I know,I know not another TIGER !!!!

LOL. I thought you were going to announce the release of another Tiger.

Hey we always enjoy a good build, and this shaping up to be one. Are those indie tracks?

Looking great!  You have caught my attention... it has been a while since somebody did a WIP on Tiger.

Tigerman, those are the kit indie link tracks. The lower hull and the rear plate are pretty much completed ,primed and a base coat applied.

Deafpanzer, thanks for stopping in. I will try to update and keep the pic flowing in.

tigerman

LOL. I thought you were going to announce the release of another Tiger.

Hey we always enjoy a good build, and this shaping up to be one. Are those indie tracks?

I thought it was a release too.

Looks grreat... living up to your screen name. 

Jeebus,these are the indie link tracks from the kit #6252.

Wingnut ,thanks for stopping in also.Sorry no new Tiger release here,do we need another? 

Now a question for all those out there with beter ref's. than mine #1 were or can an initial Tiger be fitted with sheet metal exhaust gaurds ? #2 what about the sheet metal fenders? #3 can the spare track stowage be up-dated to the side of the turret?

Now a couple more pics.

detailfreak

Wingnut ,thanks for stopping in also.Sorry no new Tiger release here,do we need another? 

Ah, nope!

very nice start

I just started the same kit. I have the torsion bars and the rear hull done. Alot I know LOL. I got that much done then thought I want an interior (hatches will be an open due to diorama I have planned). So I'm waiting for an academy tiger I picked up cheap (to kit bash its internals into my dragon) to arrive.

I will be watching t his thread well

Andrew

Konigwolf, glad you stopped in interesting to see how your kitbashing works out. I've read a couple of reviews about the Academy kit. Hope you start a thread.

Detailfreak, I have all the photos uploaded to photobucket was waiting for the academy kit to arrive so there wouldnt be the break but might add it sooner.

Andrew

Great start detailfreak, I never knew what to do with the very sparce interior that Dragon provides, your detail set is a wast improvement.

To your questions;
Dragons # 6252 has a number of unique features:
The track design with the right track beeing a mirror image of the left.
The Pz III stowage bin or the 2 side mounted stowage bins.
What is not there is:
The heat deflectors and mud guards where added as standard features for practical reasons later in the production run, but some repair units added them in service.
The first design mud guards where added in Setember 42, the heat deflectors in January 43. 
The picture is from the Bundesarchiv and shows a Tiger I from Schwere Heeres Panzer Abteilung 501 in Tunisia.

As you can see the Tiger has the air cleaners(November 42) assembled aswell, you will not fing these in the kit.
The sheet metal fenders covering the front are the early type, I think the instructions tells you to add them.
The only reason they would be missing is if they had been ripped off.
I would advice against assembling spare tracks on the turret side since the mounting brackets only where introduced later.

Already looking forward to your next posting

Svenne

Looks like you're dressing this one up nicely, making the hatches workable is a nice touch. Looking forward to more!

Nice,,,   thanks for sharing detail

DF- nice start to this kit. I know some armor guys groan about more Tigers, but I for one have an affinity for the beast. Maybe because I haven't inundated myself with them?

Anyway, I've picked up Dragon's Stalingrad early Tiger, and although it may be months to years until I dig into it, I'm excited about it all the same. Years ago I bought Tamiya's early Tiger (the 1972 mold), and as I went along with the build (while collecting 6-8 books on the vehicle) and discovered the lacking/inaccurate detail, I somehow felt as if I needed to replace or add most items. It's been sitting on the shelf for about 15 years with considerable new surface detail along with a 40% complete drivers station. The things I get myself into.....

About your questions: initial/early Tigers had both sheet metal fenders and rounded exhaust guards. If I remember correctly, the rounded exhaust guards were changed to a more angular  shape- like a triangle with the top cut off- beginning either late in the early model production run or for mid-production vehicles. Both the fenders and exhaust guards were regularly damaged in battle, and if the effort was made to repair or replace them, crews apparently gave up at some point as many photos show vehicles with these items missing. Eventually they disappeared from production altogether. As for spare track links on the turret, one of the links below will show a photo of an early tiger with mounting brackets on the turret but no track links. I don't recall this being a common practice on the initial/early models- the thing for me that stood out were the smoke grenade dischargers which were phased out somewhere between the early and mid-production runs. It's at this point I recall seeing more spare track being mounted on the turret. Hope this helps; I could go dig through my references if you need anything else.

http://www.alanhamby.com/early.shtml

http://books.google.com/books?id=S1gbrYELbT4C&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=Tiger+tank+exhaust+guards&source=bl&ots=15etEKPj6d&sig=82hD4BrQzaWPrRE_ovocFhyOXRQ&hl=en&ei=fzQzTYipNo-t8AaoianDCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDkQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Tiger%20tank%20exhaust%20guards&f=false 

 #1 were or can an initial Tiger be fitted with sheet metal exhaust gaurds ?

#2 what about the sheet metal fenders?

