6350 - Witmann's Tiger

6350: SdKfz 181 Tiger I Early Production – Michael Wittmann
1/35 injection plastic kit with multimedia accessories

The major tank battles at Kursk saw the largest deployment of Tigers in WWII and saw the Tigers of the Leibstandarte, achieve an impressive tally of Soviet armor. One of the platton commanders of the Leibstandarte was Michael Wittmann who was to establish his reputation in the German media and military history for the heavy toll his Tiger’s took on Soviet and British armour. This Cyber-hobby release is of the early production Tiger, Wittmann commanded during Operation Zitadelle the failed July 1943 Kursk offensive.

As expected this kit is based on Dragon’s earlier Tigers, and now like the latest Tiger (P) features the early production turret with the side escape hatch for the loader. The initial production Tiger I’s had a pistol port instead. This kit includes new Magic Tracks, many multi-media parts such as photo etch, metal tow cable and a metal barrel and the detail underneath the grills on the engine deck. The Cartograf decal sheet has markings for Wittmann’s Tiger turret number “1331”.

All up the features result in a hefty kit whose parts barely fits into the box. If all the kit’s features are taken advantage of this kit will represent a rewarding project, however the kit has the flexibility to allow the modeler to select their own level of challenge, such as by omitting internal detail and in most cases use plastic rather than PE parts.

Turret and Gun

The turret is an early production version and is based around the two shell halves, of which one has the side escape hatch and when joined have the correct asymmetrical shape. It is typical of the turrets fitted to Tigers built between March and July 1943. One spare part is the shell half with the pistol port as per the initial design.

Other turret features include an Early mantlet, a slide molded drum cupula with a one piece clear plastic part for the commander vision blocks, choice of closed or detailed open commanders hatches, internal detail on the loaders hatch such as the locking wheel and “C” shaped handles, and neatly rendered weld seams on the rim of the turret roof and the eight screw recesses are present. A clear plastic sprue contains the periscopes on a ring shaped part. The loader’s roof mounted periscope, which was added in March 1943 is included and requires the modeler to cut a hole for it.

The turret side vision ports are separate parts and should be fitted to the upper of the two guide recesses (i.e. they should sit above the round ends of the lifting lugs (tragzapfen)) and not on the lower recess as shown in step 16.

A basic partial turret interior is provided containing the gun breech, spent shell basket and two crew seats. With the thin turret sidewalls there is potential for modellers to add extra detail.

A choice of one piece turned metal or three-piece plastic barrel tube without a visible join since the plastic pieces are cylinders that have hidden butt joins. A spring is provided for those who wish to make the gun recoil. The three-piece plastic muzzle brake has one pair of flanges.

Hull

The lower hull is based on a one-piece tub which good belly detail, and there are a new rear hull plate and engine deck layout for the Early series. The visible face of the upper hull side armour are tooled using applique panels.

The upper hull has an S-mine launcher, while on the rear hull there is a toolbox with photo-etched brackets. The exhaust shrouds are injection plastic as are the Fiefel air filter canister and their tubing. On the hull front there are early style injection fenders, tow pintles and optional Bosch headlights with metal cables

Two sets of on-vehicle tools are provided of which one has the clamps molded on for easy of assembly and the other has no clamps and is intended to be used with the PE clamps. Two sets of tow cables are included. One set is all plastic with molded on brackets and the other is built from twisted metal and separate plastic cable ends etc.

The internal torsion bars can be made to work, thus providing an articulated suspension. Alternatively the bars can be omitted and the outer suspension arms fitted directly onto the hull. The road wheels are the dished pattern and the earlier larger idler is provided.

Engine Deck

The engine deck, like the Dragon Tigers, has considerable detail and the rear grilles can be positioned in the raised position to better display the interior detail. All visible parts below the four air vents such as the fuel tank, radiator, fans and ducting are included, some ducting and frames being made of PE. The hatch to the Maybach engine can be left open (but you will need to find your own aftermarket engine block). The PE mesh screen for the grilles are preformed with the edges curved downwards.

