Scale: 1 / 35
The kit
This kit represents an unusual prototype Panzer that was built in just a few examples. They were used mostly for crew training in Germany.
The kit has photo-etch grilles, a figure and some metal wire. Both flexible-band and working individual-link track sets are provided. There are working metal suspension springs.
Historical background
Two firms, Porsche and Henschel, vied to design Germany's first heavy tank. Porsche offered the Tiger (P), a large electrically-driven vehicle. It lost the competition.
But political connections already got Porsche an order for 100 vehicles. About 10 were fully completed, and the rest were converted to "Ferdinand" tank destroyers.
Meanwhile, Henschel's winning design urgently needed a turret. A version of Porsche's turret, with an added floor and hydraulic traverse, was designed for it.
The completed Tiger (P) stayed in Germany and were used for training. One of them was acquired by a "Ferdinand" unit to serve as their command vehicle.
This kit represents one of the completed Tiger (P). The first eight of them had turrets with segmented roofs and two pistol ports. The kit has those features, and states that it builds the 7th vehicle. It appears to be based primarily on drawings in the book "Panzer Tracts 6".
Markings in the kit
The instructions suggest two paint schemes, an all-grey version and a camouflaged one. The real tanks were apparently grey, so the first option is realistic. However, there were small identifying numbers on the turret sides which are not provided in this kit's decal sheet.
The camouflaged paint scheme is pure speculation. If these tanks had gone into series production, they would have had an improved version of the turret, which is not included in this kit.
My ongoing review and comments;
| Pistol port | Cupola arm | Travel lock |
| Notch in mantlet | Cupola position |
These are reviews or examinations of the kit;
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