Das Reich Tiger Kharkov

[TRM]

Hey David!

Nice job so far on the Tig!! Keep it going!! I love to weather S**T out of stuff....you may not.........OK ....nope sky didn't fall yet ;D So we are all good!! Still watching because I enjoy all modeling!!

As for the AK worn effects....a very nice addition to the overall tool box!! Can't go wrong!! And you will love it!!

I would say, pick up one bottle of let's say streaking grime and give it a shot....for the 6 bucks (less shipping) give it a shot....I use just this for pin washes, filters and for surface streaking. Yes I can and have made this all myself before...but, this is exactly the same every time I open it....now....next week....next year!! Run out, the next bottle is the same. I would argue the fact that I could make the batches the same time after time. This works just like oils but dries soooo much faster. It still allows you to have decent working time as well....put it on at night and if you can't get to working it, come back tomorrow and it can still be manipulated. Even if you are not into adding heavy weathering, this is one of the most essential tool I have added to the box in a while!!

Pretty much it from me!! Get building!!

Got some inspiration for you ........

All of the following photographs are for discussion purposes only:

Yeah the last one..... not a Big Tiggy or a Little Kitty but it is too cool not to post!!

OK, not as much inspiration as a feeble attempt to reel you in!! LOL...I agree with your style of modeling my friend....does not mean I will not try and lure you over to the Dark Side!!!

Keep Rockin' this build!!!

 

[JohnSimmons]

You've got me wanting to do another Tiger now T!! And has there been another smiley added! that Vader is awesome!

 

[spud]

ohh man that one with the engine being changed is a dio wanting to happen..

 

[scratchmod]

Thanks. I have not decided whether I should try the hairspray technique on this. DR Tigers, and particularly 821 in the pics I have, show a fresh clean coat of white wash.

Here is a pic of 822 to show what I mean.

http://www.worldwar2aces.com/tiger-tank/tiger-tank-images/tiger-tank-27.jpg

This image shows the tank in winter with the clean W/W. BUT, how did it looks say a month or two later ?? Another question, when, where and HOW was the W/W applied to this one tank ?? From my personal experience when I had to apply a w/w to my vehicle, it wore off fast in most areas. Also where it was applied thicker took longer to wear off, and also remove later.
If your doing this tank, like in the image, in the dead of winter, then yeah pretty clean. But if it's after some action and the winter thaw is in effect, then she will have worn w/w, dirt and mud over the lower section. The crew spent a lot of time ON the tank, so lots of wear would be visible.
Chipping, hell yes. I always had my guys go out every Monday (PPMS) and do maint. on their vehicles. This also included spot painting ALL rust spots. This was a Battalion order ( combat Eng.) and every company did this. Now that was in the Kasserne, in the field was something different. In the field we mainly only made sure things were lubed and functioned. In wartime I never took care of ANY rust, yes on a modern vehicle that is suppose to have the best paint, I made sure my vehicle was running good and was too busy looking out for mines.
So as in anything in this hobby,it is all personal preference in how we paint and display our models. Yes you can "try" to be 100% ( you will never be able to do that ) and be happy with it. The main thing is that you are at the bench, building models and hopefully having fun. I think if one gets too much into the accuracy and stresses over if something is right or wrong, then he or she is not enjoying the hobby. I have made more friends in the hobby who just enjoy the hobby and have fun, than the rivet counters.

So back to the w/w Tiger. Do it the way YOU want to and that is all that matters. looking forward to seeing how this turns out because I'm working on a Kursk Tiger.....the Acadamy kit...

Rob

 

[scratchmod]

To the worn effects. You don't have to use this or hairspray, there are other ways to chip small areas. I like to use a combination of a paint brush, sponge and maybe the HS tech. It's all up to you really.
Damn T, that PZIV with the extra baggage looks very cool. The second Tiger is from the 2st SS from Kursk, still has the markings, but later in early winter.

 

[TRM]

Hee hee...amazing how a couple picture get's some juices going!!!

Mj - LOL...Smiley not added....but show be!! Not that it would compliment you SW...umm...enthusiasts (sounds better) but he's got an orange Sabre....LOL!!!!

Spud...all yours brotha'!!! Way too many figs for me to go after....but I love how the shot panned out...guys both sides and the engine mid flight...little dog just sitting in the middle!! ;D

Rob, that last pic is just awesome!! LOL!!! See the frozen pig on the turret? LOL!!! Have to just love packing for a Road Trip!!!

 

[McKeever]

Actually, as it so happens, I picked up the winter grime, not for the Tiger so much, but for the Stug F8--pics of those do look beat up. That and a couple other things, including a DAK filter (because it is hard to match that browny yellow color).
Erik raised some interesting questions. I don't think the DR Tigers were in whitewash that long. They were delivered brand new in January, before kicing the chit out of Ivan in late February, deliverng Manstein's backhand blow, and repainted in March or April after Manstein's skillful withdraw before the Kursk salient.
Even pics of these Tigers in Dunkelgelb look compartively clean. The pics after Kursk of the surviving stragglers after Kursk into late Summer and Autumn show some Tigers beat to hell (which Erik has provded), but most of the pics around the time of the battle show less wear and tear.
Again I am referring to pics in the book Das Reich Tigers.
Incidentally, I am building this kit as a pair, the other one will be S21 in Dunkelgelb. A few years ago I built ths wth the old Tamiya kit. Looks ok, learned some thngs, but I feel it needs to be redone. For one thing, you have to use parts from the inital and fehrman kits because the engine hatch has the early, fearly configuration, found in the Intiial kit. There are some other parts needed from the intiial (including of course the wheels if you use the Fehrmann), so that was the cheapest way to go.
Which brings me to another point. I need a pair of the early air cleaners for this, from the Tamiya kits. A mentor sent me some, and I dutifully put the envelope in the stash closet, but I cant find it. And, I placed an order with Tamiya for some parts (including, the hull top of the Tamiya B kit to use with the dragon Stug III A kit, upgraded with wheels and tools and other parts from a scrapper f8 kit). Anyway, they had the tool box sprue, but not the air cleaner sprue. So if anyone has some, let me know. I will gladly pay postage and a nominal fee.

 

[scratchmod]

I think the Fehrmann kit has both types of air cleaners. I used them on my Kursk Tiger. That's the right way to go if you can't find the Dragon Early kit. Mix the Int. and the Fehrmann kits. The Fehrmann gives you a ton of extras, been using them on my Acadamy crap kit.

 

[McKeever]

Sadly it does not. It includes some of the hoses-maybe the later cleaners, but not the early ones.