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Hi all
this new adventure begins when my friend Demis Gavioli has asked me to build his new Tiger 1.

Here the first step, assembling the lower hull is easy



The brass bushing in position with the O ring



He wants the tank builded from the kit and the under hull doesn't need particular solutions



Sides, front and rear fit well togheters





After the lower hull is assembled I have preferred to close the little cracks with an hard glue to prevent every infiltrations









Assembling the wheels is nothing of special, just boring



A little test to see the “short and long wheelâ€

Very Nice work Luca . Is the mid tiger going together easyer then the KT or about the same ?? Luca I'm interested to see how the bolted together road wheels go onto the axles without removing the outer wheel have you try this yet ?? Dale

All the rear deck was modified because the square bolts were recessed in the original, is interesting to notice that the middle type used also screws cap instead the square ones.

For Dale

As my english is disgusting this kit is not so easy to build as the KT. Drawings are not so specific as in the KT and many times the drawing didn't show the pieces numbered.

Suspension are ready to be installed and i'm ready to test how the wheels fits to the tank.

I'm not sure to well understand your question, if you could explain in other simple words should be better

Looks very good Luca.

Rocky

I love your recessed square bolts! It looks like you *almost* broke through the bottom. How much material did you leave?

Cheers,
/Chris

About 2 mm for each bolt Chris, 3 mm for those with more highness. The best result should be to drill all the hole for his highness but you must conserve a minimum of highness. These bolts are not for aestetic but they fix each single part to the under frame

Cheers

Luca

I Have started to mount the suspensions.
The bars doesn't enter easily and some milling is needed.
Here the preparation for fixing the bar to the suspension





Here the bar is in position and the screws are tightened



This is the ultimate machinery to give the right degree to the suspension




After a bit all the suspensions are installed, the two last, near the idler have 32 degree instead the requested 35 because in this way should be more simple to install the track.............................Dale docet



Installing the idlers



and replacing the bolts with others more appropriates



Tension track system



The idler in final position.

I'm not glad about the color, this is a bicomponent vernish, very strong, but unfortunately the RAL 7028 is not more usual and i have tried to obtain it mixing the RAL 1002 with white...........i see the yellow too orange yet

Luca,

You are really moving quickly and I like your "ultimate machinery."

Rocky

It's time to install the wheels !!!!!

This operation in not simple for nothing if you have already assembled all the wheels separately……...unfortunately like me.

The typical disposition of the wheels doesn't allow to install the wheels one by one.

Unscrew the suspension doesn't help, because even the suspension's arm is all down the whhel doesn't enter in place.

Who is at this step can consider to assemble the wheels directly on the arms, otherwise the only system to install the wheels is mounting them all contemporary.

the dark side of the godness kalì come in my help and this is the result




the alignement seem to be ok




meanwhile i was assembling the" long wheel" i suspected that his stopping washer didn't close enough the hole.....as previewed



The washer for the "short wheel" is ok




Problem has been solved with a new washer, high about 8 mm and hole down to receive the stopping screw






The sprocket must installed in position in the same time of the wheels, otherwise it doesn't enter

Luca,

You are building this Tiger in record time! Great work and keep posting your pictures.

Rocky

i didn't resist to try how works the track......all seem works good



So it's time to fix the sprocket





A general view to see how grows the little baby





This lower side is not properly the same as the original but with some bolts it's look better



The frontal air intake must be corrected in his shape



The rear exausts, at the end they will be covered by the big shields that Winstone are making for, without these i could make some improvement as number of series etc.





The big brass ring for the turret



is important polish the screws to avoid friction

Hi all, just some pics to show my progress

The builded frontal hatch fixed definitively





Some false welding around but this zone will be covered from the zimmeritt



Starting to build the cupola but nothing has been fixed because i’m waiting the visors from Stannard




I’ve started the tracks but when they will be on it will be impossible painting the wheels………………….so here i’m



Build the tracks is very boring, but they have an excellent cast, to fixing the pins i’ve preferred the same way used on the KT. Gill & Mark provide the collars and Knupfer the metal pins









Here we are back to the tensioning system, Mark told me the head of the screw must stay inside the tank







This lead a two questions
1) with the screw totally inside the tank, the idler's arm is free to move forward, the idler's arm will keep a minimum of play. In this way every shot taken by the idler on the rear could move the arm forward. This could be a vantage because if the track is stopped for every reason, the motor doesn’t make to much effort because the idler could absorbe a little this efforts.
2) If I keep the system as modified by me, the head of the screw external and a nut inside, the wheel is blocked in the choosen position.
Any block of track, thinking this not too strange, for example when you make a turn, the internal track make more effort than the other . This effort must be won directly from the engine, but the track keeps its length without change it as in the first case as a result of the "forward and behind of the idler wheel "

What do you thinck about?????



P.S. Terrible english, hope you can understand

Hi Luca

Have a look at drawing CEASSY3P on page 57 of your manual. Check that you have all parts assembled in the positions shown in the drawing. If you have you will see that the track tension holds the head of the cap screw in the pocket inside the tank. The bolt pushes the arm forward to apply more tension. It will not come out under normal running conditions.

Mark

Hi Luca!
I appreciate following your build - it's very good looking. Special thanks for the tip regarding recessing the square bolts in the rear deck. Does wonders for the looks! I'm also impressed by your painting skills - wow! And speed. I actually thought I would catch up, considering the time I spend with mine, but you're totally leaving me behind. And it is competition, isn't it?

My only suggestion for change would be to remove the close defense weapon/Nahverteidigungswaffe on the turret roof. It wasn't introduced until March '44, after the steel wheels. Unless you're doing some special variant. I understand they did some testing.

Looking forward to the next part!

Cheers,
/Chris

Hi Chris
If this Tiger was mine i would not be at this stage, many things has been neglected, but Demis is eager to have his tank and we try to find a right compromise.
Keep your rhythm you are going very well

Cheers

Luca