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| Subject: | Re: Tiger I Techmod Decal series |  |
| Date: | Nov 7, 2002 |
| From: | Neville Lord | |
Chris,
If you haven't already done so, and assuming your independent of Techmod,
would you be able to submit this to Track-Link as a review.
Cheers
Neville
"Chris" wrote in message
news:3DC9673F.E55EDDD1@earthlink.net...
> Techmod Decals PzKpfw VI "Tiger" series 35001, 35005, 35006
>
> These three separate sheets come with multi-page instructions. The water
> slide decals are clearly printed on typically thin, closely cropped
> backing. As is usual with Techmod decals, the thin backing requires
> great care in application. Each sheet also includes interior stencils
> and instrument dials for one Tiger.
> As a general rule, the decals are too finely done: the stroke width
> tends to be marginally to obviously too thin, most of the decals are far
> too regular for hand painted numbers, and some small details have been
> overlooked. The instructions are clear for the most part, but all images
> are of pristine Tigers, the instructions go beyond the available
> documentation and do not make clear Techmod's assumptions about some
> markings, and all camouflage schemes are far too definite. All the
> Wehrmacht 50? series heavy tank battalions are listed as SS units on all
> three sheets, perhaps a translation problem.
> If the modeler is new to the game, lacks reference materials, prefers
> his vehicles to look just out of the factory, and is not concerned with
> accuracy, these sheets each contain a few usable decals. This series is
> a waste for the experienced modeler except for the stenciling and
> instrument dials. This is a shame. A lot of effort obviously went into
> researching the markings, but the art design is only generically based
> on the available photos, and for many units, clearer and more detailed
> photos are available.
>
> The following is a breakdown of the sheets and a few obvious points
> about most of the subjects. I do not mean to be exhaustive, but these
> comments will give a modeler some idea of what to look for - and why I
> find these sheets so disappointing.
> I used Tiger I on the Western Front, Tiger I on the Eastern Front (T1 on
> WF/EF), Tiger in Combat I, and Tiger in Combat II (TiC I/II) as source
> materials. The sheets list additional resources that are not so
> generally available or that don't really have photos of the Tigers.
>
> Since this is so long and deals mostly with research and interpretation,
> I have submitted it to the ww2 research discussion group rather than as
> a review. I have omitted the units designations and locales to save
> typing and space. If you are interested, that info is easy enough to get
> from the sources.
>
> 35005 (Early Production Model) $7.60 (greatmodels.com)
> 1. "312" T1 on EF, page 27, shows a small section of the front only. The
> sheet is missing the chassis # 250256 in small black numbers on the
> upper right lower hull plate (note that all of my comments are from the
> pov of the tank commander). Decal 5, the unit insignia, is not
> illustrated; it goes on the upper hull plate to the right of the MG.
> There was a shovel on the front top plate.
>
> 2. "334" T1 on EF, pages 46 & 47, tank of Hptm. Scherf. There should be
> a full row of track links across the hull front, and a tow cable from
> the left front tow ring back over the hull top. On the right side, the
> second mud skirt from the front and the second outside road wheel were
> missing. On the right hull side were three square "C" brackets that
> could turn in or out to hold a beam. The hull cross goes farther forward
> against the middle bracket, which is right above the seam between the
> two middle mud skirts. There seem to be very faintly sprayed camouflage
> stripes on the hull sides, 88 barrel, gun mantle, and cupola that are
> not illustrated. The turret number decals are printed much more
> regularly than those carried by other tanks in the same unit. The turret
> number is only partially visible in one of the photos. The turret
> crosses should be moved down almost to the weld line and forward until
> centered under the vision slit.
>
> 3. "1311" T1 on EF, page 100. There should be no top plate on the
> exhausts. The photo shows only the rear, so all else is conjectural.
>
> 4. "311" T1 on EF, page 26 shows the front and left side. Decal 15, the
> unit insignia, is omitted in the instructions; it goes inside the
> c-shaped green camouflage to the right of the hull MG. This Tiger had
> muzzle covers on both the 88 and the hull MG, and a shovel on the top
> front plate.
>
> 5. "111" T1 on WF, page 8. This should be an initial production Tiger.
> The color is one of the darker Afrika Korps colors. The hull crosses
> should be taller than wide, a particularity of this unit.
>
> 6. "112" T1 on WF, pages 5&9. Color and national markings as above. This
> Tiger had a sighting vane or rod on the left front edge of the turret
> roof and a rolled tarp on the left rear side on top of the track cables.
