1:48 Tiger I Early Production Tracks Set

The real subject

The Tiger I is among the best-known German tanks of the Second World War, and its running gear is one of the key places for a modeler. The road wheels are interleaved, they overlap one another and the upper run of the track lies directly on them, because the vehicle has no return rollers. The Tiger I also used two sets of tracks: wide combat ones and narrower transport ones, onto which it was changed before loading onto a railway car. That is why the track has a great influence on how a vehicle looks on a finished model.

What the set offers

A set of tracks in 1:48 scale matching the early production form. It replaces the tracks supplied with a kit and suits places where the original parts do not fit, are damaged or lack the relief needed. The material, the number of parts and the way they are joined are given by the manufacturer in the instructions; go by those when assembling them too, because they differ between individual forms.

Building and painting tips

• Cut the excess material and production marks off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder down.
• Wash and degrease the parts before painting, or the paint will not hold on the surface.
• Try the tracks dry on the chassis before you glue or permanently join anything.
• Adjust the shape of the track on the model so that the upper run sits on the interleaved wheels.
• Create the metallic sheen on the contact surfaces at the very end, after the dust and soil have been applied.

Who it is for

The set is aimed at a modeler who cares about the running gear of a Tiger I and is not content with what was in the box. The extra work takes time, but the result is visible from every angle. The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.