Tracks

Two types of tracks are included with this Tiger. The Magic Tracks are provided for the running gear without and as typical of the Early Tigers do not have chevrons on the outer face. These are injection plastic tracks, which come loose in a plastic bag and for a quick assembly can be assembled without clean up. The links snapped together with reasonable grip and a whole run can be assembled in minutes; before you apply glue to the assembled track run and fit them to the kit. The Magic Tracks have solid guide horns (a concession to production economics) rather than open guide horns and two superficial injection marks on the inner faces, which can be swiftly scraped off using a hobby knife fitted with a rounded blade if you wish.

The other type of tracks is two part injection plastic links that must be removed from the sprue. These links have a separate part for the open guide horns and no sink marks. They are intended to be the spare tracks on the front glacis and turret (where the limitations of the other tracks would have shown). They have chevrons on the outer face, but this is irrelevant as they were fitted face down or face inwards.

Multi-Media

A diverse and useful range of multi-media parts come with this Tiger including:

* 4 pre-formed screens for the engine deck grilles, which have been bent to shape.
* PE parts including the frame for the rear tool box, the brackets on the tools (a plastic bending template is include), turret and hull detail, hasps on the turret stowage bins and front glacis. In many cases alternative injection plastic parts are provided or the detail is molded on the plastic.
* Clear plastic parts for the periscopes/vision blocks
* 8 metal U-shaped tow hooks
* Wire to feed the Bosch headlamps
* Brass tube for the spare radio antenna rod.

Assembly Notes

The gatefold instruction sheet has 19 steps depicted using black, white and blue line drawings. While clearly presented, they will need to be studied in advance. You may want to consult references to note changes made to some features during the production of the Early Tiger such as the addition of the loaders periscope (March), changes to the spare track arrangement and addition of the S-Mine discharger (Jan 43), should you be building a Tiger other than Wittman’s. Being based on the Dragon Tigers, this kit should also fit together smoothly. The Early production Tiger I did not have zimmerit at Kursk, and hence this kit can make an accurate model out of the box.

Recommendation

Many modelers will be pleased with this comprehensive and crisply tooled release of an Early Production Tiger I as used at Kursk. With the inclusion of Magic Track, Fiefel air filters, multi-media accessories and the optional fuel tanks and radiators this kit offers a lot and will let you build a very impressive model out of the box. Highly recommended and worth getting one while you can.

- Neville Lord

Kit Review: cyber-hobby.com 1/35 Scale Kit No. 12 (Dragon Models Limited 1/35 scale ‘39-‘45 Series Kit No. 6350); Tiger I Early Production "Michael Wittmann"; 1,053 parts (625 parts in grey stryene, 188 etched brass, 216 "Magic Track" links, 1 turned aluminum barrel insert, 1 spring, 2 pre-bent wire, 8 white metal castings, 8 aluminum pins, 1turned brass, 1straight wire, 2 twisted steel wire); price estimated at US $45

Advantages: targeted "boutique" kit of one specific vehicle of popular subject

Disadvantages: another selective low-distribution kit tends to confuse some modelers and also enters a very crowded marketplace for this vehicle

Rating: Highly Recommended

Recommendation: for die-hard Tiger fans

There is a joke going around among non-German WWII armored vehicle modelers that there will eventually be something like 5,500 kits of the Tiger I on the market in 1/35 scale – one each of every single one built by Trumpeter, Dragon, AFV Club, and Tamiya. (I could include another 1,385 from Italeri but their Tiger kit hasn't been seen in a few years, and I suppose I should wait for it to come out with new markings as well!) While it's more of a grouse about a lack of other worthy subjects, it does seem to have some basis in fact as there seems to be four or five out from each one (less Trumpeter, but give them time) right now.

This kit has once again been the subject of intensive speculation and pre-orders on the Internet due to the excellence of the DML Tiger I kits as well as the choice of subject. Michael Wittmann is a cult figure amongst many WWII German armor fans, and as such there are a rabid few who really follow every tiny detail of his life with an intensity that is hard to fathom, given his rather extreme political views. (Tom Jentz has seen some of the personnel records on him that are stored in the US National Archives and what is there shows him to be more of what US troops call a "hot dog" than an "ace." He appears to only have survived and received promotion and awards due to his NDSP membership and mythos, as any other officer would have been relieved and court-martialed for constant violations of standing orders. But that is another story.)