>
> 7. "222" This Tiger looks familiar, but I can't find a photo. T1 on EF,
> page 38, has a photo of a Tiger from this unit that shows only the
> front, confirming the unit insignia. That Tiger did not have the Bosch
> lights, though the mounts were in place. Other unit Tigers used PzKpfw
> III Kisten instead of production Tiger boxes.
>
> 8. "S02" TiC II, pages 186&87, 192&95. This Tiger had heavy battle
> damage on the left side and turret. Also on the left, the second mud
> skirt from the front was missing and the third was folded back over the
> last one. The turret numbers on the Kiste were spread out slightly, more
> than on the turret sides. The hull crosses look to me like they should
> have a very thin black outline. Note that there was no top plate to the
> exhausts. There was a pipe section at the left of the back hull plate,
> stuck under the hoses to the Feifel filters and going to below the
> exhaust armor. The 88 had a muzzle cover. If normal film was used, the
> camouflage colors should be reversed, brown photographing darker than
> green, and the scheme much more diffuse and less distinct. These two
> considerations apply to all of the camouflage schemes in this series.
>
> 9. "S24" This Tiger also had heavy battle damage. Again, the hull
> crosses look to me to have had a thin black outline, but these crosses
> did indeed have different proportions than #8.
>
> 10. "131" T1 on WF, pages 46&7, TiC I, page 245. The hull crosses of
> this Tiger definitely had a black outline or the original color was
> Panzergrau and the crosses were masked off when it was repainted and an
> outline of Pg left. The pike illustrated on the right side should be a
> spare aerial container that went all the way to the rear of the hull.
> There was a rectangular hand hold in front of the driver's viewport. The
> unit rhomboid is too long and too thin. This Tiger was captured and
> tested when the photos were made; at that time it had no exhaust
> shields.
>
> 35006 (Mid Production Model) $7.65
> 1. "3" T1 on WF, page 63 (in faded color), TiC I, page 384&85. All
> Tigers of this unit carried only the company number, so there is no way
> to tell which photo served as the basis for the decals. The stroke width
> on the company number is too thin. The camouflage is probably the
> illustrator's imagination; it was green and brown stripes over a
> Dunklegelb base in the color photo. This Tiger is from PzKompanie 313
> (Funklenk) and probably had an extra aerial on the right of the turret
> in front of the view slit.
>
> 2. "301" TiC I, pages 68&69. The three front mud skirts on the left side
> were missing. The turret number on the Kiste should have a wider 1 (not
> just the stroke, the whole number) than on the turret sides. An earlier
> photo shows a much heavier white overspray, but the numbers stand out
> because there is no white overspray around or behind them. The 88 had a
> muzzle cover.
>
> 3. "A" T1 on EF, page 82 shows only the right side and some of the rear.
> This Tiger had a star aerial on the hull and a rod aerial on the turret
> rear. The 88 had a muzzle cover. The camouflage was heavily oversprayed
> - less Dunklegelb showed. The A is perhaps too splayed at its base
> (another decal set gives the A without an outline, but the outline looks
> correct to me). There is one A missing, as the Kiste carried it also.
> The unit insignia is conjectural unless Techmod has more photos.
>
> 4. "331" T1 on WF, pages 90&104, TiC, pages 274&75. This was the Tiger
> of SS-Junker Erwin Asbach and later Ustuf. Thomas Amselgruber. The
> numbers were hand-painted, so the decals are much too uniform. There was
> a rod aerial on the left rear hull and a gun travel lock on the rear
> deck. The camouflage colors are probably reversed and there should be a
> heavier overspray with a less definite pattern.
>
> 5. "131" T1 on WF, page 94. This was the Tiger of Ustuf. Walter Hahn.
> The instructions show the numbers with a camouflage green fill, but the
> sheet is printed too dark for my eyes. It is, nevertheless, a dull
> green. The middle track link on the left turret side was missing. There
> was a rod aerial on the left rear of the hull.
>
> 6. "11" T1 on EF, page 78, a Tiger of the 2. Kom., 3/4 right rear photo.
> There is a rod aerial on the back left that is straight for about half a
> meter, then is bent out to the right and goes up at an angle for about a
> meter, then is bent again to finish straight up. The right front road
> wheel was removed to prevent ice buildup - presumably the left would
> also have been. The unit insignia was carried.
