Small Scale Military Headquarters

Hi all!
I have a question to the more learned and knowledgable members.
I just bought the Minichamps 1/35 TigerII, great model, and noticed the machine gun on the comanders cupola, on checking my reference, that is an Osprey book, I did not find any photos of a King Tiger with a machine gun on the turret. did they have this?
its a small detail, but I'm interested to know.
Thanks and this is a great forum!

Congratulations, it is a wonderful model. You can find a photo of a similar King Tiger with the 'G' painted on the glacis plate in 'Tigers in Combat' by Wolfgang Schneider.

With regards to the MG34 on the cupola, at that point in the war, the Allies had total air superiority and most of the new German heavy tanks were issued with these for anti-aircraft defense.

Hi, Mr.Football and thanks for the swift reply, I must say that your answer has put to rest any doubts of accuracy I had of the model.
I must get hold of that book you mentioned. Yes, its truly a great model, my third Minichamps tank this year.

Just to underscore what Mr. Football has written, I have never seen a picture of the King Tiger with the MG on the cupola. I have seen pictures of both the Porsche-turreted and Henschel-turreted versions with the mounting bracket for the MG in place. Therefore, I conclude that the MG must have been available.

Football and Jagdplastic are correct, but I'd like to add that all Mid-production and later Panthers, TigerI's and TigerII's had the AA mg mounts..

Thanks guys, for the details. I cannot find a photo anywhere, but I believe you guys!

tanktracks wrote:Thanks guys, for the details. I cannot find a photo anywhere, but I believe you guys!

If you have access to a book called "Tigers at the Front" By Thomas L. Jentz, it is a great reference book and has many pics of TigerIIs with the Mg mount..
I believe that the mount was only used in travelling because the mg wouldn't be used in actual combat. That's why you don't see it mounted very often..

The Thomas Jentz/Hillary Doyle books are awesome!

thanks guys, have to get those books.