Academy Tiger I

[chrisclarke2001]

I am an aircraft modeller myself but after seeing some Amour i decided to give it ago.. So i bought the Academy Tiger I, Buying a few books to go with it Im stuck..
What colours are the lower hull of the tank, the road wheels, idler wheels, and drive sprockets..
Chris

[Lonewolf]

As far as I know, the same as the upper hull Chris. The rivet counters will soon put me right if not lol.

Lonewolf.

[Ian M Day]

Chris

Any of your books have colour schemes in? Lonewolf right.The lower hull was the same as the upper. Have you bought the kit with interior detaill?

IAN

[Feanor]

Ayup Ian and all....

Sorry, i can't help with this one, but would like to know, 'cos i want to buy one, which is the best king tiger 2 (1/35th i guess) to buy? and possibly which mark.The reason being that i want to build one of the kingtigers that took out 55(?) of our tanks in the bocage in Normandy just after D-Day. I think they may have been an SS unit which took out a convoy by doing the lead and last tanks of one of our convoys and just had a turkey shoot thereafter.

I'd prefer one with interior detail.
If anyone can help...
p.s. sorry this is about Tiger2s and not 1s...can't be bothered to start a new thread.

[John Tapsell]

Chris,

For the Academy Tiger, all the outer surfaces would be painted a base colour of dunkelgelb (dark yellow). This was how they left the factory.

Once they arrived at their units, the unit would paint them with disruptive patterns of red-brown and olive green (2 kilo tins of concentrated paint of each colour being supplied with the tank).

Depending on the local terrain/climate, units might use one of these colours or perhaps both. They might spray them, hand paint them, dilute the paste with water or petrol - all leading to markedly different coverage and intensities of colour and coverage.

Unless you want to portray a particular vehicle or unit, then you can pretty much do as you want (as long as it looks reasonable).

Feanor,

I think you're thinking of Villers Bocage (about a week after D-Day). Wittmann's Tigers were 1s not 2s and 55 tanks is an excessive figure. I'm no expert of this incident, but 15-20 would be more likely - plus some half-tracks.

If you wanted to turn the tables somewhat, you might consider a Sherman belonging to Staffs Yeomanry. On D-Day, they knocked out some 7 Panzer IVs (and damaged two others) in a single incident. Sgt Joyce of A Sqn accounted for four of them using his 75mm gun Sherman. One fell to the Firefly of Sgt Billings from C Sqn and the other two fell to the Fireflies of B Sqn.

Cheers,
John

[Lonewolf]

SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann was the CO of Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101.

OOB June 1 1944 was 37 Tiger Is and 3 SdKfz7/1 Flak half-tracks.

The Villers-Bocage incident happened on June 13th when Wittman with 4 Tiger Is and a Panzer IV from Panzer Lehr rolled into Villers Bocage at about the same time as elements of the 7th Armoured Division. After a short action in which they destroyed the HQ squadron of the 22nd Armoured Brigade, Wittmann retired briefly for more ammunition then returned to deal with 'A' squadron which had passed through the town...

Approaching under cover of a wood, he first knocked out the end half-track effectively blocking the escape of the remainder of the vehicles which he then systematically shot up one by one. Proceeding along the length of the column, tanks, lorries, half-tracks and bren gun carriers went up in smoke spreading wreckage all over the road. Altogether Wittmann destroyed about 25 armoured vehicles in the attack.....Eric Lefèvre

Seeing that monster on the rampage with your shells bouncing off it probably comes under the heading of nightmare!! The photographs of the wreckage of 'A' squadron are horrendous.

All in all he made a fair tally that day. Unfortunately for him it came to an end when he went back into Villers-Bocage to deal with 'B' squadron who by this time had him sussed, and ambushed his small force from gardens and alleys at the road side. Wittmann lost 3 Tigers and the P-IV. He and his crew escaped on foot, however Wittmann was killed on August 8th. He was 30 years old.

Lonewolf.

[Feanor]

Ayup Wolfie...

Gosh!!...

Thanks for your precis of Villers Bocage...

That was a lot clearer than all the websites i saw on that subject. I dunno where i got the idea that they were Tiger 2s, but i must admit that those particular beasts have just got my imagination at the moment. The thought of 75 mm shells bouncing off its hull is indeed terrifying.
The worst thing is is the thought that if you (and i think reasonably), wanted to preserve your own neck from such a certain death, you'd be thought of and tried as a coward! i think it's amazing the sacrifices our forbears have made for our freedom.

It's also a shame that it's always usually the young men that die...
Which Tiger kit does everyone recomend? The new Dragon kit or another.(internal detail too is wanted).
All ideas welcomed..

[Ian M Day]

Feanor

As far as I'm aware, only Academy's Tiger 1's have internal detail....................however, there is one hell of a lot missing. For example, the shell stowage bins on the hull floor beneath the turret.
Add to that the hull side stowage bins are incorrect. They should hold four rounds abreast, not three so will need modifying.
A lot of MG ammo is missing from the hull gunners position as well. I used one to create a milliput mold and molded some extras using milliput.
Best idea is to get hold of the book "Tiger Tank. The British View". This is a superb book showing all the details both external and internal, of the Tiger I captured in Tunisia, tested at Bovington and is now at the Tank Museum. It is also a runner and appears at the shows the hold there. There are probably some resin detail sets available, but 90% of the detail missing can be made using plastic card. One great advantage over the Tamiya and Dragon kits, is the price. Many can be found at second hand dealers and are also often sold at shows by modellers wanting the latest variant.
If you really want to go OTT, buy the book "The Modellers Guide to the Tiger Tank" by Patrick A Stansell. Available from Aviation book Centre. It is somewhat out of date with all the recent releases, having been published in 2003. The AJ Press series on the Tiger is also well worth having.

Having rabbited on, anyone fancy starting a Tiger Tank SIG?

IAN

[Lonewolf]

LOL Cheers Feanor, I have a VERY big library and it doesn't totally consist of things with wings.

;D Wolfie

[Feanor]

Dear Wolfie...

My mind (?) just boggles!! thanks again mate...lol.

[Feanor]

Ayup Ian... again, thanks for the reply..lol..

[Ian M Day]

Chris

You might want to take a serious look at the Dragon Tiger I (initial production) kit.

For £21.95 from Mr Models at Gateshead on the 19th, I had an inspection last night and WOW!!!!
Figures, brass ammo, bucket, mudflaps etc etc. Some interior detail but not on the scale of the Academy one. This is one serious kit for not a lot.

IAN

[Lonewolf]

Last Thursday (6th Oct) I actually visited Villers-Bocage, the site of Wittmanns exploit. Theres no evidence of it, but I got the lie of the land. The town had to be pretty much totally rebuilt after the war.

I also went on to the Falaise Gap, and the so called 'Corridor of Death'. It really was tight, 3 bridges on back roads and a tiny ford with a whole German army trying to get across the Dives. I picked up a German tracer round near Moissy Ford.

Wolfie.

[Global Moderator]

Wolfie,

Did you get up to the memorial/museum on Mont Ormel? - very impressive view of the whole area. I was there this time last year.

St Lambert Sur Dives is also an interesting place, especially the Canadian memorial on the outskirts that records the exploits of Major Currie who won the VC.

There is a 'dodgy' Tiger 1 outside Vimoutiers - the tank is real enough, but the engine deck is a total hotpotch of PZ IV bits.

[Feanor]

Ayup Wolfie...

I wrote my other post before reading this...