Here I go again! (tamiya early tiger build)
 

Having been made an offer I couldn't refuse for the previous early tiger I had just completed I have managed to snaffle a bargain tamiya tiger off eBay, £170 with battery's, 6ch tx/rx and chargers. It was described as being 10 years old so I was expecting the old tus. However I was pleasantly surprised by the modern ones that it actually came with.


Some small tinkering was required, the fella couldn't get the recoil working (I suspecet because of the digital trims on the tx) and when I got it going the recoil was very sticky which can break the mfu. Some bending and grinding was required but it's all working.


I also looks like its sitting down very slightly on its suspension so I might replace the torsion bars with the new ones I got with the previous tiger I built.


Pictures and a vid to follow!

Well I have broken my newly imposed golden rule of not having more than one build on the go (I guess this build predates that rule!!). Any way I have decided this tiger is going to become a tunisia initial tiger; inspired by some of the recent builds.


To this end I have ordered the tamiya K sprue from axles, in addition I will be using some of the photo etch from the voyger set, new schumo headlights, aber 2m ariel etc.


Heres some pictures of the destruction to date; removed the mantlet, existing headlights (these will be relocated as per the field modifications). I've removed the original air filters and the exhaust covers.


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps7fd8c6cc.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps03a988da.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psf474a79c.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psf56f22b1.jpg


Something I need to locate is checker plate to make the early pattern front fenders. If anyone knows where I can get this let me know!

Some more progress today, assembled the hatches; k sprue detail is very nice!! Also finally used my high detail schumo 2m ariel and base. I've also assembled the air filters and cleaned up the rear plate. I've got to research further if these tigers had the mounts for the s mine launchers.


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psd0f618b3.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps8337809e.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps95f6be65.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps60d244fe.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps26cb5eb6.jpg

My idea of not super detailing has gone out the window pretty quickly. This evening I added some extra detail on the air filters, bolts etc and attached to the hoses. I've fixed the loaders hatch, added the early mantlet, cut down the front mud guards ready for the early checker plate ones and finally relocated the frot headlight per 505th modification. Scatched the frames out of brass and soldered together:


Air filters and bolt detail
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps87ecf157.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps304367d8.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psc45eb573.jpg


Mantlet:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psf80e2676.jpg


Headlights:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps82d2d1b9.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psd04c3a10.jpg

Done some more work today, built the photo etch tow cable holders and relocated them as per the 501st field modifications. Deleted the escape hatc, will be adding an additional pistol port. Other jobs have been adding battered fenders and removing the front fenders. PE parts have all been soldered together:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps0a6bc6ca.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps67d413e2.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psa2d7b126.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psb7cb78cd.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps082069f3.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psdf035e84.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps53eaba3f.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...pseef8eddd.jpg

Another beauty in the works. :cool:

"S" mine launchers for sure on the turret. See the photos of DAK Tigers I's Attached. Great looking work so far!!!

Hey Maus, she will be getting the smoke launchers on the turret (unfortunately I seem to have lost one so have had to order more). However the really early tigers didn't have s-mine launchers (those on the hull) so I've deleted them and the mounts.

Thanks for the pictures some nice references and a couple showing I can get away with using mud when I weather!!

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps87ecf157.jpg

i was going to say i don't remember that much detail ...lol this is going to be nice , Great job !

Cheers airbrushler! I've been seizing the photo etch! It takes forever but looks nice and because I'm soldering hopefully fairly robust!

Today I've done the rear reflector and been doing the 20T jack. With the voyger PE you have to scratch quite a lot of the jack . I tried to use the hl jack but the main body was the wrong size do I used styrene:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps99a2423a.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psc06d9b23.jpg


First of the mounts:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psf9b089c9.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps2b704508.jpg


With the jack:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps85592d82.jpg


Made a start on the jack block:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps5da066d0.jpg


Unfortunately the styrene supplied is too thick to make the latches so the rest will have to wait till my brass wire arrives.

The jack and mounts finished:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps42031cb4.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps57b85c02.jpg

I've decided to depict my tiger as "Norbert" from the 501st panzer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00D...986871_TE_item

Have you seen that Aber are releasing a 1/16 Initial Tiger set with the correct fenders / mud-guards / exhaust guards.

That makes me VERY excited! Is this for the Tunisian tigers? Do you have a link?

Yes, mud would be appropriate as in Tunisia they did get rain! I was wondering if you meant the hull mounted "S" mine launchers mounted on the upper deck of the hull. I will check some more photos.

Yes me too!

There were some photos buried in this forum post about new Mato tanks earlier this year... scan down about half way.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-t...germany-2.html

Hey Maus, yeah it was the hill mounted launchers I've deleted.

Von Marshall, regarde:

http://www.aber.net.pl/index.html

SO FREAKING EXCITED about this one! Apparently out this month. Also they're doing tow cables! (exciting because schumo have discontinued theirs).

I did a bit more when I got home from work, small tow cable and holders, easy right? Not if your me and snap on of the collars :( Tried soldering back together but gave it up as lost and made my own. Aside from that went together nicely, had to drill out the eyelets but no bigy. However because I'm a massive clod I made a fatal mistake. 10 points if you can guess it!


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps01d67b23.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps6243985c.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps24684b41.jpg

Cut the wire cable to short and you were unable to loop it over the holders correctly?

Worse; I put the whole lot of the wrong side :/ I couldn't find any references for it on the wrong side so had to remove it and put it on the other side.

My brass wire/rod came today (oh what a boon!) along with some parts from welsh dragon. Norbert gets schumo tow shackles, new smoke launchers, PE grills and an S hook for the tow ropes. I also ordered a new set of headlights as I'd slightly melted the last set :S


The wire allowed me to complete the jack block clamping mechanism (fully functional) and the fire
extinguisher. I also started wiring up the headlights!


Yes the flap is fully working!!


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps54cdd50e.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psfd110326.jpg


In situ:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps227d966c.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psdf334ad4.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psb254b553.jpg


The jack block holder, catch fully working :D


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psbdd14c10.jpg


And the rest:


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps058eea4a.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps10441523.jpg


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps2e1f06c1.jpg

Oh I almost forgot I added the second pistol port:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...psba98792c.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ps97cc04af.jpg

Nice work there Tom! :)





Jeff