Sd.Kfz. 182 King Tiger (Porsche Turret) - Premium Editionby Cookie Sewell
|
Stock Number and Description | Dragon Models Limited 1/35 Scale ‘39-45 Series Kit No. 6312; Sd.Kfz. 182 Kingtiger (Porsche Turret) - Premium Edition |
Scale: | 1/35 |
Media and Contents: | 804 parts (376 in grey styrene, 240 "Magic Track" links, 159 etched brass, 19 clear styrene, 4 white metal, 2 twisted steel wire, 1 wire, 1 brass chain, 1 preformed brass wire, 1 aluminum turned barrel) |
Price: | retail price estimated at US $45 |
Review Type: | First Look |
Advantages: | Older kit brought up to more modern standards with "slide molded" parts, brass and "Magic Track" |
Disadvantages: | Older kit may not appeal to more demanding modelers; still requires a coat of "zimmerit" to complete |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended to all German and Tiger fans |
FirstLook
Dragon has now started to issue its new "Premium Edition"kits, which
are essentially older kits that have been improved by the addition
of new sprues from other, newer kits as well as the addition of some
of the accessories created for those same new kits along the way,
such as etched brass and turned aluminum barrels. Armor kits also
tend to get either "EZ Track" or "Magic Track"; the former are
off-the-sprues parts ready to assemble, and the latter are
snap-together tracks to speed assembly.
The DML Tiger II with Porsche turret is about three years old, but
has now received the "Premium" treatment with the addition of these
accessories. The base kit uses the latest edition of the primary
parts (e.g. hull, wheels and most details) with the Porsche turret
and a slew of accessories.
First off, the kit now comes with "Magic Track" links – 120 "A"
links and 120 "B" links – for snap-together assembly. This will make
many modelers happy as preparing and assembling single-link track
can be quite tedious.
Secondly, many detail parts have been replaced with the new
standarized DML "T" series generic German tool and equipment sprues.
The ones provided are as follows: TA - pioneer tools and a fire
extinguisher; TB - jack and cable hooks; TC -tow cable heads; TD -
auxiliary cable heads; TF - 8.8 cm muzzle brake for aluminum barrel;
TG - self-defense projector weapon; TH - hatch braces; TJ - turret
AA MG ring mount; TK - bow machine gun mount; TL - armored exhaust
covers. These apparently will be provided with different kits as
need be, but are all state of the art slide moldings where
applicable.
Third, the model comes with a large sheet of etched brass for the
screens and brackets used on the tank.
And lastly, it comes with some metal accesories, such as towing
clevises, a whip antenna, a section of chain, two metal tow cables,
and a turned aluminum barrel.
The directions are unfortunately the color photo variety, which from
my point of view makes applying the etched brass parts difficult as
it is hard to see them in the photos of a partially finished model
with "Stick here" arrows. I have seen a new method used by DML in
which colors are used for the various parts with black and white
drawings, and when you have a ton of etched brass parts this is
easier to read than the color directions which offer little – if any
– help. That's a shame as it lets a very nice kit with great
accessories down.
There are also a lot of odd things about the kit. For example, the
kit comes with a very nice bow MG-34 (sprue J) but there is none for
the nicely done AA mount. The main problem most modelers will have
is that alas, it does not come with the "zimmerit" paste coating
found on nearly all of the Porsche-turreted tanks, even though the
finishing directions show it and indicate it is required.
Finishing instructions and decals are provided for five vehicles:
3./s.Pz.Abt. 503 in Hungary, 1945 (winter white); s/Pz.Kp.(Fkl) 316,
France 1944 (overall Panzerbraun); s.Pz.Abt. 506, Arnhem 1944 (green
over Panzerbraun); Unidentified, Eastern Front 1944 (tricolor); and
s.Pz.Abt. 503, Normandy 1944 (tricolor). Decals are "targeted" on
the single sheet.
Overall this is a nice upgrade to the original kit, but with the
advent of DML's provision of "zimmerit" molded on their 1/72 scale
line one can only hope that they extend it to their larger kits,
too.
Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Freddie Leung for the review sample.