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The Modeler's Guide to the Tiger Tank - does anyone know about the history of this book?

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  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
The Modeler's Guide to the Tiger Tank - does anyone know about the history of this book?
Posted by DanR1967 on Monday, September 25, 2023 10:28 AM

I found this book at a Half Price Books in Cincinnati on Saturday. $15 and I almost passed it by for Shep Paine's Armor Modelers Guide at $13. In the end, I decided to just buy both. The guy at the counter advised me to take care of the Tiger book - he said they originally put it on the shelf for $100 but it never sold and was finally reduced to $15. I have a hardcover copy and see softcover copies on Amazon for around $235!!! It's a really nice book with a lot of detail and instruction that can be used for more than just Tiger builds. Is it just expensive now because it's rare and out of print? 

Dan

https://danr67.imgur.com/

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Monday, September 25, 2023 3:08 PM

I agree,I have it myself,I picked it up at a Model Show along with its companion may be 12 yrs ago,I can't remember,but I wouldn't have paid more the $25 it was really a great help in doing those Dragon kits back then.

Their nice but I would never pay those prices you mention,and apparently people aren't. It's like some autograph or baseball card,it's only worth so much if you can get some sucker,uh I mean some person to spend that much,otherwise you just look at and say what's its worth.

 

My favorite pic from the Tiger book

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  • Member since
    January 2012
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
Posted by DanR1967 on Monday, September 25, 2023 3:27 PM

You make an excellent point. HPB put it on the shelf for $100 but no one bought it. They cut it to $50 and kept dropping it until I finally got it at $15. I was just surprised to see a modeling book of any kind having a high value. I wasn't sure if there was something more to these books (short runs, pulled from shelves, etc.) or if it's just that they've become hard to find. 

Dan

https://danr67.imgur.com/

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Sunday, October 1, 2023 9:16 PM

It's one of Pat Stansell's company, Military Miniatures in Review (MMiR). He used to print the magazine in quarterly issues, but there were rarely four issues in a two year period. A one year subscription (4 issues) might take 2-3 years to be fulfilled.

I believe, this book is comprised of Tiger based articles from the quarterly issues of MMiR collected into one volume.

Talking about that magazine here used to be verboten because it was a top competitor back in the day. Old MMiR magazine issues are still worth some money based on the issue and model kits covered.

The old MMiR Modeler's Guide to the Sherman tank was one of the "Holy Trinity" of Sherman tank references along with the Hunnicutt book and the George Forty book. Fifteen years ago, the MMiR Sherman book was selling for over $100, sometimes just under $200.

The Son of Sherman was released fairly recently and folks are still receiving the initial printing right now.

Here is a 10 year old thread from Missing Lynx about the MMiR Tiger book. It has some information and discussion about why the book isn't as popular as the Sherman one was/is.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/references-on-tiger-i-t52475.html

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, October 2, 2023 11:23 PM

Congrads Dan on a great deal there! 

Lots of great detailing reference there!

And I've seen reference books like that listed for insane prices too, I've never bit either. Steven Zaloga's book on modeling US armour I picked up for about twenty bucks is now out of print- I've seen it listed for over a hundred. I have no idea if anyone actually pays that much though. Like anything you can ask whatever you want for it... but that doesn't mean anyone is going to actually pay that much though. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

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