The kit is typical of current DML/cyber-hobby.com "boutique" kits or an absolute boxfull of parts! Compared to the last DML version of the Tiger I to be released (No. 6253, a 3-in-1 Tiger I Late Production from July 2005 with 1,134 parts in the box) thnis kit changes out a number of sprues, adds others from the earlier Tiger I Early Production kit, as well as a bunch of new ones. Comparison with the Tiger I Late Production 3-in-1 shows that 166 parts have been changed or modified by new or reworked molds and another 235 swapped in from either the Early Production or Tiger (P) kits.

What the modeler winds up with is a Tiger I with the rear turret basket and the complete "Feifel" air cleaner installation, early production wheels, early production details, the turret with a one-piece roof and the right rear hatch; the directions show no "zimmerit" paste was applied so therefore no "ding" on the kit for not providing it. As I personally have little interest in Mr. Wittmann and have never followed much about his career, I cannot testify as to either the accuracy of the selection of parts chosen or if they are correct for this specific vehicle.

There are some new tweaks that I have not seen in past Tiger I kits, such as TWO sets of forming guides for the tracks. While the tracks are apparently the early model, they are still "Magic Tracks" which have proven relatively popular as they only need to be snapped together and then cemented. As such, the directions call for 96 links on the left side and 95 on the right, and therefore due to the difference in the torsion bars and placement of the wheels the two sets of guides (D-23/24 and G-32/33) provide for an accurate set on each side.

The kit comes with a handful of the original track links with separate guide teeth but these are the spares for the hangers on the turret; therefore, since they came on the same sprue as the Tiger I Late's torsion bars, a new sprue with 16 torsion bars is provided (Blue P). Incidentally, since DML/cyber-hobby.com used "mix and match" sprues, where there are duplicates one is listed as "Black Letter" and one is "Blue Letter." And just when you thought DML directions couldn't get any more confusing!!!

As noted the kit comes with full, semi-operating (once you cement the tracks in place, I doubt you'll want to test it!) suspension and a full set of torsion bars, as well as the now familiar partial interior for the engine bay with fans, fuel tanks and radiators. Note that when assembling this kit there are a large number of holes that need to be drilled out from the inside, especially in the engine bay area, so plan accordingly.

The kit does come with some expected features and some odd ones. A nicely detailed MG34 is provided for the bow gunner/radio operator and can be left free, but DML also added an operating driver's viewer. The gun "recoils" via a spring, not what I personally consider one of the better "working" features on a kit, with an aluminum core and styrene bits at both ends. A regular styrene barrel is also included. Note that no AA MG is provided, and right or wrong is something more and more common with other kits of late; why DML does not do this is beyond me, even if the modeler does not choose to use it or does want to make a similar vehicle that carried one.

All of the hatches on the model can be opened or closed, including the two on the turret basket. To avoid "midnight requisition" operations by the unscrupulous, the kit also includes padlocks for the latter with each one consisting of SEVEN parts with hasp. I give, my eyes aren't that good anymore even WITH an Optivisor!

One set of markings and finishing instructions are included for Wittmann's tank with turret number "1331" as marked for Operation "Zitadelle" (Kursk) with the 1st SS Panzer Division "Liebstandart Adolf Hitler" which, in order to dodge EU and other laws about glorifying the Nazis, is simply listed as "LSSAH" in the directions. Decals are again by Cartograf from Italy.

Production credits for those who, um, wish to comment are Hirohisa Takada and Minoru Igarashi, David Burden, Tom Cockle and Gary Edmundson. All have struck me as competent and serious about their research in past projects.

Overall this is a good choice of kit, especially based on its subject matter, and is already closing on sell-outs in some markets from info posted on the Internet (take that with a grain of salt, as many sites are prone to exaggeration in both directions.) But in all seriousness, it enters a crowded and increasingly confusing variety of 1/35 Tiger I kits, and comments from the same Internet sites do indicate a level of frustration of having bought the "wrong" version of the kit in a past release.

Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.

- Cookie Sewell