WIP - Tiger I Late w/Zimmerit by Dragon (Update: 16 Feb 2011)

Looks great! Nice metalwork on those coolingfans!

I'm watching with interest  

This page may be helpful: http://tiger1.info/models/products/DR6406.html

Also, you should remove the zimmerit  on the turret side where you will be gluing part E26 / E28.

Also, Dragon have mixed up the part numbers of the two muzzle brakes.

David

lexesbenz wrote:

WHat does DS mean? were they individual track supplied with the kit?

DS stands for Dragon Styrene, a sort of vinyl track that takes paint well and can be glued together. No, that kit does not come with indies. This has peeved off most of the armor enthusiasts.

Huxy- Thanks for the feedback. My only previous experience with PE was for a 5-point racing harness for a custom dragster.

David- Thanks for the link and corrections. I came across that site while getting ready to build.

WBill76- Thanks. I hope to work on the kit at a good pace.

Tigerman- As far as I know the only issue with the DS track length is with the small idler wheel. Since kit #6404 goves the option of a large or small idler I guess the tracks would be ok with the larger one. However, from what I understand that is not accurate for the Late/Final Tiger I. Even though this is only my third tank and first Tiger, I do not like working with one piece tracks and would have preffered Magic Track to at least be an option for the price of the kit. Dragon's upcoming Jadgpanther Late is supposed to come with Magic Tracks so I hope that is a sing that Dragon will start to go away from the DS tracks.

Thanks again for the comments. I have been tinkering at the Hull MG and Jack and will post updates soon.

Denis

ps1scw wrote:

Can you please explain how you shortened the tracks and by how many links?  What was used to reattach the end piece.

Sure! 

I shortened the tracks by one link and did it at the connecting ends. Since the DS tracks connect over 3 to 4 links this was possible without the need to modify the way to attach.

I have to credit Tiger1.info for aiding in this. Learn more at http://tiger1.info/models/products/DR6406.html

Cheers,

Denis

Lookig great, Denis! Are you going to try to chip any of that zimmerit? I did it to a King Tiger pre-zimmed kit--you can read about it here, if you're interestied. It adds a little life to the kit!

/forums/5/1053435/ShowPost.aspx#1053435

Shame about those dumb tracks! I hate rubber band tracks! Remember that you can also get indy link tracks from Dragin--for additinal cost, of course, but they definitely would be better than dealing with that nonsense again!

the doog wrote:

Lookig great, Denis! Are you going to try to chip any of that zimmerit? I did it to a King Tiger pre-zimmed kit--you can read about it here, if you're interestied. It adds a little life to the kit! /forums/5/1053435/ShowPost.aspx#1053435 Shame about those dumb tracks! I hate rubber band tracks! Remember that you can also get indy link tracks from Dragin--for additinal cost, of course, but they definitely would be better than dealing with that nonsense again!

Thanks Doog. I was following your KT thread and as much as I would like to do chipped zim I have neither the tools nor skillset to do it at this time. I'll be sticking with OOB for this one. That includes the tracks. While I hate the DS tracks I just cannot see myself getting aftermarket tracks after paying $60 cdn for the kit. 

Denis

I got a little bit of progress on the kit over the weekend.

Bow MG is done. No less that 8 parts. Too bad this detail will not be seen since I will be building this kit buttoned up due to a lack of interior.

I have the upper hull dryfitted and the engine deck screen installed. This step revealed that I needed to add not only a piece of sprue to the front hull to correct a warp, as I read about, but another one between the sprockets.

The main gun is together.

And I plugged the second hole in the mantle with tamiya putty to represent the monocular sight.

This is where I am at so far. Next will be the turret and then the details like the PE tool brackets. Time to stock up on patience. LOL

Denis

WOW! Has it really been twoi years since I put this kit down?

Anyway, after numerous military courses and being moved I am able to get back at it again.

I finished up construction and began painting. Here is where I am:

Base coat of Dunklegelb (SP?)

Green camo:

And sprayed the tracks with a base coat of flat black:

Next will be to get all the tools etc. on, paint the yello on the barrel and begin weathering after a coat of future.

