In Box Review of Dragon 1/35th Scale
German “King Tiger” Late Production
W/New Pattern Track, Ardennes 1944
Kit no. 6232
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2004
I paid $31.68 for this kit, at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available at 4 locations over-seas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2004
I paid $31.68 for this kit, at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Available at 4 locations over-seas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Tiger II is a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,[notes 1] often shortened to Tiger B. The ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 182. (Sd.Kfz. 267 and 268 for command vehicles). It was known as King Tiger or Royal Tiger by Allied soldiers, and is also known under the informal name Königstiger (the German name for the Bengal tiger which translates literally as King Tiger).
The Tiger II was the successor to the Tiger I, combining the latter's thick armour with the armour sloping used on the Panther medium tank. The tank weighed almost 70 tonnes, and was protected by 100 to 185 mm (3.9 to 7.3 in) of armour to the front. It was armed with the long barrelled 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 anti-tank cannon. The chassis was also the basis for the Jagdtiger turretless Jagdpanzer anti-tank vehicle.
The Tiger II was issued to heavy tank battalions of the Army and the Waffen-SS. It was first used in combat by 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion during the Allied invasion of Normandy on 11 July 1944; on the Eastern Front, the first unit to be outfitted with the Tiger II was the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion, which by 1 September 1944 listed 25 Tiger IIs operational.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944–1945
Wars: World War II
Designer: Henschel & Son / Krupp (turret)
Designed: 1943
Manufacturer: Henschel & Son / Krupp (turret)
Unit cost: 321,500 ℛℳ ($160,750 USD) in 1944–45
Produced: 1944–45
No. built: 492
Mass: 68.5 tonnes (67.4 long tons; 75.5 short tons) early turret, 69.8 tonnes (68.7 long tons; 76.9 short tons) production turret
Length: 7.38 m (24 ft 3 in) hull, 10.286 m (33 ft 9.0 in) with gun forward)
Width: 3.755 m (12 ft 3.8 in)
Height: 3.09 m (10 ft 2 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver)
Armour: 25–185 mm (0.98–7.28 in)
Main armament: 1× 8.8 cm KwK 43, Early Krupp design turret: 80 rounds,
Production turret: 86 rounds
Secondary armament: 2× 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns with 5,850 rounds
Engine: V-12 Maybach HL 230 P30 gasoline of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 10 PS (7.5 kW) /tonne (9.89 hp/tonne)
Transmission: Maybach OLVAR OG 40 12 16 B (8 forward and 4 reverse)
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground clearance: 495 to 510 mm (19.5 to 20.1 in)
Fuel capacity: 860 litres (190 imp gal)
Operational range: Road: 190 km (120 mi), Cross country: 120 km (75 mi)
Maximum speed: Maximum, road: 41.5 km/h (25.8 mph), Sustained, road: 38 km/h (24 mph), Cross country: 15 to 20 km/h (9.3 to 12.4 mph)
The Tiger II is a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,[notes 1] often shortened to Tiger B. The ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 182. (Sd.Kfz. 267 and 268 for command vehicles). It was known as King Tiger or Royal Tiger by Allied soldiers, and is also known under the informal name Königstiger (the German name for the Bengal tiger which translates literally as King Tiger).
The Tiger II was the successor to the Tiger I, combining the latter's thick armour with the armour sloping used on the Panther medium tank. The tank weighed almost 70 tonnes, and was protected by 100 to 185 mm (3.9 to 7.3 in) of armour to the front. It was armed with the long barrelled 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 anti-tank cannon. The chassis was also the basis for the Jagdtiger turretless Jagdpanzer anti-tank vehicle.
