In Box Review of CMK 1/35TH Scale
Bergepanzer Tiger I
Kit no. T35001
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1996
Available at two locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1996
Available at two locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Tiger I was a German heavy tank of World War II that operated beginning in 1942 in Africa and in the Soviet Union, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. It gave the German Army its first armoured fighting vehicle that mounted the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favor of the Tiger II.
While the Tiger I has been called an outstanding design for its time, it has also been called over-engineered, using expensive materials and labour-intensive production methods. In the early period, the Tiger was prone to certain types of track failures and breakdowns.
It was expensive to maintain, but generally mechanically reliable. It was difficult to transport and vulnerable to immobilization when mud, ice, and snow froze between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk-pattern road wheels, often jamming them solid. This was a problem on the Eastern Front in the muddy rasputitsa season and during periods of extreme cold.
The tank was given its nickname "Tiger" by Ferdinand Porsche, and the Roman numeral was added after the Tiger II entered production. The initial designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H (literally "armoured combat vehicle VI version H", abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. H) where 'H' denoted Henschel as the designer/manufacturer.
It was classified with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 182. The tank was later re-designated as PzKpfw VI Ausf. E in March 1943, with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 181.Today, only nine Tiger I tanks survive in museums and private collections worldwide. As of 2021, Tiger 131 (captured during the North African Campaign) at the UK's Tank Museum is the only example restored to running order.
Henschel & Sohn began the development of a large tank design in January 1937 when the Waffenamt requested Henschel to develop a Durchbruchswagen ("breakthrough vehicle") in the 30–33 tonne range. Only one prototype hull was ever built, and it was never fitted with a turret. The Durchbruchswagen, Its general shape and suspension resembled the Panzer III, while the turret resembled the early Panzer IV C turret with the short-barrelled 7.5 cm L/24 cannon.
Before Durchbruchswagen I was completed, a request was issued for a heavier 30-tonne class vehicle with thicker armour, the Durchbruchswagen II, which would have had 50 mm (2 in) of frontal armour and mounted a Panzer IV turret with a short-barrelled (24 calibres long) 7.5 cm KwK 37 gun. The overall weight would have been 36 tonnes. Only one hull was built, and no turret was fitted.
Further development of the Durchbruchswagen was dropped in 1938 in favour of the larger and better-armoured VK 30.01 (H) and VK 36.01 (H) designs.[e] Both the Durchbruchswagen I and II prototype hulls were used as test vehicles until 1941.
Variants:
Among other variants of the Tiger was a tank recovery version of the Porsche Tiger I (Bergetiger) was issued to the 654th Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion., which was A BergeTiger recovery vehicle. As many as three may have been built. It carried a small crane on the turret in place of the main gun. It was to move up to a minefield and retrieve damaged tanks.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR Pz.Kpfw. Tiger I
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1942–1945
Wars: World War II
Designer: Erwin Aders, Henschel & Son
Designed: 1938–1941
Manufacturer: Henschel
Unit cost: 250,700 Reichsmarks
Produced: 1942–1944
No. built: 1,347
Specifications: (RfRuK VK 4501H Ausf.E, Blatt: G-330)
Mass: 54 tonnes (60 short tons), 57 tonnes (63 short tons) (Ausf. E) (Combat weight)
Length: 6.316 m (20 ft 8.7 in), 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in) gun forward
Width: 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator)
Armour: 25–120 mm (0.98–4.72 in)
Main armament: 1× 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56, with 92 AP and HE rounds
Secondary armament: 2× 7.92 mm MG34 with 4,500 rounds, 4,800 rounds (Ausf. E)
Engine: Maybach HL230 P45 V-12 petrol engine of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 13 PS (9.5 kW) / tonne
Transmission: Maybach Olvar Type OG 40 12 16 (8 forward and 4 reverse)
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground clearance: 0.47 m (1 ft 7 in)
Fuel capacity: 540 liters
Operational range: Road: 195 km (121 mi), Cross country: 110 km (68 mi)
Maximum speed: 45.4 km/h (28.2 mph) on roads, 20–25 km/h
The Tiger I was a German heavy tank of World War II that operated beginning in 1942 in Africa and in the Soviet Union, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. It gave the German Army its first armoured fighting vehicle that mounted the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favor of the Tiger II.
