The BigTig - Big Scale Models

THE BIG TIG
BUILDING AND DETAILING
TAMIYA'S 1/16TH SCALE PzKw VI TIGER I Ausf E SdKfz
181 Fruhe
WITH ABER PHOTOETCH AND S&T FIGURES
By Vince Pedulla
MODELERV STUDIOS
If you were to ask 10 people with at least a basic knowledge of military history to name four tanks, you
likely hear the Tiger being mentioned. No other tank better exemplifies the menace of Germany's
armored forces in WWII. With its slab sided armor, long 88mm gun and wide stance, it must have
looked like some prehistoric beast on the battlefield. When Tamiya released its 1/16th scale "static"
version without the RC gear, I had to have it, and Aber's release of it extensive multimedia detailing set
sealed the deal.
Tamiya's model (36203) is basically a "dumbed-down" version of the RC model, and retains the
articulatable suspension, running gear, metal parts, and indi-link tracks of its predessor. The huge box
also holds rubber road wheels, a bunch of tools, nuts, washers, and other things not seen in an ordinary
model. Because the model was designed as an RC kit, there are some detail issues, but it is an impressive
kit nonetheless. The static version adds additional parts, such as optional air cleaners, a DAK commander
figure, and parts to detail the inside of the driver and radio op's hatches. Aber's detail set (16K01) is a
multimedia affair with 19 photoetch frets, brass rods and tubes, wood, steel cables, and cast brass parts
for the track hangers and hatches. It is, in Aber's usual style, way over the top. I also added S&T's resin
Tiger crew figures (16013), which might be the finest 1/16th scale figures I've ever built. Also, a turned
aluminum barrel from Brass Barrels was used. This is basically a small aluminum club with which you
can detail the model or kill small rodents!
BUILDING
Building this model requires some planning and study to know where Aber's parts replace or augment
Tamiya's kit. The construction of the Tiger begins with the assembly of the metal pan and lower hull that
supports the articulated suspension. A whole lot of screws, bolts, and metal parts are added in the first
few stages. You have to add the electric motor even if you aren't planning on ever running the model
around on the carpet, as it supports the drive sprockets. I followed the directions up through step 16, but I
recommend leaving of the roadwheels and track until the end. The remaining steps greatly resemble any
other plastic armor kit, but are the areas where the Aber parts are used. I won't concentrate on the
assembly of the Tamiya model, which despite its size, is fairly straightforward and well within the
capabilities of the average modeler. Instead, I will relate my experience with the Aber set, which is
anything but simple. Throughout the article, you can click on any picture to bring up a larger version.
ABER MADNESS
A few notes on the Aber set�Learn to solder! I you attempt to use super glue to assemble the larger
parts of the set, you are in for a world of misery. Further, Aber provides etch to create small parts like
wing nuts, hex bolts and even threaded posts. I recommend replacing these with Grandt Line wingnuts
and punching the bolts from plastic, assuming you can find or create them. Many of the parts are
fantastic, especially the fenders, schurtzen, track hangers and exhaust shrouds. Others will kinda have
you wondering, WHY? Aber provides a detailed booklet for instructions�READ IT CAREFULLY!!
The PE parts are all nickel-coated brass of varying thickness and are manufactured to Aber's usual high
standard.
HATCHES
The Aber set starts with adding the parts to the driver and RO's hatches. These parts are intended for the
RC version's hatches, which have no internal parts. All these parts are very complex & delicate, and I
had a hard time keeping them together and secured to the plastic. After dealing with the fiddly nature of
these pieces, I finally determined the Tamiya parts are actually very nice and I simply installed them
instead. However, the loader's hatch benefits greatly from the Aber parts.
TOOL HANGERS
The tool holders and latches are four part affairs that, if carefully assembled, will remain workable! This
eases the painting of the tools later. You might have to carefully widen the holes that accept the wires, do
this with the tip of an X-Acto knife. I also advise that you solder brass posts, maybe 1/8" long, to the
back of all tool hangers, cable stays; anything that will be fastened to plastic. Drill out the plastic and the
soldered post can be better secured to the model without having to fear the PE shearing off the model.
FENDERS AND SKIRTS
Next up are the front fenders, which can also be made fully moveable, even the side flaps that are folded
up when transport tracks are used. The rear fenders are similarly assembled, and I again advise pinning
any parts that attach to plastic so they don't detach later. Solder these parts together, because you will
need the assemblies to have strength. The side skirts also require soldering to assemble, and by carefully
drilling out the Tamiya attachment points, you can actually bolt the skirts to the side of the tank. Aber
also gives us two exhaust covers that have to be bent to shape across the mufflers. I used the Hold &
Fold Brass Assist tool to form these covers, which helped achieve the rounded shape easily.
CABLES
The cables are maybe the biggest disappointment of the set. Although they look good, the material used
to make them is so stiff that it is difficult to bend them to shape, and I feared they would eventually shear
off the stays. I ended up replacing the Aber cables with some from Karaya, which are formed from soft
copper. This worked great for the side cables, but the main tow cables are a bit underscale. In retrospect,
I'd probably make my own, thicker cables from solder. Aber provides cast brass cable eyes but have you
form the cable sheaths from brass tubing. I followed the instructions and cut four slots into the ends of
the sheaths, then bent them to shape, but diverted a bit and soldered a smaller tube inside the larger one,
using its round shape to form the sheath ends. I filled the resulting gaps with solder and used my Dremel
tool as a makeshift lathe, forming the sheaths with files and sandpaper. You'd be better off machining
the sheaths from brass stock if you have a lathe. The cleaning rods are brass tubing into which I inserted
actual threaded screws to form the attachment points. Only in this scale would this be noticeable!!
SMOKE DISCHARGERS
Aber provides parts to make the five smoke dischargers on the hull and detail parts for the six turrentmounted tubes. The hull dischargers also need to be soldered together, and I replaced the flat parts Aber
would have you try to form a perfect tube for the body of the discharger with, instead simply using brass
tubing of the same diameter. The turrent parts provide the wiring and tiny clips on these units. By happy
coincidence, the Tamiya kit has the attachment points for the dischargers molded on, which makes
locating these easy. I did pin-mount the rear dischargers for added strength.
TRACK HANGERS
Aber gives us beautiful cast brass parts to create the track hangers found on some later Tigers, and even
give a template to drill out the mounting holes. However, this gives rise to another problem. Tamiya's
tracks have excellent detail on the outer faces, but the inner sides are pretty bad, with large knockout
marks, some tiny little numbers, and gaps where the track pins cross the tracks. They would be almost
impossible to clean up, being made of a soft PVC type material. In Tamiya's defense, these defects are
not too noticeable when mounted, and the tracks are designed for the RC kit. But this left me with
unacceptable tracks to mount on the turrent. A bit of research on the web revealed the existence of a
fellow in Hong Kong named Kenny Kong. Kenny makes cast metal replacement links for the RC market,
but they have excellent inner details. I acquired 10 links from him and mounted 8 of them to the turrent.
The tracks are great and respond well to Blacken-It solution for weathering. I only wish I had bought
some for the front glacis plate!
OTHER PARTS
Aber provides a multitude of other parts to detail the Tiger, including parts for the turrent stowage box,
engine deck screens, Notek lights, the complete inside of the commander's cupola, the jack and jack
hangers, even a little square of wood for the jack block. I did not use the cupola interior, as I was
installing a figure, and I had a great deal of trouble keeping PE parts glued onto the wood part, which I
ended up replacing with the kit part detailed with the Aber pieces. I also chose not to use the turrent
exhaust fan cover, as I've never seen it pictured on combat tanks. Frankly, there are a bunch of parts I
did not consider necessary for the model that I have left over. Aber seems to be determined to provide as
many parts as possible, and I cannot fault them for that!! Virtually no part of the Tiger model is
untouched by Aber's set.