The Tiger II was issued to heavy tank battalions of the Army and the Waffen-SS. It was first used in combat by 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion during the Allied invasion of Normandy on 11 July 1944; on the Eastern Front, the first unit to be outfitted with the Tiger II was the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion, which by 1 September 1944 listed 25 Tiger IIs operational.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Nazi Germany
In service: 1944–1945
Wars: World War II
Designer: Henschel & Son / Krupp (turret)
Designed: 1943
Manufacturer: Henschel & Son / Krupp (turret)
Unit cost: 321,500 ℛℳ ($160,750 USD) in 1944–45
Produced: 1944–45
No. built: 492
Mass: 68.5 tonnes (67.4 long tons; 75.5 short tons) early turret, 69.8 tonnes (68.7 long tons; 76.9 short tons) production turret
Length: 7.38 m (24 ft 3 in) hull, 10.286 m (33 ft 9.0 in) with gun forward)
Width: 3.755 m (12 ft 3.8 in)
Height: 3.09 m (10 ft 2 in)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver)
Armour: 25–185 mm (0.98–7.28 in)
Main armament: 1× 8.8 cm KwK 43, Early Krupp design turret: 80 rounds,
Production turret: 86 rounds
Secondary armament: 2× 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns with 5,850 rounds
Engine: V-12 Maybach HL 230 P30 gasoline of 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)
Power/weight: 10 PS (7.5 kW) /tonne (9.89 hp/tonne)
Transmission: Maybach OLVAR OG 40 12 16 B (8 forward and 4 reverse)
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground clearance: 495 to 510 mm (19.5 to 20.1 in)
Fuel capacity: 860 litres (190 imp gal)
Operational range: Road: 190 km (120 mi), Cross country: 120 km (75 mi)
Maximum speed: Maximum, road: 41.5 km/h (25.8 mph), Sustained, road: 38 km/h (24 mph), Cross country: 15 to 20 km/h (9.3 to 12.4 mph)
THE KIT:
Dragon (sometimes called DML) is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Kingtiger on snow-covered road through a woods. The tank is in a camouflage scheme of a base of sand yellow with wide bands of green. It has a black turret number, outlined in white, with a small German cross, also outlined in white, of 1 + 09. The commander of the tank is standing in the catch above the turret. He is dressed in a black shirt and field cap with a bill and a rubberized jacket. He wears earphones and has his left arm raised. There is one German infantryman walking at the sides of the tank. Both are in field-grey uniforms with steel helmets and pants bloused into low shoes. One is armed with a sub-machine-gun. The weapon the other man is armed with is not visible.
One corner of the box art says: Unassembled model kit. The kit contains 601 parts for modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains a model of one tank and 4 figures.
One side panel of the box shows color illustrations of features in the kit: the decal sheet, 2 brass PE frets, steel main gun barrel, brass ammo rounds, the 4 figures and a length of cable. These are followed by a CAUTION, that says: when you use paint or cement do not be near an open flame and when you do use them, be in a well ventilated room, in 6 languages, including English. Kit is for modelers age 10 and over and not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. In multiple languages, including English.
Copyright of the kit is 2004, over Dragon’s street and web addresses in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
Dragon (sometimes called DML) is an old prolific model company based in Hong Kong, China. They manufacture all manner of plastic model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Kingtiger on snow-covered road through a woods. The tank is in a camouflage scheme of a base of sand yellow with wide bands of green. It has a black turret number, outlined in white, with a small German cross, also outlined in white, of 1 + 09. The commander of the tank is standing in the catch above the turret. He is dressed in a black shirt and field cap with a bill and a rubberized jacket. He wears earphones and has his left arm raised. There is one German infantryman walking at the sides of the tank. Both are in field-grey uniforms with steel helmets and pants bloused into low shoes. One is armed with a sub-machine-gun. The weapon the other man is armed with is not visible.
One corner of the box art says: Unassembled model kit. The kit contains 601 parts for modelers aged 10 and over. Box contains a model of one tank and 4 figures.
One side panel of the box shows color illustrations of features in the kit: the decal sheet, 2 brass PE frets, steel main gun barrel, brass ammo rounds, the 4 figures and a length of cable. These are followed by a CAUTION, that says: when you use paint or cement do not be near an open flame and when you do use them, be in a well ventilated room, in 6 languages, including English. Kit is for modelers age 10 and over and not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. In multiple languages, including English.
Copyright of the kit is 2004, over Dragon’s street and web addresses in Hong Kong, China and the kit was made there.
The other side panel of the box shows 2 color photos of the model made up in the box art scheme, followed by black and white photos of the drive sprockets, wheels, 2 options for the gun shield and the KGS 73/152 track links.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 18 medium-grey parts trees, 2 brass PE fret, a turned -aluminum main gun barrel, brass ammo rounds and the decal sheet, in 14 clear sealed cello-gags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is accordion-folded ,to create 8 pages 8 ¼” x 14” page format, printed on slick coated paper.