While the Tiger I has been called an outstanding design for its time, it has also been called over-engineered, using expensive materials and labour-intensive production methods. In the early period, the Tiger was prone to certain types of track failures and breakdowns.
It was expensive to maintain, but generally mechanically reliable. It was difficult to transport and vulnerable to immobilization when mud, ice, and snow froze between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk-pattern road wheels, often jamming them solid. This was a problem on the Eastern Front in the muddy rasputitsa season and during periods of extreme cold.
The tank was given its nickname "Tiger" by Ferdinand Porsche, and the Roman numeral was added after the Tiger II entered production. The initial designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H (literally "armoured combat vehicle VI version H", abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. H) where 'H' denoted Henschel as the designer/manufacturer.
It was classified with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 182. The tank was later re-designated as PzKpfw VI Ausf. E in March 1943, with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 181.Today, only nine Tiger I tanks survive in museums and private collections worldwide. As of 2021, Tiger 131 (captured during the North African Campaign) at the UK's Tank Museum is the only example restored to running order.
Henschel & Sohn began the development of a large tank design in January 1937 when the Waffenamt requested Henschel to develop a Durchbruchswagen ("breakthrough vehicle") in the 30–33 tonne range. Only one prototype hull was ever built, and it was never fitted with a turret. The Durchbruchswagen, Its general shape and suspension resembled the Panzer III, while the turret resembled the early Panzer IV C turret with the short-barrelled 7.5 cm L/24 cannon.
Before Durchbruchswagen I was completed, a request was issued for a heavier 30-tonne class vehicle with thicker armour, the Durchbruchswagen II, which would have had 50 mm (2 in) of frontal armour and mounted a Panzer IV turret with a short-barrelled (24 calibres long) 7.5 cm KwK 37 gun. The overall weight would have been 36 tonnes. Only one hull was built, and no turret was fitted.
Further development of the Durchbruchswagen was dropped in 1938 in favour of the larger and better-armoured VK 30.01 (H) and VK 36.01 (H) designs.[e] Both the Durchbruchswagen I and II prototype hulls were used as test vehicles until 1941.
Variants:
Among other variants of the Tiger was a tank recovery version of the Porsche Tiger I (Bergetiger) was issued to the 654th Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion., which was A BergeTiger recovery vehicle. As many as three may have been built. It carried a small crane on the turret in place of the main gun. It was to move up to a minefield and retrieve damaged tanks.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR Pz.Kpfw. Tiger I
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1942–1945
Wars: World War II
Designer: Erwin Aders, Henschel & Son
Designed: 1938–1941
Manufacturer: Henschel
Unit cost: 250,700 Reichsmarks
Produced: 1942–1944
No. built: 1,347
Specifications: (RfRuK VK 4501H Ausf.E, Blatt: G-330)
Mass: 54 tonnes (60 short tons), 57 tonnes (63 short tons) (Ausf. E) (Combat weight)
Length: 6.316 m (20 ft 8.7 in), 8.45 m (27 ft 9 in) gun forward
Width: 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator)
Armour: 25–120 mm (0.98–4.72 in)
Main armament: 1× 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56, with 92 AP and HE rounds
Secondary armament: 2× 7.92 mm MG34 with 4,500 rounds, 4,800 rounds (Ausf. E)
Engine: Maybach HL230 P45 V-12 petrol engine of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 13 PS (9.5 kW) / tonne
Transmission: Maybach Olvar Type OG 40 12 16 (8 forward and 4 reverse)
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground clearance: 0.47 m (1 ft 7 in)
Fuel capacity: 540 liters
Operational range: Road: 195 km (121 mi), Cross country: 110 km (68 mi)
Maximum speed: 45.4 km/h (28.2 mph) on roads, 20–25 km/h
THE KIT:
CMK is an old prolific manufacturer of plastic model kits, based in Prague, Czech Republic. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a jam-packed, bulgy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. I am usually not fond of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. However, I like this particular box, because it has a slide-out cardboard tray inside that holds all the contents of the kit.
The box art shows a color illustration of a Bergepanzer Tiger I parked near a damaged stone bridge over a river by a small village across the river that has battle-damaged houses.
