15mm late-production Tiger 1

[Fitz]

Test printing on my elderly Mars Pro confirms that everything prints and assembles as expected, which is always a relief.

The STLs for this model can be purchased at
https://www.wargaming3d.com/product/mojobob_hoochyman_tiger_1_late_production_,
all proceeds going to fund my modelling/3d printing/roleplaying/wargaming hobbies.


After I'd finished off my Afrika Korps Tiger 1, I thought it might be handy to have some running gear for the later production vehicles, with the corrugated steel wheels. So I made some in 1:100 scale.



 The later production turrets changed a bit too, with a new low-profile commander's cupola like that used on the Panther and Tiger II. I don't know precisely when they first appeared, but I have seen a photograph of a Tiger with this turret in Tunisia, dated 1943. Anyway, I thought I'd better make one of those too. In fact, I made three, since I like to add crew figures where possible, as I think they add life and a sense of scale to the model.

I wouldn't be surprised if this cupola and those for the Panther and King Tiger all came off the same production line. Maybe not though; the Germans did seem to quite keen on bespoke re-engineering of elements for new vehicles.



And of course the hull of the beast changed as well, since the Feifel air cleaning system disappeared. So I had to make a new body as well. And now I have a whole new late-production Tiger 1 to print and paint and send into the Normandy bocage.

[Hu Rhu]

Great work.

[Fitz]

I've removed the smoke launchers, as apparently the later vehicles didn't use them.

[CapnJim]

Looks good.  Looking forward to seeing it painted.

[Fitz]

I've finished painting my 3d printed 1:100 (15mm) late production Tiger 1.

The airbrushing caused me to make some sweary noises — I'm getting a bit frustrated with Vallejo ModelAir, but it's pretty much all I have access to locally.



This would be a vehicle of 1944-45, the type of Tiger that would most likely be encountered during and after the Normandy landings, or during Bagration. Except that apparently those late vehicles didn't use the smoke launchers, so I've deleted them from the current version of the model.

The STLs are available at https://www.wargaming3d.com/product/mojobob_hoochyman_tiger_1_late_production_

[Norm]

Very nicely done.