Page 1 begins with a repeat, in color, of the box art, over the parts -trees illustrations. Some parts are shown shaded out in tan. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing of GSI and Model Master brands of hobby pains, in 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page through to page 7 gives a grand total of 22 assembly steps for the tank and the 23rd step is for assembling and painting the 4 figures. Parts of the tank in the assembly steps for it and the 4 figures are all done in color. The parts in light-tan and 3 of the figures in tan and green camouflaged- uniforms and the 4th figure in a Panzer-grey overcoat. All 4 with steel helmets.
Page 8 is a painting and marking guide for the tank that shows a color 5-view of it in the box art scheme (already described above). Also an illustration of one of the brass ammo rounds, saying to paint the nose black.
The bottom of the page has decal application instructions on it in 6 languages, including English, over Dragon’s European office address in Austria, and a repeat of the kit’s copyright date of 2004.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are 2 identical Medium-grey letter A trees. They hold: drive sprockets, road and idler wheels etc. (16 parts ea.) 11 parts are shaded out as being excess.
The kit holds 18 medium-grey parts trees, 2 brass PE fret, a turned -aluminum main gun barrel, brass ammo rounds and the decal sheet, in 14 clear sealed cello-gags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is accordion-folded ,to create 8 pages 8 ¼” x 14” page format, printed on slick coated paper.
Page 1 begins with a repeat, in color, of the box art, over the parts -trees illustrations. Some parts are shown shaded out in tan. Meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model.
Page 2 begins with CAUTIONS about the kit, over international assembly symbol explanations and a suggested paint color listing of GSI and Model Master brands of hobby pains, in 6 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page through to page 7 gives a grand total of 22 assembly steps for the tank and the 23rd step is for assembling and painting the 4 figures. Parts of the tank in the assembly steps for it and the 4 figures are all done in color. The parts in light-tan and 3 of the figures in tan and green camouflaged- uniforms and the 4th figure in a Panzer-grey overcoat. All 4 with steel helmets.
Page 8 is a painting and marking guide for the tank that shows a color 5-view of it in the box art scheme (already described above). Also an illustration of one of the brass ammo rounds, saying to paint the nose black.
The bottom of the page has decal application instructions on it in 6 languages, including English, over Dragon’s European office address in Austria, and a repeat of the kit’s copyright date of 2004.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are 2 identical Medium-grey letter A trees. They hold: drive sprockets, road and idler wheels etc. (16 parts ea.) 11 parts are shaded out as being excess.
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter B trees, that are co-joined to the letter A trees. They hold exhaust pipes etc. (49 part ea.) 28 parts are excess.
Medium-grey letter C tree holds: tools, doors etc. (34 parts) 10 parts are excess.
Medium-grey letter D tree holds: the top, rear wall, tow cable etc. (33 parts) 1 part is excess.
There is no letter E tree.
There is no letter E tree.
There are 3 identical medium-grey letter F trees. They hold individual track links (72 parts ea.)
There are 3 identical medium-grey letter G trees: The hold road wheels and axles (26 parts ea.)
Lettering jumps to medium-grey letter I. Which is the hull tub part (1 part)
Medium-grey letter K is fender parts (10 parts) Tree is co-joined to the medium-grey letter Z tree.
Lettering jumps to the medium-grey letter O tree. It holds the turret parts etc. (45 parts).
The gun mantlet.
Medium-grey letter P tree holds more drive sprockets (4 parts)
Letter jumps to letter S. It is a 42mm metallic cable wire.
Next is a medium-grey tree that is not alphabetized. It holds the parts for the 4 figures (62 parts)
Another small medium-grey tree that is also not alphabetized holds the figure’s weapons (9 parts) 7 parts are excess.
A third small medium-grey tree holds more weapons (11 parts) 9 parts are excess.
Letter MA brass PE fret holds 16 parts.
Letter MB is the turned aluminum main gun barrel and brass ammo rounds (4 parts)
Letter MC is a second brass PE fret. It holds 3 percussion-caps for the ends of the ammo rounds.
The length of wire and the decal sheet complete the kits' contents.
The detail is great.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.