1:48 Pz.Kpfw.VI, ausf.B King Tiger "Porsche Turret" (TAMIYA)

The real subject

The Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B, known as the King Tiger or Königstiger, was a German heavy tank of the end of the Second World War. It carried an 8.8 cm gun 71 calibers long and frontal armor sloped at a large angle. The early machines had a turret with a rounded front wall, known under the designation Porsche; the later form had a flat front wall. The set is tuned to exactly that early form.

What the photo-etched set offers

The set is intended for the Tamiya kit in 1:48 scale. The photo-etched parts of thin sheet replace items that on the real tank were made of sheet and that in plastic necessarily come out thicker than the scale calls for. It shows most on the edges and in the outline against the light. The extent of the set and the fitting sequence is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building tips

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface; scissors will bend the metal. Bend in a bender or between two blades, in one movement. It is bonded with super glue in drops on the tip of a pin; cement for plastic has no effect on metal. The metal takes further shaping, and a bent edge will give the vehicle the look of a machine in the field. Degrease the parts before painting and spray them with a base coat.

Who it is for

For modelers who build the King Tiger with the early turret in 1:48 scale and want to take the model beyond the level of the parts from the kit. Working with photo-etch calls for tweezers, a sharp blade and a calm hand, but on a finished vehicle it shows more than most other modifications. Whether the parts fit a particular release of the kit should be checked in the instructions of the set. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.