brown was a mix I had from another project and I can’t remember much about it other than I started out with Tuscan.

From the photograph all you can see are the national markings on the turret. I decaled these using the kit supplied markings.

For weathering I use Testor’s clear flat tinted with Floquil Earth (Both are Lacquer based). I spray this on to simulate dirt and dust. Next, clear flat with grimy black was lightly sprayed around the hatches and engine access panels.

Once dry pastels were used for highlights, rust and other effects. Once complete a final clear flat coat was applied to seal the finish.

Put the tracks on and set it on a base. Done! Sanity retained, feeling better, back to work. Next maybe I’ll get to that Tunisian Tiger I. Now what color is that thing?

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2002 by Richard Fisher
Page Created 24 October, 2002
Last Updated 04 June, 2007

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