Kit: No. 6253
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Dragon, from Dragon Models USA, 626-968-0322, www.dragonmodelsusa.com
Price: $37.95
Comments: Mixed media, 1,213 parts (909 injection-molded, 267 photoetched metal, 37 cast metal), decals
Pros: Highly detailed moldings, preformed photoetched parts, “Magic- Tracks,” turned-aluminum barrel
Cons: Complex instructions, slightly warped hull results in tight fit, gimmicky gun recoil
Not another Tiger kit! What does Dragon’s kit have to offer that the others don’t? Once you open the box you’ll discover the difference. Dragon’s latest release of a late-production Tiger I almost bursts the box. Besides all of the alternate parts for late, final, and late-command variants, you’ll also find lots of photoetched- metal parts, a turned-metal main gun barrel, individual link “MagicTracks,” and a decal sheet for dozens of late Tigers. Photoetched parts for the exhaust shields and side fenders are preformed. Also included is one of Dragon’s new “Gen 2”- style figures with multiple parts and photoetched details.
Every square inch of the 10-page instructions is crammed with diagrams, making them somewhat difficult to follow. Use care when adding the torsion bars to the hull so they will work like the real thing. The hull casting seemed warped, but it straightened out when all of the panels were installed. Dragon included some detail for the radiator bay interior, but little can be seen unless you pose the rear grates open. I put off installing the running gear until painting was complete.
All late-production Tigers came from the factory with a coat of Zimmerit applied to the hull and turret. The boxtop illustration shows Zimmerit, but it is not mentioned in the instructions. I added it using epoxy putty and a white-metal stamp I purchased years ago.
The turret is cast in three main pieces. The basic interior pieces are not enough if you’re opening the hatches. The main gun features a spring-loaded recoil action, a feature that seems pointless to me.
The individual-link “MagicTracks” are well-molded, although they have slight ejector-pin marks on the interior faces. They fit together snugly, so they can be assembled then glued. Forms are provided for shaping the front and rear sections of tracks, but I preferred building the tracks in upper and lower runs, applying liquid cement, and once it had set, forming the tracks on the model so they could be removed for painting.
One of my photoetched fender panels was missing from my kit, and as I wanted to show a fairly new tank, I used the injection-molded plastic ones. If you have experience with photoetched parts, you’ll be able to handle the photoetched front fenders with working hinges and clasps.
The model was painted with Tamiya paints. I found the decals required several coats of Solvaset to snuggle down to the Zimmerit-covered surfaces. I then reinstalled the running gear and finally the tools and the cables. You have the option of using photoetched clasps on the tools. The injection-molded clamps for the tow hooks and cables are among the best I’ve seen in any kit.
The finished model matched exactly the dimensions in the Standard Catalog of German Military Vehicles by David Doyle. It took me about 25 hours to build the kit, but I could have easily spent much more.
Some may argue whether Dragon’s is the best late-production Tiger kit, but it certainly is the best value. The photoetched details and metal barrel alone would cost as much as a kit if bought separately. Modelers of German WWII armor may want to purchase several.
– John Plzak