King Tiger – Dragon 1/72
Well, normally I build planes, 1/72 scale. Sometimes I like to build tanks.
This is my 4th tank in 35 years of plane.
This is a kit Dragon (7361) of the King Tiger with the Henschel turret, around 1944.
Probably there is a big mistake. each of these tanks had the Zimmerit, but I built this one to improve my weathering technics.
What do you think about this?
7 additional images. Click to enlarge.
paul teixeira said on March 5, 2018
Never know that is 1/72! Great job.
Craig Abrahamson said on March 5, 2018
Well done indeed...love those Tiger tanks (especially this one).
Louis Gardner said on March 5, 2018
Hello Paolo,
Your King Tiger may not have had a zimmerit coating after all...
All of the King Tiger types that had the other Porsche style turret had the coating. The Porsche Tigers had a turret with a rounded area in front. They stopped production of these as it was soon discovered the front of the turret would often deflect incoming rounds into the top of the hull behind the driver / radio operator's compartments, or into the turret ring. Not good !
Here's a photo of the Porsche style turret on a King Tiger I am working on. You can see the rounded front portion of the turret. This one has the Zimmerit coating.
The Henschel type used the coating at first, but it was discontinued soon after a directive appeared telling the manufacturers to stop using the Zimmerit coating. I believe the directive came out around September of 1944, but the German Arms industry continued to produce different types of tanks at various facilities with a Zimmerit coating until sometime around January 1945, (if my memory serves me correctly).
So all types of German tanks built between September '44 and January '45 would have been hit or miss as far as the coating goes.
Here's a picture of a King Tiger (Henschel) I built a while ago. I didn't use Zimmerit on mine either.
Bottom line... Early King Tigers had it, later ones did not. Hope this helps...
Yours looks great... I never would have dreamed it was a 1/72 scale kit.
Well done Sir !
Paolo Ruffato said on March 6, 2018
Thanks for all these informations. The tracks of your King Tiger are so beautiful... it seems real metal...
Louis Gardner said on March 6, 2018
Thank you !
I replaced the kit tracks with a set of Friul tracks which are individual track links. They are made out of metal so the weight actually causes them to sag just like the real tanks did.
The Friul tracks are expensive but worth it because they look so realistic.
Terry Schuler said on March 5, 2018
Paolo, great looking King Tiger, I had to go back and make sure it was actually 1/72. wonderful paint work. Well done !
Paolo Ruffato said on March 6, 2018
Thanks!
Greg Kittinger said on March 6, 2018
Very nice, especially in that scale!
Robert Royes said on March 6, 2018
Nice 'little' beast of a tank, You've a great job in weathering.
Jeff Bailey said on March 6, 2018
Wonderful little Tiger II, Paolo. Your camo work is outstanding! That's a beautiful camo version and it's easy to see the quality of workmanship that you put into this model! It would be a great looking tank in ANY scale, but being so small it REALLY shows great craftsmanship!
Bravo with 2 thumbs up!
George Williams said on March 7, 2018
Excellent King Tiger, would make a great addition to the Year of the Cat group build...
Louis Gardner said on March 10, 2018
This would be a perfect addition to the Group Build ...
Paolo Ruffato said on March 11, 2018
very very happy to read every post...