Building the King tiger, tell me what do you think...

QUOTE: Anyway I have a few questions, according to competition rules, is it OK to put such a heavily detailed model in a diorama, or shoul'd it stand on it's own? Maybe it's up to me?

ShModeler,

It's entirely up to you if you want to put it in a diorama. I can say that the diorama should be just as good as the piece you are displaying on it. The rules where that, the diorama MUST tell a story and not just be a tank with a figure on it.

I would (my own opinion) make just a nice display base for it and let the King speak for itself. You can also leave the upper hull rest on the lower hull and make a note card for the judges to look at the inside detail. I saw a few that did this very thing at the contest. Modelers had note cards, next to their armor, with all of the add-ons and accessories used in the build.

If you could, I would really like to see pics your KT!

ShModeler, Sounds like you are going to have an impressive model. We would like to see it when completed. Could you post some pictures of it.
Mark956

Hi Erock and Mark!

I woul'd love to put pictures of the KT, but I'll need to persuade my girlfriend's brother to lend me his digi-cam. I dont promisse anything soon because unfortenatly I dont have time to build right now. You can imagine your self lower hull and turret filled with grey resin (which was a bit warrped and annoying) and bit's of fine wire.

Hope to update you as soon as possible. bye!

Well, as a veteran of MANY competitions, here is what I can offer:
As a rule, a lot of add-ons will not help you if the overall model lacks appeal. Meaning if it's poorly constructed or badly painted, all the after market brass, resin and turned aluminum in the world won't help. Gimmicks won't overcome a lack of skill (their words, not mine... don't kill the messenger!).
So here's the deal: go with your after-market extra detail, add some of your own, and make sure all your seams are where they're supposed to be and that your color scheme is accurate and/or believeable. Make sure the basic construction of your big cat is clean and tight. And don't worry about the "small hatches": Show judges use penlights to look into interiors. If all your hatches are open, they'll see what they need to see. There is a big escape hatch on the rear of the Tiger turret... you can see a lot of the interior though that one. Also, you might consider turning the turret to 90 degrees, and opening up the transmission access cover on the hull roof (where the driver and radioman's hatches are); that will expose the lower interior, and would be a logical opening, since the crew had to remove that cover to service the transmission and final drives. It'll take some careful surgery but it can be done (I've done it!). It would also allow a view of the turret basket.
Also, PRAY the judges in that category know something about armor! I have had experiences where the guys judging armor were wing-wipers who knew next-to-nothing about tanks, and judged mostly on paint schemes. But that's part of competition; you have to learn to live with it. Good luck!
Geez... with all that resin and brass, and with those Fruillmodel tracks, that beastie must weigh as much as the real thing!

Hello Mr. Link955!

Thank you for your very constructive and thorugh reply!

You sure gave me a few good ideas that I might use. So far I built only the esin interior from sponson down and inside the turret, and it's allready heavier then any model i have. Maybe after all the 'wight' will go there I'll be able to convince a judge that the model is "scale wight" :-)

QUOTE: Originally posted by ShModeler Hello Mr. Link955! Thank you for your very constructive and thorugh reply! You sure gave me a few good ideas that I might use. So far I built only the esin interior from sponson down and inside the turret, and it's allready heavier then any model i have. Maybe after all the 'wight' will go there I'll be able to convince a judge that the model is "scale wight" :-)

No problem, glad to help.
Hmm.... they might just buy the weight thing......

I've been in the Patton Museum's cut away King Tiger a few times (like being in a fish bowl!). Anyhoo, as far as I know, German tanks were painted a neutral gray (that darkened with use) below the sponsons and buff (a sort of dark cream) above. Primer was a fairly intense red. This site, although on the Tiger I may be of some help: http://www.tiger-tank.com/ it outlines the restoration of Bovington's Tiger I.

Ron.