SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

King Tiger Tracks

1582 views
7 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2012
King Tiger Tracks
Posted by Tankster on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 7:57 AM

Hey guys I'm seeking some advice here.  I have Dragon's King Tiger (P) in the stash and I ordered some Fruil tracks for it.  Based on their compatibility chart they suggested going with ATL-22 for early Porsche/Henshel models.  Which I picked.  However when I got the tracks they seem to be a later style and even came with white metal 18-tooth drive sprockets.  When I compared the kits Magic Tracks to my own, they seemed to be slightly different and a better match would have been the ATL-16.

The main difference is the middle connecting piece is 1 solid piece instead of having the outer pins separate.  Any advice as to which one is the correct version?  It seems like the Fruil kit is for the early style KT but provides a drive sprocket for the later versions. 

On The Bench: Dragon  1/35 Jagdtiger Henschel

On Deck: Dragon 1/35 Ferdinand

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 10:17 AM

Sounds like a mis-box by Friul. From what I understand, the very early tracks went out of use fairly early, since they were so easily thrown; apparently the multi-piece connecting links twisted badly. Not having looked and assuming the Friuls you have use a solid (no teeth holes) connecting link, I think you could use the Dragon 9-tooth sprockets with the mid-production Friuls and be accurate.

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by Tankster on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 12:15 PM

I think it maybe or either the Dragon Tracks are for 'mid-early' vehicles.  I've built the Dragon Battle of the Bulge KT which that the single piece connecting links and the Tamiya Link Tracks used on my KT had the same type tracks as well, and both were earlier production vehicles becuase of the 9 tooth drive sprocket.   But I've built Dragon's Jagdtiger Porsche kit which had the same t ype tracks as my Fruils.  so I think they are correct.  I was just curious because I compared them to the Magic Tracks and they came with the laster 18 tooth drive sprocket.  is why I ask.  I just know they're taking a long time to assemble, I worked on them over an hr last night and only got about 15 links done.  

The drive sprockets maybe an error which I'll just save, the tracks do fit the kits drive sprockets.  

On The Bench: Dragon  1/35 Jagdtiger Henschel

On Deck: Dragon 1/35 Ferdinand

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 1:32 PM

Keep in mind, very early and very late versions used the 18 tooth sprocket, and there are three types of combat tracks.

I agree about the cumbersome assembly, the tracks on the KT in the pic below almost drove me nuts, even using the nice jig Friul supplies.....

You can get an idea of how many pieces make up the connecting links be looking at the track where it wraps around the idler. These are the initial version, and were designed to use the 18 tooth sprocket.

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by Tankster on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 1:46 PM

I'm thnking thats what I got then.  I didn't know that early versions used the 18 tooth sprocket.  I always understood that early versions used the 9 tooth and later versions used the 18 tooth.  That seems like the same set I got.  with the connecting pins and the connecting track in the middle.  I also seem the same style links on the narrow transport tracks on the "Final Version" KT but those were just limited to 1 version I'm pretty sure.

On The Bench: Dragon  1/35 Jagdtiger Henschel

On Deck: Dragon 1/35 Ferdinand

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 2:28 PM

In a nutshell:

Very early: (pic above) 18 tooth

Mid (most common by far): 9 tooth

Very late: 18 tooth

Here's another fly in the ointment: due to supply issues, it's not uncommon the see 9 tooth sprockets and the very late pattern tracks, but the 18 tooth sprockets would not work with the mid-pattern tracks. This is all slightly over-simplified, but boils down to whether or not the connecting link had holes for sprocket teeth.

Apprentice rivet counter.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by Tankster on Thursday, December 19, 2013 3:13 PM

I did some research and I did actually find a couple Porsche King Tigers with the 18 tooth sprockets so what you're saying is accurate.  I saw a picture of the KT with the big 11 on the side and it looked like it had the 18 tooth sprockets but I think it just boils down to what vehicle you're buiding.  

On The Bench: Dragon  1/35 Jagdtiger Henschel

On Deck: Dragon 1/35 Ferdinand

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Dripping Springs, TX, USA
Posted by RBaer on Thursday, December 19, 2013 3:44 PM

Exactly. There were some unusual combinations out there.

Apprentice rivet counter.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.