BIG CATS GROUP BUILD 2008

SMJmodeler wrote:

bufflehead, Svenne Duva, JMart, panzerguy, espins1, firesmacker: You're in!!! moose421: You're in too, but I need the scale and kit mfr. pordoi: ditto, but I need your kits scales.

Sorry.  Mine are 1/35

hermesminiatures: thanks for the pic's, I'll add the F and II to the list

dostacos, bobbaily, wing_nut:  Consider yourself added!!!

pordoi: Thanks.

dupes:  I'll see about getting that book, know of a cheap source?

Guys:  I plan to head to Southern California for about 5 days...I think I will have net access, but I'm not sure.  If not, I'll check in when I return.  If you have the chance to start your kits Saturday...ready, set, GO!!!...I hope to start mine then too!!!

SMJ - you might want to add a little more info to each of our entries as well - I noticed you put the variants for the Panther and Tiger I, but not for the Tiger II.

The Tiger II variants were these:

Inital (Porsche turret), Early (Porsche turret) Early (Henschel turret) Late (Henschel turret) and Final (Henschel turret)

Also, the order of the Panther variants should be D, A, G, F - if you're interested

Another great book on the Panther is:

Germany's Panther Tank the Quest for Combat Supremacy: Development - Modifications - Rare Variants - Characteristics - Combat Accounts (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)
by Thomas L. Jentz (Author)

http://www.amazon.com/Germanys-Panther-Quest-Combat-Supremacy/dp/0887408125/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205509875&sr=8-1

This is by far, the best Panther Reference book in my reference stash. 

hermesminiatures:  I will make those edits to the Tiger II.  Are there Tiger I variants I should add?  I put the Panther in alphabetical order, but I agree, chronological order might be more appropriate...

I will ask everyone to help with the specifics, some already have, on their builds when the list is revised...

Dre - it's a Late, which is essentially a mid production model as far as Tiger II's go. Early Henschels had a few detail differences, as did the final production ones, but most Henschel Tiger II's were 'Late production'.

It might be sufficient to distiguish between Porsche and Henschel turret. 

wing_nut wrote:

Yet to decide on Cavelier resin or doing it myself.

OK I have made my decision.  Found a review if the kit I am doing on the IMPS USA site and the guy used the Cavalier zimmerate.  Looks nice to me so I am gonna give it a try.

I just realized I quoted myself Is that like those guys on the subway having the argument with nobody

wing_nut wrote:

wing_nut wrote: Yet to decide on Cavelier resin or doing it myself.     OK I have made my decision.  Found a review if the kit I am doing on the IMPS USA site and the guy used the Cavalier zimmerate.  Looks nice to me so I am gonna give it a try. I just realized I quoted myself Is that like those guys on the subway having the argument with nobody

saw a tee shirt the other day it said  "I'm scitzofrenic, and so am I"

Roses are red,

Violets are blue ,

I 'm schizophrenic,

And I am too.

Does this mean I need to build 2 tanks

  So I guess where never going to know which WING were talking to???

   Which one's the right Wing and which's the left?

Well as I said in the "Urban Armor" thread this badge is just too good to pass up! So upon visiting Quebec I picked up something totally new for me: 1/72!!!  it's Italeri's Kingtiger (kit no. 7004) to build for this GB if that's ok.

(PLEASE don't tell me 1:72 stuff isn't allowed now!)

Chris,

EDIT: The KT is Henschel btw but I'm not sure if it's early or late

Soooooo can I start building now?

wing_nut wrote:

Yup, I do believe the starting gun was been fired a few days ago.  Who will be the 1st with progress pics??????

here is my WIP Early Tiger I Skybow

ok, not really that is my initial version Tiger1 but I could not help myself

Guys:  I'm back from Southern California...I'll go first with some pics'!!!  I made a little progress on my Panther G...not a lot, but everything went together smoothly.  This is a nice kit, I especially like all the tools.  I didn't install the jack (between the mufflers) yet because it will be next to impossible to paint later, typically I install just about everything I can before I paint:

Glad to be back!

wing_nut: Panzers aren't eligible for this GB, sorry.

Townsy11:  1/72 scale is fine, glad you could join us!

panzer88: Got it!

SMJmodeler wrote:

wing_nut: Panzers aren't eligible for this GB, sorry.

Not a problem, I still have my original choice to do.  But, (armor education time) the reason I choice this kit was when I saw it I noticed the turret looked like a Tiger but the rest looked odd.  Phones with internet are great… seeing a kit on the shelf and check it out.  I found these comments made in several reviews of the kit I read online.

“Fans of the Tiger I will certainly want this rare cat in their collection; I do.”

Frank De Sisto

"... this adds to DML's Tiger "family" ..."

Cookie Sewell

“The Panzerkampfwagen VI (P), although a true Tiger variant, is often overlooked in favour of it's more famous siblings.”

Vinnie Branigan 

This and the Tiger I I will build have the designation of Sd.Kfz.181 as well (new question… What does “Sd.Kfz.” mean?)

I am not trying to break you baxxxx… er… onions Steve.  Inquiring minds want to know.

As a side note… you should all the crap I have to take when the guys at the LHS see me crouching down to see the bottom row of armor kits.  “That box has a tank in it…too heavy for an aircraft guy…”  “WASSUP?  You lost again?” Actually, it starts when I walk in the door.  “G’d afternoon track bolt.”

Who will have the last laugh when I roll across their airfield crushing the flimsy airframes… mwaah ha ha…

Wingnut - Sonderkraftfahrzeug (abbreviated Sd.Kfz.) is German for special purpose vehicle (or Special Ordnance Vehicle). It was for example used by Nazi Germany during World War II, to represent armoured fighting vehicles. Have no clue how to pronounce it ;)

Panzerkampfwagen VI SdKfz 181 is indeed the Tiger I (Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H)

The Dragon kit 6210, reviewed here:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/dragon/dr6210.htm

(Dragon #6352 is the Premium edition)

Should be a "Big Cat"?

SMJmodeler wrote:

wing_nut: Panzers aren't eligible for this GB, sorry.

What about the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther, Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger, and Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II? Are they also not elligible?

The Panzer VI (P) is just another Tiger I variant, it's more commonly called Tiger (P). It was the Porsche-designed hull, which used Dr. Ferdinand Porsche's beloved (and seriously flawed) gasoline-electric drive. Initially, the Porsche design was accepted, but only three made it into combat before the better Henschel design replaced the Porsche. Remaining Tiger (P) hulls were converted into Ferdinand heavy tank destroyers.

The Tiger (P) is actually one of the biggest cats, too - the gas-electric drive components brought the weight to around 60 tons

Hermesminiatures:  You're killing me...so MANY tanks I'm getting confused here!!!  I didn't want to bother you with the ALL INCLUSIVE LIST of Panthers and Tigers but I may need to.  All the names and variants are WAY beyond my expertise!!! When I think of a Panzer I don't visualize the tanks on the badge...ya' know what I mean?  I was hoping to keep this to the tanks on the badge...with some variants but still with that look...make sense?  How do we work this out???  *edit*  I saw a Sturmtiger at a hobbyshop in SoCal...short, fat barrel looked like a qualifier too.

Bodge:  You're in, but please let me know the kit mfr.

Steve...easy for me to work it out... I'll stick to the 1st choice

Then I'll just build the "P"  for fun.