Italeri Tiger 1 1:35 scale. A first kitbashing adventure

Well mine is back up on the assembly line... no  more sidelining allowed for this one... or I wont be allowed to show up at AMPS...

I started the original issue version of this kit, the Tiger I Ausf. E/H1 #286. Another of my purchases from the Fort Leavenworth PX in 1996. Much like you two, I never got around to finishing it. By the time I started looking at references, you realize it is a combination of variants and compromises (they used the same mold for the E/H1 and the E Late).

But, in 1996, when the price of 1/35 armor kits was over the $30 mark, these Italeri kits at the PX were only $18.95-21.95, making them quite a bargin. I think I bought almost every model the PX at Leavenworth and Redstone Arsenal that year.

Looks like a nice kit, specially with the PE.

Im already thinking my next kit will be a Tiger or Panther.

The other day I thought, what was the biggest tank in WWII?. after some research I came across with the mouse but even bigger the rat. I cant imagine a kit based on the rat tank. That thing was bigger than a building. It had cannons of battleship, do you imagine in 1/35!!??.. WOW!

Yeah, your Tiger thread elsewhere reminded me of this build of yours, so I dredged it up. I resumed work on mine two days ago and have been working on the AFV Club Indy link early tracks. As of this morning I have one side completely done and 1/3 of the other side done. Those AFV tracks are not difficult at all, and fit perfect. You'll see mine soon. It is now my primary project.

Hey stik,

I just KNEW you were going to ask me at some point... I must admit it has been standing on the shelf of doom for a year now... I think initially i got really intimidated by the amount of PE involved that got smaller and smaller as i went along and i got sort of uninterested.

I still have it standing there with all parts present and i just might finish her up sometime soon. As you know i am working on the late version of the same kit and with less PE to worry about it is far more fun.

Sucky fit and sucky tracks though.... but you knew that too.

Mine was destined to be eastern front but i am really looking forward to your afrika korps initial tiger!

Richard

Hey Kermit, where is an update here? I am back in progress with mine and would to see where your Tiger stands...

Yes, I picked mine up when it was a new release and the only "early" Tiger out there. At that time it was considerably less costly than it is now. And yes any additions will improve what is a good basic kit. Italeri kits were for many years a viable affordable alternative to Tamiya and Dragon, but once MRC snatched them up that went out the window. Nowadays they are mainly re issuing 20-30 year old kits, sometimes with a tweak of improvement, but usually not,  for new mold pricing. Which is too bad, because on occasion they have done some really great stuff.

Stik,

I agree with your statement. There are way better tigers outthere today. In my case here however it was the only early Tiger my LHS had on stock and i must say that the base kit is ok enough and a good base for improvements. Hence the kitbashing and PE additions.

Italeri kits however are indeed way overpriced. One of the reasons i rarely build an italeri kit.

Richard

It actually is not half bad. The biggest downfall of it today is there are much better Tiger kits on the market at around the same price. But when first released, it was an economic alternative to the Tamiya, Academy, and Dragon Tigers. Unfortunately, unless you are finding this kit secondhand today, that no longer holds true, as Italeri kits are, for the most part, way overpriced today.

Nice job so far on this Tiger! The pics make the Italeri kit not look half bad. I may have to add one to the collection...

Damon.

I am looking at some AM tracks, probably from AFV Club, as the tracks with the kit are later production with ice cleats. And maybe some PE engine deck grill screens. But no major AM add ons at this point.

Stik,

Yes, it is still on my mind... haven't updated in months due to the whole spectrum of reasons including momentary loss of guts but she has been sitting on my bench just two feet away from me all that time and i am not planning on shelving the Tiger. It has just been shoved around on my to do list...

Looking back i should have gone the way you have appearantly by not using the locating pins at all or even cutting them out. I still have an ever so slight misalignment but you really have to look closely.

Are you planning aftermarket goodies on yours too?

Richard

Ok Kermit, any updates on your Tiger? Now that I have a few builds finished (and am due to start attending AMPS meetings again with my days off supposedly rotating to weekends off again) I have pulled out mine and resumed work. Tonite I began dry fitting the turret and with that mantlet alignment issue in mind I am approaching that in a different manner. I found that if I leave the mantlet seperate from the breech assembly, there is enough wiggle room to align it level horizontally.

Thank you.
I think I can promise that something will be done about it.

The big problem with the Dragon has something to do with the assembly sequence of the glacis plate and the front plate (driver/bow gunner) of the upper hull. I cannot be too specific because I am not building one and do not have a Dragon Tiger in my stash, but apparently those two need to be fitted to the hull and glued during the same step  rather than in separate steps during construction. They will not fit properly if done as shown on the  kit instruction sheet. A couple of our guys, who are excellent builders in my view, have encountered the same issue already and brought it to the attention of all the others.

Would you be willing to share those problems with us all? I'm keeping a record of instruction issues in Tiger kits; http://tiger1.info/kits.html

David

Oh there is nothing wrong with Washington state... except perhaps the weather... Bring your rain gear If you do end up setting up shop in Washington and find the time to come south to warmer climes, I'm pretty sure I'll be around to meet and greet. Yes the AMPS Tiger Group Build is pretty fun. A LOT of great guys doing some very nice builds, exchanging ideas, help, tips, etc. A couple of the guys building Dragon's Tigers have found a flaw in instructions the hard way and brought it out in the open for those who have not reached that point yet- that sort of thing is great to see. I am really looking forward to seeing the completed tanks. I think we will have a battalions worth of Tigers when it's all finished.

I am afraid my voyage will take me to Washington state.... Vetteman is dying to meet me too LOL. Maybe one day ill head down south...

Looking forward to following your progress. Sounds like a fun group thing in your AMPS chapter! Wonder if theres such a thing in Wa. too.... From the looks of it ill be setting up shop overthere in about a year.

Richard

Mine will not be jumping to the front of my "to do" line up too often. I have too many builds in front that are "higher priority". It is part of a Group Build at the local AMPS Chapter where we are building a batch of 1/35 Tigers (every conceivable variant) for entry in a local contest in 2013 so we have lots of time . If you come to California during your visit to the USA Kermit, say hello. So far, I just have the basic hull built and need to begin work on the suspension next.

Stik,

Thank you so much for your interest in my fiddling around

Lately i haven't been modeling alot since the pre-holiday weeks are very busy at work..... Combine that with a bit of a modelers block and an upcoming visit to the USA (6 blissful weeks!) and you might imagine that the Tiger has moved to the "to do later" list...

I will be returning to this lovely model but i am afraid that wont be until late february.... My sincere apologies...

Nevertheless i expect to be online and lurking during my holiday so i will watch your progress with interest

Richard

Any updates on this Kermit? I have begun mine as of last weekend and will be following in your Tiger's tracks (sort of)....

Good Save Kermit!

Nice details with your Tiger friend!

Regards,
Rodolfo

Seems to have worked out fine:

Richard

Stik,

I think i may have solved it already and quite easily...

First i tried to hollow out the locating ring, hoping that the extra room to move would make the front plate tilt back to where i want it. It did help but was too little.

I cut off the pin that goes into the locating ring completely now and glued the other side, as well as the front plate where it touches the turret body. The barrel wont be able to be adjusted in elevation this way but since it is a static model i am not too concerned with that.

Letting the glue harden out completely overnight so i can remove the tape used for securing everything into place. Pics comin up!

Richard

I am gonna watch how you tackle this issue kermit. I suppose some filing on the inside surface of the mounting rings and on the matching surface of the lugs could correct it.

Wbill,

Thank you for your tips. Since this PE business is proving to be rather fun i will certainly look into the matter and consider investing in some specific tools like the bender and possibly even a fine tipped soldering iron if i can find one... For now i have managed to get things done with the things at hand. I did buy a different brand of CA glue and that helped a little. I will have pics to show for it soon

Terry,

Thank you!

THE PROBLEM AT HAND:

Last night i decided to do some work on the turret and barrel. Thanks to Wbills advice the latter did not pose much of a problem and i actually had to use only one of the little rings to have the muzzle turned into position just right.

During my initial questions i was shown a problem that appearantly is common with this particular kit: The turret front plate is tilted!:

Currently my theory is that one of the locating rings inside the turret is dislocated:

So you guys can see i have my work cut out for me to have this nastyness sorted out...

Richard

Great work so far Richard. Would never have thought it was your first kit bask.

Terry.

Richard,

Gluing PE edge-on can be a challenge with CA. Gator Grip can help but some things can only really get a sturdy join using solder. As far as your question aboud folding lip edges, I use a bending tool called a FenderBender (they don't make them any more) that's similar to the types of tools put out by Hold 'N Fold or Etchmate. If you foresee doing a lot of PE in the future, it's a great tool to add to the arsenal for just the type of bends you are encountering. You could also try using needle nosed pliers to hold the edge of the lip and use the body fo the PE to create a hinge/fold point but that's a tricky proposition at best.

Nice work on the details so far!