The modern term "initial Tiger" refers to the first 9 vehicles that went to Leningrad. Dragon's kit addresses them only. They were lacking a lot of parts seen on the later Tigers.

Before the exhaust guards appeared, the Tigers got: the Feifel air filter system; reversed left-side track; a spade at the front; side fenders; folding front and rear mudguards; a turret side hatch; the S-mine system; and some other details that I could describe.

#3 can the spare track stowage be up-dated to the side of the turret?

They came along later, after even more changes.

FYI: the beams under the roof are not exactly where Verlinden puts them.

See http://tiger1.info/EN/RoofBeams.html

David

Thanks for the information david

Andrew

David - Ahhhhh, now things drop together tiger1.info is your site, I found it a couple of weeks ago, book marked it righ away, nice site.

Andrew

I went back to my library and did a little more research, and found I should have left the questions to Svenne and Byrden....thanks for the info guys, and my apologies if I caused confusion about when the side fenders/exhaust guards appeared. I did find it interesting that at least some Tigers were sent to Leningrad without these components. Nice Tiger I info site, David!

       First off I would like to thank Byrden for hosting such a great Tiger ! site,also Alan Hamby site. The research these people have done I will say is second to none.

       Current progress has been limited to picking away at the hull ribs as these hold brackets for some of the other items found under the floor,although none are installed two can be seen.also many hours invested in the fighting compartment roof support as well as the engine firewall,it will be nearly impossible to duplicate exactly. In the end my plans are for a maintenance dio. with the turret lifted off . Now some pics .

          As always any comments good bad ,or ugly are always accepted,and thanks for looking.

Looking Good, further than I am on mine. Between getting addicted to the new world of tanks game beta (fun playing in a tiger) and having my loungeroom turned upside down for a week (where my workbench is) I've done bugger all.

Andrew

The turret lifted off? That would be heroic, in that you need to provide the turret floor, legs, gearbox, and other things down there.

Also the interior hull floor, which had stuff under it, and that becomes exposed when the turret is lifted off.

The turret ring is a problem.  Just making this alone, takes some skill:

Dragon are now providing this in their new Tiger kits, they want to support efforts like yours; but only kit #6660 has it so far.

David

Great start Detailfreak,

Squadron / Signal's Tiger I Walk Around has many great photographs of the vehicles under maintenance like you plan on modeling. My favorite is of a turret off the tank supported on top of four 45 gallon fuel drums and heavy planks. I believe the floor plate is holding weight and the drums are more for stability. 

Turret removed is a good way to show off the interior work, cut-a-ways are not for everyone and only show limited views.

Looking forward to more progress, tanks for posting!

Stageleft,

I purchased the initial Tamiya kit in 1980 for the kings ransom of 25$! Its still in the stash 3000 miles away patiently waiting its destiny. Along with the kit a Lion Roar PE set was added and stashed in the box as well.

WOW, man--nice to see an in-depth WIP on a Tiger with all the gory details and innards!

You're swinging for the fence on this one and I'd say you're solidly connecting, detailfreak! Some great looking work here so far!

        Well it has been awhile since I updated so here goes.

         Most of the work as of late has been on the turret interior and is based more on pics I have used as reference. Believe me when I tell you that you do not want to use the Big V's interior set as this leaves way more room for improvement. I would like to also thank Dave Byrden,Alan Hamby and others for the technical info. that they have on there sites. I scratch built most everything in the following pics exceptions being the seats and other obvious parts.I wish to stress that this is still an interpretation of available info.. Any suggestions ,comments are most welcome.

         Also recieved a Tank Workshop engine in the mail and straight off had to lop off the front engine cradle as it was to narrow. Like they say,nothing is as it should be. Much more work has been done but my time this morning runs short. More on this later. Thanks

                                                   Greg"Detailfreak" Rowley

Looking good Greg.
Good detail on the bridge, was that included in the big V stuff?
Watching this with great interest!

As always
Boarder 

Jeez, I am speechless.  Not because I am deaf or mute.  So many details going on... I hope it doesn't mean fishes are not biting lately at your end.  Good work!

Excellent job Greg, puts me and my current amount of work to shame, will endevour to pull the finger out and do an update.

Andrew

         I don't know how many out there have had to deal with the flu bug this season,but since last tues. nite it's been kickin my *** around ,got the fever ,lethargic aches and pains,and I even got twenty lbs. of snot from a ten lb. head,imagine that!! On second thought don't.

         Well using my better judgement ,I stayed at home for three days from work,but still managed to get a little more test fitting,sanding fitting,oh crapping,and re-working.Been somewhat alternating my time btwn the hull and the turret.

         Practice with the lighting and the flash a bit,some good results some bad,.Also came up with a little scratchbuilt item that was available at pretty reasonable prices,but I can not justify 5.00-8.00 dollars for shipping.

        Not qiute finished yet but it may be a keeper.As it was said before,to be able to show the turret being lifted off,as in a workshop dio.will present many challeges.One at a time I guess. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for the next chapter .

           Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley