Ozzy Tiger1

[John Clarke]

I was laughing so much last night at an Australian Tiger 1 being put together on Youtube. 1 : 1
Reminiscent of Phils target practice model build from parts here there and everywhere.
Don't get me wrong, it's like Phils model, fantastic build. Quality exceptional.
Seven episode's of Tiger 1 tank in the workshop.
But BovingtonTank Workshop diaries it's not.
Just welding painting, welding, pressing and painting. Nothing else, no substance
What made me laugh so much was the bit where the chap welded a small piece of structure inside the tank that had a chassis number on it. Instantaneously the tank became that tank and all its history.
A proper cut and shut job.
Then to cap it all, they finished with
"Next year it will be a running tank." Yeah right! We'll I was rolling. Next year I'll be a millionaire lovely jubbly.
The hull was empty. Pushing it into the exhibition hall
Just a way of fooling the public that they'd have a running Tiger1 soon or sometime soon. Maybe sooner than you think. Soon
Worth a look if you're a bit bored.

[Manny Leung]

All they need now is two giant electric motors, a sound and smoke module from Armortek and hey presto!

Actually I quite like it in some way but Tiger131 it's not.

[Robert E Morey]

They plan to make it running at some point but with modern engine and gearbox. A little disappointing it's not a proper restoration but original parts (original running gear in working order) are impossible to get. They are building a Jagdpanther like this as well.

I'd rather see a full restore video on the Bruce Crompton Panther A they recently acquired. That's a full runner, and looks to be mint condition.

All in all the "Oz-armor" vids are decent entertainment - but certainly a let down on the "restoration" end.
B

[John Clarke]

The Ozzy Tiger is a very commendable re build, why shouldn't the southern hemisphere have their very own Tiger 1. But I felt I was being stitched up like the fighting vehicle as they tried to tag history to this jigsaw tank.
It reminds me of the barn finds you hear now and then. "The lost ferrari " with just the remnants of a chassis number on an unusable corroded chassis, hardware long gone. Then it has several million and several years of "restoration" placed on it, appearing as a unique historical artifact with history.
Who says money can't buy you happiness..
I'd like to see a E100 rebuild fitted with the proper Maus like turret, not the fictions one made up by the "what if" brigade.

[AlastairCooke]

Regardless of the merits of 'patching' and replacement of parts with new fabrications, the video series does provide some unique close-up shots for those into super-detailing.

Thanks,
Alastair

[John Clarke]

Totally agree Alistair, the little bits describing some outside detail parts, mud guard latches etc was interesting. But unlike the Bruce Crompton Panther or Bovington131 full restorations, this is a merky shell that has finished as a very good static exhibit.

It certainly may explain why Bruce got so excited when he came across piles of panzer bits on his travels in his Combat Dealers series. Certainly nothing wrong with salvaging these bits and building lots more exhibits for all to see.

I just think the producers of this mini series should be a little more "up front" like the Ferdinand restoration paint job in the USA. The camera rarely moved inside the Tiger 1 which would have displayed the actual condition to the viewer.
There was a comment about the "Fury" Stunt double 131 Tiger in the exhibit hall, did the hunky 131 need a stunt double?
Oh the shattered illusion.