Early Tiger I / Late Tiger I ~ FoV / 21st Century Conversion

[Jnewboy]

This is my first tutorial type post. I did this so it could be understood what goes into one of these Tigers prior to painting. If you follow these steps you will finish with two (or four) historically correct Tiger I's


You start with your Tigers, first strip off what you can, then remove screws and separate bodies. (that was easy )


Using a dremel, carefully cut away side walls on 21st Cen Tigers, Cut away the pegs on the FoV Tigers




Attach the track walls to the other chassi's sides, I use hot glue for this.


You have now created "Der Panzer Tower"


Now start on the Turrets


Using a dremel CAREFULLY cut away shown parts


Using supper sculpt make your pistol port and plug holes


Sand, Paint, sand, paint.... sand


Add cupola, (modify a MK IV's or carve your own) add pistol port bolts and roof fan from FoV Tiger


Add vent from 21st Tiger, sculpt the grenade launcher


Late version done,


Early/mid version done, (I had to cast another light, this does not include air filters, if the tiger you are doing has them, then make them, many had them many did not so I do not automatically include them, same goes for smoke flare and signal flare launchers)

That's it guys, easy

(I left out the pictures of all the hours of sanding and the pile primer bottles)

[B17Fortress]

I always feel diminuitive when I see people that have the quantity of tanks to try something like this. Guess the JSI tiger on my shelf will have to do for now.

Anyway thanks for posting this it was really interesting.

[pickelhaube]

Great tutorial. How did you make the early copula ?

[Jnewboy]

the mk IV copula has the same design more or less, just modify it with super sculpt

[Jnewboy]

I always feel diminuitive when I see people that have the quantity of tanks to try something like this. Guess the JSI tiger on my shelf will have to do for now.

Anyway thanks for posting this it was really interesting.

Your half way there, get your self a FoV Tiger and get to work!!

[B17Fortress]

Yeah, I don't like the feeling of hacking up my $90 JSI tiger with my skill level.

[Jnewboy]

Yeah, I don't like the feeling of hacking up my $90 JSI tiger with my skill level.

I understand, believe me, I was very hesitant when I took a perfectly good Me-262 and filled the cockpit with bondo but hey, look what I got!

[normandy]

Wow, thats an excellent job on those Tigers! Gives me another reason to track down some more.
Has anyone cast the rubber rimmed road wheels from the FOV Tiger I? If not, how easily can they be removed from the tank?

Well I did some digging and remembered Yoxford did a custom Tiger.......4th post from the bottom,
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10461&p=120515#p120515

[tmanthegreat]

Always great to see the "behind the scenes" work at how you all get these amazing models. Amazing work with the dremel - I could never quite get mine to do what your's did, though I'm still a bit of a novice in that respect Excellent work and this gives me some great tips!

[Jnewboy]

Always great to see the "behind the scenes" work at how you all get these amazing models. Amazing work with the dremel - I could never quite get mine to do what your's did, though I'm still a bit of a novice in that respect Excellent work and this gives me some great tips!

I use a 300 and I love it!, I use to use battery powered ones and after 20min of cutting the bat would die and I would have to stop... That makes for some long projects

[pickelhaube]

the mk IV copula has the same design more or less, just modify it with super sculpt

That is what I thought .

I actually recommend doing this ( using a panzer's copula ) to a fellow modeler and it looks like that it works.

Now you just need to add the vision slots.

[Jnewboy]

the mk IV copula has the same design more or less, just modify it with super sculpt

That is what I thought .

I actually recommend doing this ( using a panzer's copula ) to a fellow modeler and it looks like that it works.

Now you just need to add the vision slots.

Yep! its actually a very perfect fit, and the docking collar is exactly right

[pickelhaube]

I bumped this up because it took me so long to find.

I wanted to see how you did it again.

[grunt1]

Yes this was great. I ordered some FoV Tigers just so I could do one or two of these myself. Jnew, what bit did you use on the dremel to cut off the cupola and other turret bits?

[normandy]

I bumped this up because it took me so long to find.

I wanted to see how you did it again.

Jon, you did a great job on these conversions!!! I ordered a FOV Tiger and picked up a 21st Tiger just to do these customs, Your how to will make it easier. I just have to finish the Hortens.

[CanberraPaul]

I would not have my Wittmann Tiger without Jons great conversion. Top work all round.

[Jnewboy]

Thanks Guys!

Yes this was great. I ordered some FoV Tigers just so I could do one or two of these myself. Jnew, what bit did you use on the dremel to cut off the cupola and other turret bits?

I used both the large diamond wheel and the wood cutting wheel as it is even slightly bigger, run the dremel at super high speed and go slow...

These Tiger conversions arent that easy, take your time when putting the wheels on the sides and do allot of checking alignment issues. Remember that you also will need a MK IV Turret for the early version copula..

[Jnewboy]

Bump for Mathew

[normandy]

Jon, projects like this will keep me in 1:18 for a very long time.

[pickelhaube]

Thanks Jon for bumping this .

A new collector contacted me about doing this modification and I could not find the post to show him how it was done..

I kind of wished you would have show some close up as to how or what you used as guidelines to do your cutting.

Is it too late to do that ?

Thanks again !!!

[Jnewboy]

Thanks Jon for bumping this .

A new collector contacted me about doing this modification and I could not find the post to show him how it was done..

I kind of wished you would have show some close up as to how or what you used as guidelines to do your cutting.

Is it too late to do that ?

Thanks again !!!

Not exactly sure what step you have a question on. As far as the seperation of the wheels, I just sliced right along the bottom close to the edge so the outer wall with the wheels was still intacted, the FOV tank comes apart at the same place without even having to cut it, just lossen the side screws and it comes apart, then cut off those side screw pegs.

I dont have any of those tanks anymore, they were all finished and sold along time back but here are all the photos I have of the process so your friend can see what the finished product might look like.

http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/Jnewb ... ent&page=1

[blitzhazed]

thanks just done two can any one cast some cupolas and the other parts needed as well as some track links etc thanks dominic

[plasticboy]

Great work!! I like the modification that you have done, I don't have any 1/18 early Tiger.