Tiger I Build #134 (Mark 1 Tank)

[rivetcounter]

3years ago I started to build my second Mark 1 tanks Tiger I, again another late model, as most will know these are mainly built from GRP with metal running gear, one thing I didn’t like about the tank was the upper body it lacked detail and I dint like the way the deck was removed so to cure all the things I didn’t like I set about building all the upper body from alloy with the front and side plates laminated to give scale thickness, the panels were cut using only hand tools, once this was cut to shape and attached the next job would be the engine deck, I had decided back then that I would use a 2 piece main and engine deck

[Reef12]

Great job so far there.

Should be a killer when done.

Cheers
Jeff

[Eddie Acosta]

Great beginning. Keep it up. Should be awesome.

[rivetcounter]

Thanks for the interest chaps; this Tiger was completed last year though there are a few parts that time permitting I will make.

Rear engine deck was built using a mix of Armourtek and scratch built parts
Most of the parts on the engine deck are Armourtek with the exception of the engine hatch this is all scratch built with the exception of the deck hook and hatch stops, I also machined away the standard fuel and water caps these were replaced with machined items with threads I was always going to have the feed for my smoke unit beneath one, the grill mesh is also Armourtek though modified with the smaller mesh beneath, all the vents were modified with the correct cut outs also on the centre rear panel you will see a green item again this was scratch built using milliput, the only reason I used milliput was I didn’t have the means to cut a square hole, all welds were added either then or at a later date and all holes for the square headed bolts were recessed as the real thing.









I used Armourtek again for the driver’s vision port and Kugelblend the MG34T barrel came from Armourpax

[rivetcounter]

Next job was the wheels and sprockets, first of the se was to machine the sprocket hub centres to represent the latter type Tiger as opposed to the earlier type




I didn’t like the road wheel centres and they were also under scale so I made a new set and included the locking tabs all these parts were scratch built




A quick job was to modify the Armoured wedge in front of the drivers visor and also machine the grooves below which the armoured wedge would sit in

Casting numbers were also added to the rear end and changed again at a later date



A few shots of the rear end with a resin HL230 engine placed in position

[egonzinc]

Wow!
Amazing build!
Does Armortek sell parts of their kits loose?
Looking forward to seeing this one to completion...

[rivetcounter]

Armourtek will sell you any parts they have in stock and are very helpfull

[Germanbilly1]

Very detailed build, can't wait to see it finished. I agree with you about Armourtek they helped me a lot on my Sd Kfz 7 build.
GB

[rivetcounter]

Thanks for the kind comments.

Next on the list were the front mudguards though with the correct hinges, these were made from steel with the correct sized rivets and spacing, silver soldering the hinges in place was quite a trick job bit well worth the effort, whilst at this I also made the retaining hooks








Wing nuts came from Schumo

[viaad]

Amazing craftsmanship!