King Tigers: Dragon vs Tamiya

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lasheff LETS REMEMBER IF YOU DO PUT ZIMMERIT ON YOUR TIGER II for a ARDENNES FINISH YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR HISTORY AT LEAST FOR THE GREATER % of THESE Tigers

Lasheff,
Hi and welcome to the forum!!!
I would have to disagree on the percentage of zimmerit coated Tiger IIs in the Ardennes offensive. I would say that almost an equal number of pics of Tiger IIs had zimmerit as those that didn't.. But as with any German offensive late in the war, the exact number of zimmerit coated -vs- non zimm probably won't ever be known..
I am just going off the many, many reference pics I have from that time frame which shows just about as many KT's with zimm as without....

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lasheff LETS REMEMBER IF YOU DO PUT ZIMMERIT ON YOUR TIGER II for a ARDENNES FINISH YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR HISTORY AT LEAST FOR THE GREATER % of THESE Tigers

I just purchased the DML KT2 with HEnschel turret. IT looks great. Found a lot of extras for it on squadron.com. Eduard makes a great zimmerit for it. But I also don't think they have as much stuff for the DML kit as they do for the Tamiya. I really am looking for an interior. And the engine compartment that squadron carries, I am not sure wether it fits the DML.

Thread necromancer!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by phroosh Thanks again for the comments people! I settled the dilemma in an interesting way. I bought the Tamiya production Turret kit for my apprentice for his 21st birthday. I chose it because he likes the Henschel turret, which Dragon are yet to release in Oz, and seeing that he has only just started modelling, Tamiya's famous fit and the one piece tracks will be of minimum discouragement. He is finishing off his first kit, Italeris Chaffee and the fit and nasty tracks bummed him out a bit. OOB, I think he will get more from Tamiya. I, on the other hand, am going to go with Dragon's Porsche Turret, as I prefer the turret shape, and like Dragon's value, with their PE screens and indy tracks, for less$. We plan on building them side by side to compare and contrast! Really appreciated the input on this one. And I always love a Zimmerit joke, too. Matt

Sorry to come in late Matt, but the DML KT Henschel Turret is available in Oz - I bought mine for AUD $50 7 weeks ago and my LHS still has 3 in stock. I have not built it yet. I see no probs with the track links that a quick swipe with the exacto and brush with scotchbrite wont fix.

This time DML have included the tow cables, by way of end loops and separate nylon thread, that they usually don't give you. The track replacing cables look okay and the sprue attachment points are on the hull fittings not the cable, keeping the twinned detail unblemished (unlike some of Tamiya's efforts.)

The DML kit has rudimentary Breech block detail, but full interior turret hatch details for both top hatches and the rear loading hatch. You will see little through the hatches anyway.

The independantly moulded Torsion bar arms and indy links allow you to build a vehicle on uneven ground if you want.

I don't have the Tamiya one (only the very first 70's era version that I use as a test base for different techniques) but at AUD $80 for the KT with a few figures and motorbike, plus needing to spend money on mesh grills, well I can't see the value compared to DML's. I use stock plastic figures as, in my humble opinion, paying AUD $20 for a single resin or metal figure to go on a Tank dio is overkill. There are plenty of figure kits around and one AUD$12 DML kit will fill all 4 hatches or you can spread them out amongst a couple of kits. In fact you can get Tamiya's 3 figure "Otto Carius' Tiger figures for AUD $9 if you want.

Hope this has confused you enough.

Has Matt started that build yet? Looking forward to the side by sides.

No, we haven't started yet, but the King is in the stash. My friend and I have been building T-34's lately. Fightnjoe has a Porsche King as well, so we were thinking of a mini-build. Hopefully soon me and my apprentice can do a little less work and bit more play!

Spot on with the review Peter. The Henschel was available by the time I bought my Porsche, but wasn't in shops in SA when I bought my friends, and that was his preference. I got it his for $65, mine for $50! I love the look of the DML kit; the PE grills are great, and the overall detail pips the Tamiya in my opinion. I have plenty of figures to fill the gaps, too.

Both are good kits, though, and I look forward to a side by side build, even if mine does have a nasty shot trap!

hey matt we can start anytime. i have the paints and i am ready to go. in fact i look forward to it. should be fun.

joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by fightnjoe hey matt we can start anytime. i have the paints and i am ready to go. in fact i look forward to it. should be fun. joe

Cool. Give me a chance to get a couple of things off the bench in the next week or so and we are away! My mate doesn't have indy links, so we can have a head start.

fantastic. i love the idea. look forward to it.

joe

I have built the Tamiya Porsche and Henschel Turrets and recently picked up DML's offering and I have to say with the exception of the indy tracks and the small amount of Photoetched included in the kit..Tamiya's offerings is a much easier build. The additional detail included on DML's kit is miniscule. Most Intermediate to advanced modellers will most likely use an etched sets by Aber or Eduard on their kit and I believe that either of Tamiya's kits with respective etched set is a much easier and better build..with Modelkasten or Fruil Tracks of course

As for the Zimmerit applications on the Porsche and Henschel turrets..all Porsche turrets with the exception of the first prototypes had ridged pattern Zimmerit applied. Early Henschels had Zimmerit applied, but the application ceased 1/4 through it's production run so most Henschels did not have it applied.

Cheers

Mo

The next issue of "Armour Modelling" will feature a heads-up battle between these two kits.

Isn't Armour Modelling a Japanese publication?

Sure, but they usually have the important bits translated into English!
Some of it, anyway.
If they hired me full time, they could have all of it in English!

Doi-san, are you reading this? (wink-hint-wink-nudge)

Oh Rob, ya bummed me a bit on the Dragon kit, not that it's your fault. I still say it's a good deal for the price, almost half of a Tamiya kit. I don't mind their indy tracks.

Brian, thanks for the heads up on the comparison in the upcoming magazine.

I'm fairly well down the path of being a committed Dragon/DML kit builder. I've yet to have one of their kits dissapoint and I love the detail and indy links they offer. Maybe I'm a sucker for punishment, but I prefer detailed/involved projects that require me to do a lot of assembly. It makes the finished product all the more satisfying.

I've built Tamiya's KT w/Henschel and liked it. Have not tried Dragon's and am also highly interested in seeing the progress of a side by side build.

Bill, I'm with you on Dragon kits. They just seem more complete, you feel as your getting your moneys worth so to speak. Lately, they have been so much more prolific than Tamiya and come out with some interesting subjects. Italeri, kind of is the same for me, but their indy tracks need a bit of refinement. Still they offer different subjects at reasonalble prices. Oh, did I just open a can of worms? Tamiya v.s. The modelling world? Sorry, didn't mean to strike that one up again.

Hey gang,
I am getting ready to build the DML kit. I am looking for an engine compartment for it.
Squadron offers one but it does not say wether it is for Tamiya or DML. Also looking for the aluminum barrel. ANy ideas?

hey matt. are you ready to start yours? how about say a week or so.

joe

Loylein, check to see if Eduard makes one, for my Panther it was a beautiful one-piece aluminum.

QUOTE: Originally posted by fightnjoe hey matt. are you ready to start yours? how about say a week or so. joe

If I get a good week in on my current projects I should be around the mark. I am 95% done on three kits at the moment, and want to shelve them!

sounds great to me.


joe