>
> 7. "301" T1 on EF, page 13, TiC I, page 68&69 (3/4 right rear and at a
> different time 3/4 left front with a Famo A-bar tow hookup). This Tiger
> had Zimmerrit and a rod aerial, and the front road wheels were not
> removed in the winter photo. The hull crosses, decals #11 , go a bit
> more to the front and possibly had a black center.
>
> 8. "112" T1 on WF, page 61, TiC I, page 387 (TiC is clearer), rear and
> acute angle on right side. This Tiger was perhaps formerly assigned to
> Kom. Meyer and retains its style of numbering. Only the rear and a bit
> of the right side is in the photo. There is heavy exhaust staining or
> overspray to the left and right of the exhaust shields, but the exhaust
> shields and mud flaps look newly painted in Dunklegelb. There is some
> camouflage on the exhaust covers, but nothing like the illustrations,
> which show a lot of detail that must have come from other photos. The
> armored access cover for the engine crank is missing.
>
> 9. "5" T1 on EF, page 78, TiC I, page 327, same photo shows 3/4 left
> front, but little detail is clear due to branches, snow, and poor focus.
> The 88 has a muzzle cover. The unit insignia should be decal 16a, not
> 16, but it isn't visible. There is a tarp of some sort over the
> commander's cupola.
>
> 10. "313" TiC II, pages 269&71, 3/4 left rear and right side. The left
> side camouflage streaks should be quite different and the colors on both
> sides probably reversed. The turret number probably had a thin black
> outline The 88 had a muzzle cover. There were no cables on either side
> of the hull.
>
> 11. "333" TiC II, page 269, 3/4 right front. The camouflage colors are
> probably reversed. There was no MG mount on the commander's cupola. A
> word on wheels: regulations said that wheels were to be painted in a
> single color so that they would not catch the enemies' eyes as they
> rotated. This regulation was obviously disregarded on a wide scale, but
> all the wheel camouflage on these three sheets is much too definite
> where it existed at all. To my eyes Techmod has interpreted many mud and
> grease stains as bold patches of camouflage.
>
> 12. "233" I have no photo of this Tiger.
>
> 35001 (Late Production Model) $8.50
> All these Tigers had the normal radio aerial on the right rear.
> 1. "007" TiC II, page 290, T1 on WF, page 111. Wittmann's last Tiger.
> There was not much intact left when the photo was made, and T1 on WF
> crops the photo too closely so that parts of what was left are missing.
> This Tiger had no exhaust shields, and a piece of pipe, about 2 meters
> long, was put on the right rear plate at a vertical diagonal jammed
> between the right exhaust and the obloid conical access cover. This goes
> up through where the jack should have been. Even the TiC II photo is
> cropped such that the number could just as easily have been 107 instead
> of 007 - maybe also due to a dent in the Kiste. It is pointless to
> illustrate the "camouflage" on this burned out Tiger.
>
> 2. "205" TiC II, page 276, T1 on WF. page 97. Wittmann's assigned Tiger.
> These two photos together show the front and both sides of this Tiger.
> There was an MG on the cupola mount, and a muzzle cover on the 88. On
> the left engine cover was a low-walled box with a very light-colored top
> (even allowing for the lighting conditions) or open topped with a piece
> of cloth inside. The turret number on the left side had a bit more space
> between the 2 and the 0 than between the 0 and the 5. The 0 looks to be
> divided vertically into halves, either by a ridge of Zimmerrit or in its
> painting. The front unit insignia was painted on a patch cleared of
> Zimmerrit and probably painted all Dunklegelb or some gloss color; it
> looks almost solid white in both photos. The camouflage was more heavily
> oversprayed so that less Dunklegelb showed.
>
> 3. "112" TiC II, page 281, shows the hull rear and the turret left side.
> The only Dunklegelb that shows is a few streaks on the 88 barrel. The
> rear plate has rectangles cleared of Zimmerrit where Techmod puts decals
> 24 and 25, but the markings are not visible, nor is the turret number.
> This is one of the Tigers abandoned in Villers-Bocage, at least the
> caption says it is 112. The engine starter attachment was missing when
> the photo was made, and there was no MG mount.
>
> 4. "211" TiC II, pages 343, 344, 347, 349, T1 on WF pages 117&18, show
> most of this Tiger. The camouflage colors are probably reversed and much
> denser on the hull and turret sides and less dense on the 88 barrel. The
> front and back did have more Dunklegelb showing. Two buckets were
> carried on the rear plate, one between the exhausts and another hooked
> to the jack. The exhaust shields are much darker for their bottom third
> than the top, not at all like the illustration, maybe solid green over
> solid brown or a result of exhaust stain and heat baking the paint.
