My mid-production Tiger Pictures (warning 24 images)

[James Tseliki]

I suppose I am what our american cousins call a rookie. This is my first foray into 1/6 scale Tiger building, which I have laboured over the past two and a half years. My grand daughter has given me 7 out of 10.

I have already started on my next Tiger, an initial production variant and i hope to do better next time.

My thanks to all who have given me help and advice.

Enjoy the photos.

James.















































My grand daughter and Tiger:

[Kevin Hunter]

James - if you're a rookie I think your grand daughter is being a bit harsh! Looks really good.
Congratulations
Kevin

[Maarten Schutjes]

Great looking Tiger!

[yves mouton]

Hello James,

Nice pictures of your tiger
Beautiful paintjob, weathering looks fine
And great details
best regards Yves

[Stephen White]

James thanks for sharing these pictures. For me, the mark of an outstanding model is that your eye keeps being drawn in to see more and more detail. There is real depth to your Tiger which lifts it above being yet another Tiger. If that sounds like faint praise, it isn't intended - it's one of the best I've seen.

I wonder when someone will have a go at Tiger 131 or one of the early Tunisia Tigers.

All the best

Stephen

[Steen Vøler]

Hi James

You should be very proud - The Tiger looks FANTASTIC

cheers
Steen

[Paul Morris]

Hello James.

That is a very nice looking Tiger well done indeed.
Cheers Paul.

[John Fitzsimons]

Great looking Tiger. Grand daughter is a tough marker.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi James
Excellent Tiger,great detail and painting,look forward to your next one.
Cheers
Phil

[leesellars]

Hello James

Looks fantastic. you should be proud of that

Lee

[Dennis Jones]

Brilliant looking Tiger, especially the engine compartment detail. You should be proud of that James.

Dennis.

[William Bath]

Nice job, hope I can do as well!

[James Tseliki]

By way of an Addendum to the posting of my mid-production Tiger 112 SCHWERE PANZER ABTEILUNG 508 1st Company Tank No 12, it would be in order to set the subject of my Project in its proper historical perspective. I have chosen to model this hybrid vehicle, known as a mid-production variant. At this stage of the Tiger’s development, the manufacturer used a mixture of old as well as newly developed parts. For example, Tiger 112 retains the rubber road wheels of the earlier type but has the drum cupola replaced with the lower profile moulded cupola with the side-sliding hatch. I have depicted 112 towards the end of its career around January 1944, operating in the Pisa area of Italy, by which time it was fairly battle weary and clapped out (which makes for interesting modelling). 112 was originally assigned to KOMPANIE MEYER then transferred to Battalion 508 where it remained until the end of its service.


112 illustrated by Jean Restayn

Battalion 508 was formed in July 1943 in the Heilbronn Sector at Bobligen. After some initial instruction the personnel of 508 were transferred to France at Mailly-le-Camp, where the Battalion received its Tigers. In December 1943, ABT 508 was deployed in Italy and by February 1944 they found themselves attempting to halt the Allied landings at Anzio and thereafter the subsequent Allied advance. Chaotic command and control resulted in very limited success for the Battalion and its fearsome Tigers.

In March 1944, KOMPANIE MEYER (SONDERHEIT MEYER), a special purpose unit of TIGERKAMPFGRUPPE SCHWEBBACH with its 8 Tigers, was integrated into 508. 112 was one of the hand-me-down Tigers. Unlike most of the Meyer Tigers, 112 had not zimmerit applied to, (this was delightful as I am not particularly fond of stuff). KOMPANIE MEYER was established in July 1943 and was dispatched to Italy, a good 6 months prior to the 508. Its purpose was political, it’s mission to support Mussolini and the newly formed Fascist Republic of Upper Italy. This he had established after his dramatic rescue in late summer of 1943 by Otto Skorzeny, in a commando style operation. Kompanie Meyer took its name from its commanding officer Oberleutnant Hans-Gert Meyer.


A war time photo of a clapped-out 112 taken in early 1944

TIGER 112 as part of the 508 1st Company, took part in the operations of the Battalion. From July 1944 to February 1945, 508 was deployed between the Ligurian and Adriatic Seas, and saw action from Pisa to Rimini along the Via Emilia. There were of course, tremendous difficulties for the Tigers in these areas of operation. Lack of spare parts, servicing facilities and fragmented command and control, not to mention Allied air power, further contributed to the steady deterioration of the Battalion and the dwindling of its complement of Tigers. It was at this time, possibly around March-April 1944, near the town of Pisa, that 112 met its demise at the hands of its crew. It was blown up after it developed terminal engine breakdown. Without the remotest possibility of spares becoming available, its ignominious end was inevitable. It is fair to say that the fate of 112 was mirrored by many of the Tigers of 508, mechanical breakdown, lack of spare parts or simply lack of gasoline destroyed more Tigers, Allied airpower did the rest.

My model of 112 is as faithful as possible to the references I have collected during my research, although I have added some additional details from other Tiger references. In the main however, all details are based on photographic material I have collected. The modelling of the Maybach 230 engine and engine compartment is the result of a survey I undertook of the Bovington Tiger. My thanks go to the Museum for offering me this great opportunity.

I have a vague intention of building several of the Tiger variants, however, as I say, this is just a vague intention.


A photo of the internal arrangement of my 112 model.

[Robert E Morey]

James,
This may be your first 1/6 build, but it is hardly "rookie" in any way. Fantastic detailing, esp the engine. First rate weathering. Its very obvious you put a lot of thought and effort into every piece. I think your Tiger is among the best I've seen as well. So many small facets of detail. Well researched and excellent painting really compliment the model. Thanks for sharing your photos! I look forward to your next effort.
Best regards,
Bob

[Greg Stephens]

Wow..I hope i can do that well. I hate the looks of the Zimmerite too. I think it destroys the clean lines of the Tiger and I don't particularly think it scales well. I really don't think I could match someone like john Fitzimons work either.
Thanks for doing the research for me and finding a mid without zimmerite.