Panzer VI Tiger

Panzer VI Tiger — a brick kit without gluing (COBI)

A model of the German heavy tank Panzer VI Tiger from the Polish brand COBI. It is not a classic plastic kit: the model comes about by putting together shaped plastic bricks and parts, which fit into one another with a snap joint. You need neither glue, putty nor paints and they are not in the package — the parts are made of colored plastic. The procedure is led by illustrated instructions divided into steps.

The real subject

The Panzer VI Tiger was a German heavy tank of the Second World War, introduced into production from 1942. Its typical features are the angular welded hull and turret with a long 8.8 cm cannon, wide tracks and an interleaved arrangement of road wheels. The high combat weight of the machine made demands on the running gear, on fuel consumption and on transport by rail, where the tracks had to be changed for narrower ones.

Building and display tips

Sort the parts before building according to the steps in the instructions. With bricks of the same shape but a different shade, compare the color against the picture — a mix-up only shows up several steps further on. Press the joints home at a right angle, so that the edges seat flush; on the fenders and the track carriers the model otherwise twists slightly. The finished tank is solid enough to be handled, but lift it by the hull, not by the barrel. A flat shelf is enough for display, and the model is neither painted nor protected with a clear coat.

Who the kit is for

• For anyone interested in military hardware who does not want to glue, sand or spray.
• As a gift — no modeling equipment is needed for the build.
• For collectors of the line of military models from bricks.
• For building together with children under the supervision of an adult.

The kit is supplied unassembled. The parts are from colored plastic, and glue and paints are not needed and are not included in the package.