Saturday, 1 June 2024

Dragon 6253 1/35 Tiger I Late production Chapter 2: Choosing a vehicle to build

Knowing very little about the production history of these big cats I’ve turned to the David Byrden website. As mentioned above, for this kit David adds a few pointers on how to solve a few instruction discrepancies, some recommendations to modify a few small parts,  and advice on how to add some small missing features. Apart from adding the zimmerit, its pretty much all that is required.

With the choice of three variants the first logical step is to choose a subject. I’ve always been fascinated with the Normandy campaign, so I am going to research a worthy candidate. The Tigers that were operating in Normandy fought exclusively, as far as I know, in the British and Canadian sectors around Caen where the German armour was concentrated. Three German Schwere Panzer Abteilung fought in Normandy and a few Tigers may (or may not) have been present in the Panzer Lehr Division.

s.SS-Pz.Abt. 101 had 45 Tiger I and reached Normandy on June 12, travelling from Beauvais near Paris. Michael Wittmann and the 1st and 2nd Companies famously fought in the well-known battle of Villers-Bocage on June 13.

s.Pz.Abt. 503 was transferred to Normandy with 33 Tiger I and 12 Tiger II in early July.

s.SS-Pz.Abt. 102 was transferred to Normandy with 45 Tiger I in early July. They were engaged in the bitter fighting for Hill 112.

Paintings and markings in the kit are for no less than twenty-four Ss.Pz.Abt 101 gun tank vehicles and command vehicle 009, as well as three vehicles from SS.Pz.Abt 508 that fought in Italy
 

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