Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf.B Tiger II
3715
GERMAN WWII HEAVY TANK
1:35 SCALE PLASTIC KIT intro The roots of the Tiger II can be traced back to 1942 when the development of a new heavy tank was launched. The new armored vehicle was intended as a successor to the Tiger I, although the development program was not initiated by German authorities, but rather by the German tank producers, Porsche/Krupp and Henschel. Both companies developed tanks on their own – Porsche designed the unsuccessful VK 45.02(P) Type 180 and 181 and Henschel the VK 45.01 (H). During this process, some modern designs were developed to include such features as the Kugelblende machine gun housing (by Daimler Benz) and the shape of the turret (by Krupp). Issues encountered with the manufacturing of the hulls and wheel suspension by Porsche led German authorities to appoint Henschel as the winner of the contract. Production was launched in November, 1943, and three prototypes were assembled by the end of the year. Series production followed and peak production was reached in October 1944 with 120 Tiger IIs being manufactured. The last 45 vehicles were finished in March 1945, with thirty of them being delivered to the Waffenamt. The total production of the Tiger II amounted to 489 vehicles (plus the three prototypes). The Tiger II underwent some modifications and improvements during production. In 1945, a request for the improvement of engine output and weapons was put forth. A new type of drive sprocket with 18 teeth was introduced along with new tracks (Gg 73/800/152 Type). Contrary to the old type, the new tracks consisted of identical segments. Improvements led to the production of these simplified tracks as well as better vehicle maintenance. The first vehicles with this new tracks were deployed during the Battle of the Bulge at the end of 1944, and most frequently were used in March, 1945 production. Photos of vehicles with 18 tooth sprockets and new tracks are quite rare and few Tiger IIs from s.Pz.Abt. 506, 507, 510 and 511 are known in this configuration . They fought against the Allies in the Harz Mountains and other parts of Germany. Despite the relatively small number of examples manufactured, the Tiger II was a successful and efficient armored vehicle. Many German tank aces used it and Fw. Kurt Knispel of 1./503.s. Pz.Abt., the ranking German tank ace (168 v.), achieved many kills in the Tiger II.
úvodem Historie tanku Tiger II sahá až do roku 1942, kdy byl dán podnět pro vývoj nového těžkého tanku, který měl na bojišti nahradit aktuálně vyráběné a nově nasazované tanky Tiger I. Nešlo však výhradně o iniciativu státních orgánů, ale snahu obou hlavních výrobců těžkých tanků, firem Porsche/Krupp a Henschel. Obě továrny samy vyvíjely své typy tanků, Porsche neúspěšný projekt VK 45.02 (P) typ 180 a 181 a Henschel svůj "Tiger" tedy VK 45.01 (H). Tyto aktivity vedly ke vzniku moderních konstrukčních prvků, jako bylo přední střeliště Kugelblende (konstrukce Daimler Benz) či nově tvarované věže pro tanky Tiger II (návrh firmy Krupp). Problémy při výrobě koreb a podvozků vedly k vyřazení Porsche ze soutěže v listopadu 1942 a dodavatelem tohoto typu tanku se stala firma Henschel. Výroba byla zahájena v listopadu roku 1943 a do konce roku se podařilo vyrobit tři prototypy. Svého vrcholu produkce dosáhla v říjnu 1944, kdy z továrních hal vyjelo 120 kusů Tigerů II. Poslední kusy byly dokončeny v březnu 1945. V tomto měsíci bylo vyrobeno 45 tanků, z nichž Waffenamt přebral 30. Celkový počet vyrobených Tigerů II dosáhl 489 kusů (plus 3 prototypy). V průběhu výroby tank prošel několika modernizacemi. V roce 1945 bylo nutné zlepšit jak výkonové charakteristiky motoru a podvozkové skupiny, tak zbraňové systémy. Podvozek byl zjednodušen montáží nově vyvinutých hnacích kol s osmnácti záběrovými zuby a novým typem pásů (typ Gg 73/800/152). Pás se nyní skládal z identických článků bez nutnosti párování dvojího typu článků (s vodícím zubem a bez něj). To značně zjednodušilo obsluhu tanku i výrobu pásů. Stroje s tímto typem pásů jsou známé již z nasazení v Ardenách v roce 1944, většího rozšíření však dosáhly až u strojů vyrobených v březnu 1945. Tanků vybavených hnacími koly s 18 zuby a moderním typem pásů není zdokumentováno velké množství. Známé jsou fotografie z pohoří Harz a dalších míst Německa. Zatím se je podařilo identifikovat u těžkých tankových oddílů 506., 507., 510. a 511.). Tank Tiger II patřil mezi zdařilé konstrukce a i přes nijak velký počet vyrobených kusů se jednalo o efektivní bojový prostředek. Na tomto typu sloužilo množství tankových es, z nichž Fw. Kurt Knispel, příslušník 1./503.s. Pz.Abt., dosáhl největšího počtu zničených tanků (168 v.) a jeho úspěchy jsou úzce spjaty právě s tímto typem.