> There was a large ~55 gal. drum upright on the engine deck on the right
> at the angle between the Kiste and the turret, later put on its side
> behind the Kiste. The Bosch light mounting was in place, but the light
> itself was missing. The Siegesrune was covered by foliage on the front
> and rear. The turret numbers are positioned correctly, but with too thin
> strokes.
>
> 5. "300" TiC I, page 304, T1 on EF, pages 72&73, show the left side to
> the rear of the turret and a right front 3/4 view of Lt. Roeder's Tiger.
> The MG mount was at about 5 o'clock at the cupola rear with no MG in
> place. There were logs lashed in place on both hull sides that were as
> long as the hull. The Bosch light mount was in place, but the light was
> missing. The 88 barrel is much darker than the overall Dunklegelb base
> coat.
>
> 6. "301" I have no photo of this Tiger.
>
> 7. "312" T1 on EF, page 72, shows a left 3/4 view of most of this Tiger.
> The MG mount is not visible but could be in the 5 o'clock position. The
> Bosch light mount is in place, but the light is missing. The area behind
> the tank's number, which Techmod give as bright yellow, could as well be
> fresh Dunklegelb. The small portion of the 88 visible is dark, as #5
> above, but here the camouflage is possible, though it looks dark enough
> to be brown rather than green (the trees in the background of #5 have no
> leaves, and both the crews act like it is {still} cold, so brown is as
> applicable as green).
>
> 8. "221" TiC II, page 291, T1 on WF, pages 98 & 112, show the rear and
> left side of Ustuf. Georg Hantusch's Tiger. The engine starter
> attachment was installed over the access hole below the exhausts. An MG
> was carried on the cupola mount. The inside of the loader's hatch was
> either fresh Dunklegelb or more likely Elfenbein. The heavy tow cables
> were attached to the tow loops on each side of the rear plate. Other
> tanks in this unit did have the Bosch light mounted. After this Tiger
> was knocked out, three track links remained on the left turret side. The
> camouflage illustration is mostly imagination. Note that decal 6, the
> Kiste number, has to be used in that location. Though as is usual in
> Techmod's sets, hand-painted numbers are much too regular, this one is
> slightly different. The turret numbers should be slightly higher and
> more broadly spaced.
>
> 9. "221" TiC II, page 351, T1 on WF, page 123, show a 3/4 left front
> view after the Tiger of Hptstuf. Endemann had been knocked out and
> "occupied" by some French civilians. No MG mount is visible. The
> Siegesrune in the front had much broader strokes. The wheels were
> possibly not camouflaged at all, certainly not camouflaged as
> illustrated. The turret numbers on the left had broader strokes and the
> tops of all three were tilted to the front.
>
> 10. "A12" TiC II, pages 60 & 71, T1 on EF, page 134, show the left rear
> side, 3/4 left front, and turret rear. There was at least one fiber or
> wicker ammo tube across the engine deck near the turret. The Bosch light
> was mounted. The 3/4 view shows the mud skirts not fitted and transport
> tracks in place. The left rear side view shows skirts and battle tracks,
> and extensive damage to the lower right of the Kiste. The camouflage
> stripes were not so broad, but closer together on the turret, and the
> hull camouflage was much more diffuse with less Dunklegelb showing. The
> style of the 2 is wrong, not square enough at the top. The inside of the
> loader's and ro's hatches look like Elfenbein.
>
> 11. "913" TiC II, page 244, T1 on EF, page 123, show the right middle
> and a 3/4 right front view of Ustuf. Wimmer's Tiger. The Bosch light was
> carried, but there is no MG mount. The hull MG cover was in place, but
> the MG itself was not, so the cover was floppy. The deck in front of the
> turret was not camouflaged, though the turret and hull sides were. The
> turret number strokes are noticeably too thin, and the shape of the
> right side 1 is incorrect.
>
> 12. "211" TiC I, page 261, T1 on WF, page 58, the same photo shows a 3/4
> left rear view of Unteroffizier Kaiser's Tiger with the turret turned so
> that only its rear is visible. If the markings are supposed to be for
> this tank, they have a major error. The Kiste numbers should all be the
> same size with a thicker outline, and the 2 was definitely freehanded.
> There does not appear to have been a cross on the left hull side.
>
> CTew
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