ORIGINAL: dedmonwakin

Hope this helps. http://tiger1.info/EN/TurretTrackHolders.html

ORIGINAL: Jeff489

I've put some on. The track links are assembled into a track section with the pins already inserted, and the track link holders are spaced along the turret wall accordingly (five links on the left, two on the right). The top of the track holders is a claw that freely rests over the track. The pins (anchors) are attached to the turret wall, and act as a hook, fitting inside the lower track pin hole on each link. So, you've got to assemble a section of track, and mount it. That's how you know how to get your spacing right. It should look like a section of track hanging on the turret, and not five individual links.

My experience was with a Schumo track hanger kit, and Impact metal late Tiger 1 track links on a Tamiya Tiger 1. If yours are like Impact tracks, the pin heads are in the tracks bass ackwards (pin heads will be down, when they should be up). Also, you need to cut the track pins down to allow for the length of the track hanger. You don't want the pin to protrude out the top after mounting the track. Find a good picture of them installed on a real tank, and you'll see what I'm talking about, pin heads up. On the Impact tracks, the pins come stock inserted into blind holes, to fix, one must drill out each link to insert the pins in from above. Once there are holes on top, everything worked fine. It was some trial and error to get them located just right, but not too bad.

ORIGINAL: yellowshaker

I don't know if this helps you, but take a look.

Thanks, I think the ones from rccommand are the asiatam ones?,Iunderstand how they are supposed to be , but for my "claw" ones thereis a little pin sticking out, Iam guessing I will have to drill thelinks to mount everything properly, also when you say that the linksshould be connected like a section of track, how did they manage thatwith different spacing on the holders? http://tiger1.info/EN/TurretTrackHolders.html

ORIGINAL: Jeff489

Not sure who makes the Rccommand ones. As to the research material you quote regarding track spacing, do it how you like. The author's technique and method of spacing is different than my research showed. All the photos from war tanks I could find show the links tightly spaced together like a section of track. I didn't mean to imply they were connected, just very close together. The links aren't connected with the pin, but are right up against each other (nearly touching). Of course, maybe I just haven't seen all the pictures there are, so the spaced out tracks might be right too.

When I scratched my late tiger 1, I was pretty authentic...right up to the paint job (which I paint how I like). When I did mine, the treads mounted in the track holders were mimicked from an conglomeration of actual photos in books I have of war tanks. The pics were taken during the war. I've got the books to show it. That's the best I can do to be accurate as I certainly wasn't around back then. As to the web reference above, firstly, it appears to be someone else's research, and oddly enough references the same book I also used by Thomas Jentz (however the Jentz book showed the tightly spaced links). Lastly, the pics he's using look like a museum tank, and we all know those aren't always original to a war tank and should be verified accurate before using them as your exemplar.

I've got some pics around here. I'll see if I can find them and show you what I'm talking about.

Either way you go, you'll have a cool tank. Just make it your own, but have your own reason for however you do it.

ORIGINAL: Jeff489

No offense taken regarding the locations. I'm a bit thicker skinned than that.

As to rivet counters, you've got the right attitude. I was trying to convey that I feel a bit the same way. I do the best I can, and rivet counters be damned. Tanks just have to make you happy. You seem to have that idea too.Jaques Littlefield perhaps said it best, when discussing the zimmerit on his panther restoration at his last sponsored battleday with BAT, a rivet counter in the audience mentioned that the zimm was way too uniform (most was applied with whatever means was available, and it resulted in non-uniform application). Jaques response was profound. "I know its not period...but I don't care. I like it that way, and its my tank. I can do whatever I want with it."

Ern has a good idea on the template and has graciously offered to help. That would have saved me a few hours on mine. +1 to Ern for helping out here. Thanks Ern.