Mid-Early Mod Questions...Again

[Rocky Sembritzky]

Having completed the basic assembly of the hull and the deck of the Tiger, it gave me a chance to study the backdating requirements. My intenet, which is subject to change, is to make a 501 (10th PZ Division) Tunisian Tiger with a build date of December 1942.

Here is my long list of changes required in no apparent order!

1. Feifels-done Mike S.
2. Drum cupola-done Mike S.
3. Mudguards, front,back & bin-done Mike S. (rear fender flaps pending) I will do these
4. Starter crank between exhausts-not done
5. Rear deck-minor changes, except for lowering- still researching
6. Delete C-hook on hull
7. Add a second light and make new brackets mounted behind mud flaps
8. Delete mine launchers
9. Left pannier, left locking brackets will need to be changed-not sure yet
10. Front hull-add toggle bolts on ball mount-easy enough
11. Add milled holes to drivers FWD periscope-easy
12. Milled hole on side corners of glacis plate-easy
13. Side mudguards- should be easy enough
14. Engine deck grates-still researching
15. Rear hull needs straps for spare tracks-501 mod
16. Toolbox-501 rear hull
17. Jack storage -rear hull-501
18. Sheet metal covers for exhausts 501-looking forward! to making these!
19. Drive sprocket hub should be convex not flat-simple enough, I think
20. Turret- thanks to Armortek on this one! Two holes for the ventilator, now I need to study the ventilator options.
21. The pistol port may be a challenge?
22. Mantlet-Total confusion!
23. Pannier floor-the copper rivets are on the way!
24. Pannier sides- the cap heads have to go-I need some ideas?

Apologies for the long post, but I am serious about getting this build accurate!

I would also like to know which putty you all prefer for making welds and your preferred primer.

Thanks in advance!

Rocky

[Adrian Harris]

That's quite a list

I look forward to seeing the transformation

Adrian.

[Roland Mann]

Hi Rocky,

it looks we sit in the same boat. My Tiger I will be a January '43 production typ with all those details you have mentioned. And yes it was in Tunesia with tactical no. 241. So from Kamerad to Kamerad I take the freedom to mention two more things you may add to you list because :

"Apologies for the long post, but I am serious about getting this build accurate!"

Here we are : The cleaning rods are only five but of the longer typ.Three on the right and two on the left. The jack is a 15 ton typ.On the mantlet there is only one early design, also there are later about 17 different designs counted.

All the best with your build and let us have some pictures as soon as possible.

Roland

[Rocky Sembritzky]

Roland,

Thanks for the reply. I did notice the cleaning rod layout but I was not aware of the length difference. In the case of the mantlet....
The Tiger modelling book shows all of the different variations but once again, I did not know that there was only one early version. Thanks for that tip kamerad!

Rocky

[Roland Mann]

Hi Rocky,

I had a look in my gallery for the cleaning rods. They are 210 mm in scale lenghts - all five equal. One more point crossing my mind. Not only for early Tigers but for you to have it accurate is the wall thickness of the hull side walls. Supplied is 8 mm wich in reality calculates only for 48 mm. The real thing had a wall of 60 mm. So I added 2 mm in the areas visible. Just an input while you are in a starting position and you may like to know now before it is too late.

Again good luck - Roland

[Sarah Frazer]

Hi Rocky,

I'm very interested as to how you are going to get the right period of deck grate. Are you going to make new deck grates? I can see where a couple of bits of the grates could be taken out to make it a bit more like an early grate, but it looks like quite a job to make it just right.

Good luck.

sarah

[Rocky Sembritzky]

Roland,

Interesting observation regarding hull side walls. If you have any pics of what you did, I would appreciate seeing them.

I am having difficulty finding the refrence for lowering the rear dear deck.

Rocky

[Roland Mann]

Hi Sarah,

filing, filing and filing will do the job. Sorry but there was no other idea in my head after I dropped the plan for using my mill. In my gallery the pictures of the grills are as supplied in white metal these times. The mods done later and are not (yet) shown in the gallery. Todays aluminium grills are a bit different as fare as I saw in some posts.

Hi Rocky,

pictures of the 2 mm extensions for the walls are in my gallery. Look in the section for the hull. There you will find the answer how I did it. If I can be of further assistance please let me know.

Roland

[Rocky Sembritzky]

Roland,

Thanks for pointing me to your gallery. That is a simple and very effective mod for the plate.

Can you tell me what size and type bolts you used for the pannier sides? I have the copper rivets for the top but I cannot find the bolts.

Your 88 is a work of art! I would like to have recoil too, but that is beyond my skills.

Sarah,

Roland's idea of filing is all that I can come up with. It really has to do with which tank you decide on modelling. Some of the grates would be impossible to mod.

Rocky

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

Roland,
how did you backdate your mantlet?

Cheers,
/Chris (who's also backdating, or will be, when the Tiger arrives)

[Brian Leach]

Sarah, Rocky,

I haven't gotton my Tiger yet (not 'til June) I intend to do one of the "different" styles of mantlet and will cast it in Aluminum.

I cannot do it until I have the Armortek mantlet to gage the size, but when i do I will let you know. casting a few extras would not be too much extra work.

Rocky,

I found that "The modeler's guide to the Tiger Tank" by Military Minitures in Review has been invaluable to me. It has the different model changes side by side, the different grill patterns, and 16 or so differrent mantel patterns. That and the book by Jentz and Doyle: "Germany's Tiger tanks D.W. to Tiger I:Design, Production & Modifications" are a good pair for getting the models correct and accurate.

So much for my 2 cents.

Have a good day,
Brian

[Roland Mann]

Hi Rocky,

I forgot to mention the deck lowering on my Tiger. This is done by using a complete new deck from aluminium. This was cut off at the grill / engine hatch and an other deck plate was 3 mm lower riveted from below. This lower area was than cutted for the grill and the engine hatch holes. The supports holding the deck in the hull have been lowered in the lowerde area to make a smooth fit with the top hull edges.

The O-rings for the axles have been placed in the brass section of the bearings. This is the only way to center the rings. O-rings in the side walls will never be accurate lining with the axle bearings. So the side pressure of the rings to the axles surface will equal all around. Sorry can't remember the O-rings measurments. The inner Ø is same as axle outer Ø. Fitting depth in the bearing is only 0,2 mm smaller than ring thickness.This way you will have only a light pressure on the axles not ruining the "free" axle movement ones your Tiger moves over the obstickles in his way.

And thank you Ricky for the comment on my gun.

Hi Chris,

on my mantlet I just milled away the armored support on the periscope side and drilled a second stepped hole. The surface was treated to make it look casted after the milling process.

Roland

[Christoffer Ahlfors]

just milled away... I'll say

This is just stunning. You managed to make it look like it was cast that way from the beginning. Not even the slightest difference in curvatures or surface to give away the modification!

You are a true wizard and I wish I had half your skills, Roland!

Cheers,
/Chris

[Sarah Frazer]

Hi Rocky,

The rear deck has been lowered in the new Mid-Tiger.


Regards,

Sarah

[Rocky Sembritzky]

Sarah,

Many thanks for clearing that up! One less thing that has to be done.

Rocky