FINISHING AND PAINTING
Once I had the model assembled, I added some cast/rust texturing to the exhausts and gun muzzle, but
not much else was needed. I wanted to depict a Kursk or Kharkov tank, one that had been in combat for
a while, but had not been beat up too badly. The great part about the Aber parts is you have the ability to
create battle damage to just about any extent you desire. I did bend up the exhaust shrouds and the skirts,
but kept a light touch. I also bent up one of the front fenders. I started painting by breaking the model
into several sub-assemblies including the turrent, lower hull, road wheels and drive sprockets. My basic
goal in finishing a model is to achieve "depth", that is, to depict and emphasize the natural fall of light &
shadow seen on full-size objects. All parts were thoroughly airbrushed with my Iwata HP airbrush with
Tamiya Flat Black (XF-1), then sprayed with Tamiya Dark Yellow (XF-26) in a cloud pattern, using the
black undercoat to darken and shade the base tone. By the way�This thing will use a LOT of paint! I
followed this with a camo pattern of Dark Green (XF-26) in what I call the "octopus" pattern. I also used
Smoke and darkened Dunkelgelb to add a bit of shading in recessed areas, around tools and fittings, and
surface lines. After letting the paint dry for a couple of days, I washed the whole thing with Raw Umber
oil paint thinned with Turpenoid. I did drybrush a little, emphasizing detail areas, but a model this large
doesn't need it as much. This was followed by pin washes and some filtering done with oil washes of
various colors.
The markings are from a custom dry transfer sheet which I had custom printed a couple of years ago.
The "elefant" marking on the glacis plate, the sigil of the 502 sPzAbt. (Heavy Tank Battalion) is painted
by hand. Steel parts of the tools were painted black and dry brushed with Humbrol steel and aluminum,
with scratches and wear done with color pencil.
Wood was finished by the "Greenland" method, dark yellow with Burnt Sienna oil washes. But in this
scale, I could draw in wood grain!
WEATHERING
One of the newer techniques in modeling is to add scratches and paint chips to vehicles, and although all
too often WAY overdone, I generally like this look. Rather than try to paint these surface defects, all
scratches and chips on the Tiger were done with Berol Prismacolor pencils, which allow me greater
control. I used Dark Sepia pencil to create the darker defects, followed by a Siena pass for rust. This
works great on the Yellow, but I was dissatisfied with the results on green. It occurred to me that the tank
would arrive Dark Yellow from the factory, and the green would be applied in the field, and any wear
would reveal the base yellow first. I tried using a pencil color similar to the base Dark Yellow on the
green, followed by the other colors, which worked great! I tend to emphasize areas that would get the
most wear and tear rather than some random pattern, particularly on grab or scuff areas and places where
the tank would contact the ground or foliage. The drive sprockets and idlers are cast metal, so after
adding the brown/rust colors, I used sandpaper to grind the paint off, revealing the natural steel color.
This resulted in a very realistic finish!!
The tracks come in a grayish steel color, which I overpainted with Dark Brown, followed by applications
of MMP Rust and Dark Brown powders thinned with alcohol. After allowing it to dry for a while, I
wiped the excess powder wash from the areas of the track that would contact the ground, followed by a
gentle scrubbing with a Scotchbrite pad, revealing the steel color underneath.
MUDDY WORK
Finally, I added mud and earth weathering, using acrylic gel medium mixed with MMP powders,
Hudson and Allen straw and leaves, and some other gritty stuff from the bottom of my diorama supplies
box. I mixed a big cup of this stuff, and used an old flat brush to place it on the vehicle, emphasizing the
skirts, fenders, lower hull; areas that would naturally accumulate mud. (This probably my favorite part of
weathering!)
FIGURES
The S&T Productions Tiger Crew figures were specifically designed for this model, and they might be
the finest 1/16th scale figures I've ever built. Beautifully sculpted and cast, they were a joy to paint. I
really like their purposeful expressions. I'd like to see a driver and RO fig to place in the hull!! I do not
consider myself a great "figure painter"; rather I paint figures for use in dioramas and in vehicles. I
basically use acrylic base coats with oil paint for shading and highlighting. I only wish my figure
painting skills were up to the quality of the figures.
CONCLUSION
This was a very satisfying project, and the sheer size of the model makes it a great challenge and
learning experience. Is the Aber set an absolute necessity? Probably not, as the Big Tiger will build up
very well straight out of the box. Modeling experience and soldering skills are needed for the Aber set,
and there might be parts you don't want to use; however, the company has now broken up the complete
set into nine separate smaller sets, so you can pick and choose which areas you'd like to super detail. The
model suffers from a few areas that were made for RC, rather than scale modelling, but for sheer size and
detail, you cannot beat the Big Tig!