The Bergepanzer is overall dark-yellow, with a black and white German cross on the sides of the hull and a white division insignia on the right side of the front, that is for the 1st S,S, Panzer Div.,”Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler”.
It is using its hoist to retrieve a knocked-out German halftrack that I cannot identify its type, because not enough of it is illustrated. It is being pulled out by the hook on the hoist on its tow rings on its nose. It is in a wave pattern camouflage of dark-yellow and dark green.
A man is standing to the left of the half-track with a shovel in his right hand. He wears a field-grey uniform with a cloth side cap.
To right of the halftrack, there is another man directing the Bergepanzer with his right hand. He wears a black S.S. Panzer uniform with a cloth side cap
Three crewmen are aboard the Bergepanzer. One is looking out the front hull hatch. He wears the black S.S. uniform. Two men are standing on the rear deck and operating the hoist. Both wear light-grey shirts, dark-gray trousers and black side caps.
One side panel of the box says: Czech Master Kits. Features by CMK Ltd. Czech Republic, with cooperation by Tamiya Inc., Japan.
Next is three, one-paragraph histories of the Bergepanzer, in Czech, English and German, labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the 3 countries.
The kit is distributed by MPM Ltd. in Prague, Czech Republic.
CMK is an old prolific manufacturer of plastic model kits, based in Prague, Czech Republic. They make all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a jam-packed, bulgy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. I am usually not fond of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. However, I like this particular box, because it has a slide-out cardboard tray inside that holds all the contents of the kit.
The box art shows a color illustration of a Bergepanzer Tiger I parked near a damaged stone bridge over a river by a small village across the river that has battle-damaged houses.
The Bergepanzer is overall dark-yellow, with a black and white German cross on the sides of the hull and a white division insignia on the right side of the front, that is for the 1st S,S, Panzer Div.,”Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler”.
It is using its hoist to retrieve a knocked-out German halftrack that I cannot identify its type, because not enough of it is illustrated. It is being pulled out by the hook on the hoist on its tow rings on its nose. It is in a wave pattern camouflage of dark-yellow and dark green.
A man is standing to the left of the half-track with a shovel in his right hand. He wears a field-grey uniform with a cloth side cap.
To right of the halftrack, there is another man directing the Bergepanzer with his right hand. He wears a black S.S. Panzer uniform with a cloth side cap
Three crewmen are aboard the Bergepanzer. One is looking out the front hull hatch. He wears the black S.S. uniform. Two men are standing on the rear deck and operating the hoist. Both wear light-grey shirts, dark-gray trousers and black side caps.
One side panel of the box says: Czech Master Kits. Features by CMK Ltd. Czech Republic, with cooperation by Tamiya Inc., Japan.
Next is three, one-paragraph histories of the Bergepanzer, in Czech, English and German, labeled with color illustrations of the flags of the 3 countries.
The kit is distributed by MPM Ltd. in Prague, Czech Republic.
The other side panel says: Manufactured by CMK Ltd., Czech Republic, with cooperation of Tamiya Inc Japan. Followed by a repeat of the histories.CMK’s address in Prague, Czech Republic is repeated.
The bottom of the box shows 3 color illustrations of sections of the hoist system.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, a chalk-white tree, 2 runs of black vinyl tracks, the olive-drab hull tub and turret sides parts, 2 brass PE frets, aluminum gun barrel, two steel toothed gear wheels, a length of wire, steel rod and a length of black tubing for the Feifel air cleaners.
The fret, metal parts, tubing and wire are all fastened to a stiff white card. All are in 8 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 8 pages in 7 ½” x 10 1/3” page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing side-view of the Bergepanzer Tiger I, over the history of the tank in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 begins with a few, but not all of the illustrations of the parts trees in the kit. Bad move CMK ! Only the chalk-white tree, aluminum gun barrel, metal gears and PE frets are shown, None of the plastic dark-grey trees are illustrated.
Below are international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Tamiya and Humbrol brands of hobby paints, in the 3 languages.
Page 3 gives general assembly instructions for the kit in the 3 languages: An unassembled plastic model kit. Paint and glue not included. For modelers age 10 and over. Not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts.