3715 - NAV1
ATTENTION
UPOZORNĚNÍ
INSTRUCTION SIGNS
BEND OHNOUT
OPTIONAL VOLBA
INSTR. SYMBOLY
OPEN HOLE VYVRTAT OTVOR
PARTS
ACHTUNG
ATTENTION
INSTRUKTION SINNBILDEN
SYMETRICAL ASSEMBLY SYMETRICKÁ MONTÁŽ
DÍLY
REVERSE SIDE OTOČIT
REMOVE ODŘÍZNOUT
TEILE
SYMBOLES
APPLY EDUARD MASK AND PAINT POUŽÍT EDUARD MASK NABARVIT
PIECES
PLASTIC PARTS
A>
B>
E>
C>
F>
D>
G> 2 pcs.
H> 2 pcs.
PE - PHOTO ETCHED DETAIL PARTS
COLOURS
BARVY
FARBEN
PEINTURE
GSi Creos (GUNZE)
2
AQUEOUS
Mr.COLOR
AQUEOUS
Mr.COLOR
H3
C3
RED
H 37
C43
WOOD BROWN
H 12
C33
FLAT BLACK
H 47
C41
RED BROWN
H 18
C28
STEEL
H 79
C39
SANDY YELLOW
H 21
C69
OFF WHITE
H 90
C47
CLEAR RED
H 33
C81
RUSSET
H 36
C70
DARK GREEN
Mr.METAL COLOR MC214
DARK IRON
F5 B20 H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
B22
B14
- OPEN PARTS B54
H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
B7
H 12 C33 FLAT BLACK
H 21 C69
H 21 C69
H 21 C69
OFF WHITE
A14
OFF WHITE
OFF WHITE
B29 B28
H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
A17
B16
A17 A17
B39
B40
B4 B1
B2 B5
B3
3
B38
B46
B6 B8
B11 H 18 C28
D22
STEEL
B17
B31
B42 H 18 C28
B32
STEEL
D14
B18
B48
B47
H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
A12
DO NOT GLUE! A13
H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
B55
A5 A16 B21 A29
B51
A1
4
H 21 C69
B19
OFF WHITE
A22 B43 A23 A10
B44 H 21 C69
A10
OFF WHITE
B83 DO NOT GLUE!
B10
B82
B23 A17
A7 H 21 C69 OFF WHITE
B24
A15 B41
B15 B25
B41
B33 B26
B27 B33
G7 4 pcs.
G8 2 pcs.
H 21 C69
A26
OFF WHITE
G7 4 pcs.
G8 2 pcs.
A
A28
B PE3
B37
A20
B9 B12
A19 A18
B13 5
A6
PE8 H 12 C33
H 37 C43
FLAT BLACK
WOOD BROWN
A25
D16
D23
MC214 DARK IRON
MC214 DARK IRON
A21 B50 A4 A8 A11
A24
A9 A9 B34
A27 F5
F5
F5 F5
B
8 pcs.
B35
H 18 C28 STEEL
B36
A
H2
E18 E18
D12
C1
D3 D3 - MARKING
6
B
ONLY
H1
E25 E27
E14 C12
E14
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STEEL
C15 E29
E27 C3
E28
H 18 C28
E30
E30
E27
E27
E30 E28 H 18 C28
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H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN
D9 D17
H 18 C28 STEEL
D14 H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN
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ONLY
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D11
D
D8
H3 C3
C26
D24
D10
RED
E23
C6 C13
E21 C7
C9
D13
D7
E8
MC214 DARK IRON
PE9 D15 C8 C23 C10
D
E25
E9 C1
E26
C18
E24 C24
E22 E7
C
C11
E11 7
PE4 E15
H 18 C28 STEEL
C28 PE4 C31 H 37 C43
E15
WOOD BROWN
C16
C27 H 18 C28 STEEL
C32 H 37 C43
C22
H 37 C43
H 18 C28
WOOD BROWN
STEEL
WOOD BROWN
H 18 C28 STEEL
D1
E3
E4
4 pcs. E13
E12
E
F
G1
10 pcs.
