Small Scale Military Headquarters

Since there has been so much talk about "Tiger" tanks lately, I am thinking about buying this 1:35 diecast item. However, I question whether the actual tank this model is based is really a mid-production version, or is in fact an early production version. I like the early production version the best, and I remember seeing a vintage film clip of this tank on the History Channel (the show was Battle Stations: Tiger Attack).
Basically, what I wonder about is whether Minichamps is being cheapskate not to re-tool the "Tiger I" to an early production model for release, rather than just re-paint the mid-production version.

Actually Sarge...
The Minichamps TigerI is a LATE version, Not a mid or early.. The most noticeable thing is the STEEL road wheels.. Mid prod and early Tigers had the rubber-rimmed "dished" road wheels.. So, not only is the paint scheme wrong for this version, the whole Tiger is wrong for that particular tank..

The commander's cupola is another giveaway. As well as the barrel. Early versions had a larger muzzle brake.

I suppose its within the realm of possibility that a Late version Tiger could've been painted that color, but not likely. I do know that there were Early versions with that scheme.

Still, it's a cool-looking tank. I love Minichamps tanks.







Photos courtesy of Mike's Tank Site.
http://www.mikes-tanks.com/Minichamps.htm

Who ho!! For a John Wayne wannabe, I'm slowly becoming an expert on Nazi "Tigers"...
I thought that the late version "Tiger" had a monoscope for the gunner. It looks like this Minichamps version has binocular gunner scope, which would be for the mid version, right?
I can't believe that a reputable German diecast company like Minichamps is making a mis-mash out of the most famous Panzer of all time!! They should leave the blantant historical inaccuracies to our own American toy companies (i.e. 21st Century).

Here is a link to a site that has some good TigerI info...

http://www.alanhamby.com/tiger.html

Ha! I was right. (Thanks for the URL Link, hworth).
The Minichamps Tiger I is a late model tank with steel road wheels that were introduced in Feb 44. Minichamps is very wrong when they advertise their series 3 model as "Russia 43". The dual gunner's scope would only be accurate if the tank was produced the during a month's period around Feb 44, because the monoscope was introduced sometime during March of 44.
In terms of the "Panzer Grey" base paint, didn't the Germans go back to that late in the war?
BTW, the movie "Kelly's Heroes" features 3 Tigers that are base Grey with a Green camo pattern.
I can't believe that Minichamps didn't get this model completely accurate.
Are there any other 1:35 diecast tanks that the company didn't get right?

Sarge,
As a general rule, ALL Late TigerIs were painted with a base of Dunkelgreb (Dark Yellow).. Only VERY late in the war when paint was scarce did armor come out in different paint schemes with different base colors, primarily Red Oxide primer, then painted in the field,
But by that time, the TigerIs were used up...

Hello Stryker,
Hworth is correct regarding the different iterations of the Tiger. As for other Minichamps errors, I believe they were marketing the 1st issue Panther as an A model but it looks more like a G to me. They claim there was some retooling done to make the Leopard 2 into a 2A4 but I didnt see any noticeable differences. Could be age though.

I think that most collectors are willing to overlook these errors/mis-identifications for a good-looking, sturdy representation of what they've read about or seen. While the ardent model builder and/or collector can certainly take them to task for these discrepancies, I think that by and large most people are pretty happy with their line.

Frankly, we get a little perturbed when they release new paint schemes for a vehicle when they could just as easily make some noticeable improvements and offer a new model. Take, for instance, the T-34/76. How hard would it be to turn it into a T-34/85? Same thing goes for the Sherman and Sd. Kfz. 7. Although I haven't seen their new Panther, I'm sure it'll be the same old Panther G in a later war paint scheme.

Anyway, just my two cents, which seems to be devalued of late.

Lightning2000
www.themotorpool.bigstep.com