Scale: 1 / 35
The kit's background
The Tiger named "TIKI" is well known because it was used in an award ceremony in April 1943. General Kruger, making a speech to the assembled troops, stood upon this Tiger and it was photographed several times.
But TIKI already had a history. It was one of the first nine Tigers issued to the "Das Reich" division of the Waffen SS. In early February 1943 they were deployed to Kharkiv. The Germans retreated from the city and then took it back a month later; TIKI was in these battles. At this time the tank was whitewashed and not yet named.
In the summer after the award ceremony, TIKI and the "Das Reich" division were in Operation Citadel (the Battle of Kursk). TIKI had been renumbered twice, but still bore its name.
This kit is designed to build TIKI in any of the four different markings that it carried. Changes to the tank, such as the addition of spare tracks, are offered as options in the kit. The mantlet at the front of TIKI's turret has an unusual shape that no other Tiger kit manufacturer has ever rendered. The stowage bin on the turret has a shape specific to the Das Reich division and again this kit breaks new ground by rendering it correctly.
My ongoing review and comments;
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| Converting 6885 to Lt. Meyer's Tiger |