Thanks for looking,

Denis

Great work so far! It is a shame about those tracks but as long as the bigshots reviewers like Mr. Sewell continue to list the individual track links that Dragon uses as a "disadvantage" to the kits I think we will see more and more of them.

Looking forward to the next installment!

Denis,
This was very well worth picking up, great progress pics and good looking build.
How do you find the DS tracks and the Zimmerit?

As Allways
Boarder

Nice looking Tiger!

Going back to your first post about the additional cost of the kit for zimmerit. If you take into account that say Cavalier resin zimmerit would cost $20-25, then the additional $15 for the molded zimmerit doesn't seem like such a horrific expense. Plus, it's already done and you don't have to fiddle with glueing resin or PE zimmerit down. 

Nice to see some color on her after all these years. LOL Don't feel alone though.

Labour In Vain

Denis,
This was very well worth picking up, great progress pics and good looking build.
How do you find the DS tracks and the Zimmerit?

As Allways
Boarder

So far the DS tracks seem OK but I will be able to comment more when I start to weather them. I have not used Magic Tracks yet so I cannot comment on that argument. The Zimmerit look good but if you want to have a battle worn tank then it must be removed in places which could be a pain. This is my first Tiger and first kit from Dragon so a real learning project.

Thanks for looking,

Denis

tigerman

Going back to your first post about the additional cost of the kit for zimmerit. If you take into account that say Cavalier resin zimmerit would cost $20-25, then the additional $15 for the molded zimmerit doesn't seem like such a horrific expense. Plus, it's already done and you don't have to fiddle with glueing resin or PE zimmerit down. 

Nice to see some color on her after all these years. LOL Don't feel alone though.

Hi tigerman,

Thanks for looking. Ya, I looked at my older posts and thought the same thing. When I started this kit I was less knowledgeable about AM accessories and the costs involved.

Cheers,

Denis

RMC_Birdgunner

 

tigerman:

 

Going back to your first post about the additional cost of the kit for zimmerit. If you take into account that say Cavalier resin zimmerit would cost $20-25, then the additional $15 for the molded zimmerit doesn't seem like such a horrific expense. Plus, it's already done and you don't have to fiddle with glueing resin or PE zimmerit down. 

Nice to see some color on her after all these years. LOL Don't feel alone though.

 

 

Hi tigerman,

Thanks for looking. Ya, I looked at my older posts and thought the same thing. When I started this kit I was less knowledgeable about AM accessories and the costs involved.

Cheers,

Denis

Okay this is going even further back. I remember the first Dragon Tiger Late that came out. It was fully loaded for about $28 on Greatmodels website. I balked. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but they kept raising the price on it. It retailed for maybe $36ish if I recall. Anyway, it was a testbed for Dragon and future releases were marked up quickly, until they're now hitting the $60-70 mark! When you think of the cost of the kit with all the AM stuff you used to have buy additionally, then it makes sense. It's just crazy when you compare prices from now to yesteryear. Of course the older Tamiya kits were priced as much as older Dragon kits and Dragon still gave you the AM parts included.

Dragon's kits really are complete for the most part straight out of the box.

Nice to see this one get picked back up again...the camo pattern looks good as does the molded-on zim...you just have to promise not to make us wait another 2 years for the next set of updates!

Hi, Denis I really like your progress so far. Nice AB work on the camo. Thirty plus years making models and I have never done a Tiger. WOw that admission felt like the start of a 12 step programme.

Any how I look forward to seeing you make progress.

Terry.

terry35

Hi, Denis I really like your progress so far. Nice AB work on the camo. Thirty plus years making models and I have never done a Tiger. WOw that admission felt like the start of a 12 step programme.

Any how I look forward to seeing you make progress.

Terry.

Hi Terry,

Thanks, I did the camo freehand with my new Master G23 Gravity Feed AB I got as a X-Mas gift. The green paint was also my first use with Vallejo Air. So far I like both my new AB and the paint. I think after having tried Vallejo Air I will get some more.

Denis

A little more progress. I got the tools, tow cables, etc on. Drybrushed steel on the tracks and on the rims of the road wheels. Here are a few more pics that I took quickly.

Slowly getting there. I'll try to start dirtying up the tracks next and get the spare track on too. Then on to the weathering phase.

Denis

Tracks are looking good.

Looking very good Denis.

Nate