Zimmerit for my Konigstiger

[duncanallender]

I have got some millput to do my zimmerit, but I would like to know how wide each 'band' of zimmerit should be. Looking at various pictures of all your tanks,it looks like about 7mm between each vertical band or strip. Is this about right.Obviously the bit around the mantle is different as it is segmented?? if you know what I mean.
Look forward to hearing .
Dunc

Nord West Kampfgruppe

[Steve Norris]

Hi Duncan,
On my Tiger1 i used a tool that i made myself, all it cosisted of was a short strip of 24mm wide mild steel sheet folded back on itself so that i ended up with a 24mm wide by 2.5mm thick section with the folded end having a nice rounded profile. To make using the tool a bit easier i brazed a short length of steel bar to the non folded end so that i ended up with what looked like a 1/6 scale spade.
The simple answere to your question should be that the rows are about 24mm wide.
Hope this helps
Steve

[Paul Morris]

Hi Dunc and Steve.

Dunc as Steve has said as regards the width.

Steve now where have i heard a description like that befor?
See you both soon.
Cheers Paul.

[Steve Norris]

Steve

[Richie Wignall]

Steve

your zim on the tiger looks ace, well done., for your first go. so Dunc, thats the way to go.

Richie

[duncanallender]

Thanks guys,I'll make a tool as you have described Steve.I don.t know why I thought they were so narrow.I'll keep you posted,although Paul and Richie will see the results when next tanking together.
Cheers Dunc

[David Pengelly]

The easiest way to do zimmerit is with bathroom tile cement , you have lots of time to get the pattern right , and it drys to give the correct sort of finish . Milliput , although good to work with , does end up with a sheen, and does not absorb paint as well as tile cement .
Tile cement will work out a lot cheaper as well

Thats my 2 penneth for what its worth

[Fabrice Le Roux]

Hi,

Did some experiments a while back and found Ronseal wood filler (light oak) sticks well, has good working time and a texture when dry that emulates the rough texture of the real thing (the formula contained 10% wood pulp). It is fairly chip resistant, but if it does get damaged the oak wood colour matches the pale ochre pigment of the original. It is also far cheaper.

FYI I was told at Bovington that the Shrivenham KT has had polyester car filler used to recreate much of the Zimmerit. Only the hull rear is the genuine, unrestored article and matches the JagdTiger's patchy coverage. Always use wartime photos for details rather than restored examples in museums. This situation is unlikely to improve as the current fashion in museum circles is to preserve the bodged restoration as it forms part of the "story of the artifact", rather than find the money to do the proper research and fund a historically accurate restoration and repair programme.

Go ahead, experiment!
cheers, Fabrice

[duncanallender]

Thanks for all the info. I've tried experimenting with tile cement David,and it seems alot more workable and for longer than Milliput.Fabrice, I'll look at your suggestion before going ahead.
Does anyone know how the real stuff was applied, and why it had the 'ridges'. did the pattern improve resistance to magnetic mines as opposed to just being a flat coating on the tank surface? Interested to know.
Regards
Dunc

NordWest Kampfgruppe

[duncanallender]

Thanks for all the info. I've tried experimenting with tile cement David,and it seems alot more workable and for longer than Milliput.Fabrice, I'll look at your suggestion before going ahead.
Does anyone know how the real stuff was applied, and why it had the 'ridges'. did the pattern improve resistance to magnetic mines as opposed to just being a flat coating on the tank surface? Interested to know.
Regards
Dunc

NordWest Kampfgruppe

[Antony Rowley]

Hi Dunc,

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmerit

Mr Zimmer "applied ridges to increase the overall thickness"

Thanks Ant

[Adrian Harris]

Magnetic attraction obeys the "Inverse Square Law", so if the ridges can double the distance between the mine and the tank, the magnetic force holding the mine in place is four times weaker.

By adding ridges to the coating, it increase the overall thickness and hence greatly improved the protection against mines but without increasing the amount of paste required.

Adrian.

[Fabrice Le Roux]

Adrian,

Very clearly explained. Zimmerit itself is non-magnetic, not anti-magnetic as often described. It is also very stable dimensionally and non flammable, all of which were part of the original specification.

Reducing the amount of plaster required also reduced the weight penalty. Some 200kg typically was needed for a Panther.

From the outset the camouflage benefit was noted as the rough surface reduced the specularity or "glint" of vehicles' surfaces.

KTs produced at the Henschel had, according to factory staff interviewed in 1945, a 5mm scratch coat applied followed by a second coat that was worked into the characteristic pattern.

cheers, Fabrice

[duncanallender]

Thanks all, very interesting,seeing all the different patterns as well.
With the photos of a KT at Bovington,which are good close up, it looks like I'm going down the right path.
I,ll post some photos when finished,and also when done the camo.
Dunc.

NordWest Kampfgruppe