G2
8 pcs. G5 F10
G5 G4
F10
G4
G3 F10
8
G3 F10
D4
E5
E6
C4
F6 F7
C5
F6 F7 F6 C33
E15
C34
F7
E16 E31
F6 F7
F1 F6
2 pcs. F3
F2 F4
F 4 pcs.
E 5 pcs. G9 G6 G9 G6 G9 G6
2 pcs.
G9 G6 G9
F9
F8 9
7 pcs. H3 STEP 2 E2
STEP 2 E1
H1 6 pcs.
H2 7 pcs.
STEP 1
H 18 C28 STEEL
H 18 C28
H4
STEEL
E3 H5
H2 H 18 C28
H4 STEP 1
H3
STEEL
H 18 C28
H6 STEP 1
STEEL
H 18 C28 STEEL
H2
H3 H1
H 18 C28
H2
STEEL
9 pcs. H3
H4
H3
H2 9 pcs.
H1 8 pcs.
H2
H3 H1 H2
H E10
E10
E10
G
D18
D19
G E20
2 pcs.
E10
G
D6
E19
H 18 C28 STEEL
D5 C30
D27
C30 - MARKINGS
D28
A ;B
ONLY
D17
H 33 C81 RUSSET
D20 PE2
D25
H 90 C47 CLEAR RED
D26
C29 C29 - MARKING
10
B
ONLY
D21
D29
PE10 STEP 1 PE1
D30
PE11 PE1
A3 A2
D32 PE5 PE6 D31
STEP 1 PE1
H
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A 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510, Rengershausen, Germany, April, 1945 One of six factory-fresh tanks that were delivered to 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510 in late March, 1945, in Kassel as a replacement for vehicles lost in previous battles. This unit moved to Kassel from Kuronsk at that time. These tanks, under the command of Hptm. Hellpup, participated in the defense of Kassel in the period from March 30 to April 5, 1945. On the very first day of fighting, he knocked out six US tank destroyers near Fritzlar. On April 2, German tanks attacked advancing American armored vehicles (1st Battalion, 318th IR) and managed to destroy six of them for the loss of one Tiger II. 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510 was disbanded on April 17, 1945. The 'Ambush' camouflage scheme is well visible in photos of this Tiger II. This type of camouflage was regularly used from late 1944 /early 1945 to March, 1945.
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SANDY YELLOW
12
H79 39
H36
DARK GREEN 70
RED BROWN
H47 41
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B 3./s.Pz.Abt. 511, Kassel, Germany, 1945 This vehicle was destroyed on April 5, 1945, probably by an American tank destroyer from the 702nd TD Bn. The driver Rudi Kaiser was killed during this incident. The rare camouflage scheme depicted is known as 'Octopus' thanks to the green rings painted on the European Yellow base. The origin of this scheme is not clear, and may have come about due to the shortage of time to apply the camouflage, or may have resulted from the lack of red-brown paint in stock. The swastika on the front armor plate was painted after the war, probably by some Allied soldier as it´s beams are oriented in the wrong direction. As well as other Tiger IIs in this kit, the transport tracks (Verlandekette) are mounted. H36 70
H79 39
H36 70
H36 70
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H79 39
H36 70
2+3
H79 39
SANDY YELLOW
H79 39
H36
DARK GREEN 70
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C 1./s.Pz.Abt.506, Burg Reuland Area, Belgium, 1945 This vehicle was knocked out by US forces in February, 1945, and belonged to 1./s.Pz.Abt.506 (7th Armee). This unit participated in the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes from December 1944, mainly in the Bastogne area. The vehicle is depicted with the narrow transport tracks as delivered to the operational unit. The standard wide tracks were carried by the tank when destroyed by US forces. The camouflage scheme consists of irregular fields of green, red-brown and yellow. 1
H47 41
H47 41
H79 39
H36 70
H36 70
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1
H79 39
H36 70
H47 41
H79 39
SANDY YELLOW
H79 39
H36
DARK GREEN 70
RED BROWN
H47 41
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