Carefully read the instruction sheet before assembling. Each part is numbered. Consider succession of assembly steps. You will need a sharp knife, a pair of pliers, a file and a pair of tweezers. Paint small parts on the runner before removing. Cut out each decal, one by one and dip it in water for approximately 20 seconds. Slide decal from the paper at the proper position and and before dry prick out any air bubbles.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
Page 8 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 3-view of the Bergepanzer Tiger I that is to be painted dark-yellow in the box art scheme (already described above).
Trees are alphabetized and have tabs on them that say Tamiya and made in Japan. Contrary to what the side panels say who made them.
The parts in the kit make the kit a 2 in 1 type kit. The regular Pz.Kpfw. Tiger 1 can be built with the kit parts, as well as the Bergepanzer.
Dark-grey letter A is the two turret halves..
There is no letter B tree.
This kit holds 3 dark-grey parts trees, a chalk-white tree, 2 runs of black vinyl tracks, the olive-drab hull tub and turret sides parts, 2 brass PE frets, aluminum gun barrel, two steel toothed gear wheels, a length of wire, steel rod and a length of black tubing for the Feifel air cleaners.
The fret, metal parts, tubing and wire are all fastened to a stiff white card. All are in 8 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of an unbound booklet of 8 pages in 7 ½” x 10 1/3” page format.
Page 1 begins with a line-drawing side-view of the Bergepanzer Tiger I, over the history of the tank in Czech, English and German.
Page 2 begins with a few, but not all of the illustrations of the parts trees in the kit. Bad move CMK ! Only the chalk-white tree, aluminum gun barrel, metal gears and PE frets are shown, None of the plastic dark-grey trees are illustrated.
Below are international assembly symbol explanations and a paint color listing of Tamiya and Humbrol brands of hobby paints, in the 3 languages.
Page 3 gives general assembly instructions for the kit in the 3 languages: An unassembled plastic model kit. Paint and glue not included. For modelers age 10 and over. Not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts.
Carefully read the instruction sheet before assembling. Each part is numbered. Consider succession of assembly steps. You will need a sharp knife, a pair of pliers, a file and a pair of tweezers. Paint small parts on the runner before removing. Cut out each decal, one by one and dip it in water for approximately 20 seconds. Slide decal from the paper at the proper position and and before dry prick out any air bubbles.
The bottom of page 3 through to page 7 gives a grand total of 10 assembly steps.
Page 8 is a painting and marking guide. It shows a 3-view of the Bergepanzer Tiger I that is to be painted dark-yellow in the box art scheme (already described above).
Trees are alphabetized and have tabs on them that say Tamiya and made in Japan. Contrary to what the side panels say who made them.
The parts in the kit make the kit a 2 in 1 type kit. The regular Pz.Kpfw. Tiger 1 can be built with the kit parts, as well as the Bergepanzer.
Dark-grey letter A is the two turret halves..
There is no letter B tree.
Dark-grey letter C tree holds: road wheels, drive sprockets, idler wheels ,final transfer covers, axles, tow cables etc. (48 parts)
Dark-grey letter D tree holds: exhaust parts, shocks, main gun barrel, machine gun, fender parts, jack etc. (58 parts)
Dark-grey letter E tree holds: the hull top, turret top, rear hull wall, turret storage bin etc. (6 parts)
The 1 piece lower hull.
The tree of figures is not alphabetized. It holds 9 parts.
The chalk-white tree is not alphabetized either. It holds parts of an alternate turret, crane support, modified gun mantlet, etc. (21 parts).
Next are the vinyl tracks and the wheel axle covers. I believe the long strip on the vinyl D tree is for the motorization that the early Tamiya kits had.
The metal parts for the turret consist of the boom, geared wheel, etc. (6 parts).
There are two M photo etch trees of brass detail parts. The smaller one has the engine deck screens (4 parts).
The larger one has the parts for the hull fenders to replace the plastic ones, exhaust guards, hinges, etc. (67 parts).
The larger one has the parts for the hull fenders to replace the plastic ones, exhaust guards, hinges, etc. (67 parts).
Steel wire and string are included to rig the crane and for making the tow cables.
The decal complete the kit contents.
The detail is of the conversion parts for the Bergetiger I are very good but the base model is the older version of the Tiger I by Tamiya.
Recommended.
Recommended.