Tiger I Late production Dragon 6253 Chapter 5: Gun mantlet and metal barrel

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The gun breech, mantlet, and barrel assembly are instructed to be constructed first. The mantlet and muzzle brake options applicable to each variant are clearly pointed out. The ATAK Zimmerit kit includes two of these mantlet options in resin. The command variant option is the only one not included but as the only difference is a MG delete, it is easy enough to cover the MG hole on either of the resin options. The ATAK parts are a perfect match to the plastic parts, so no extra work is required. You get both a plastic and turned metal barrel and these key in to either the earlier large, or final version's smaller type muzzle brake. 

 

Tiger I Dragon 6253 Late production Chapter 4: Applying ATAK Zimmerit

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Skipping ahead of fitting the few engine components, I mulled over how best to approach adding the hull zimmerit. The kit separately moulded side armour plates first require fixing to the hull tub sides. Spacing is dictated by some very chunky holes and they fit precisely, butting up perfectly to the rear plate. 

Test fitting the ATAK zimmerit sheets against these side plates found that they also attach to the side profile of the armoured front plate. This front plate is not added for a few more steps in the instructions and is first to be attached to the top plate moulding. I didn't really want to add too many smaller parts before having to handle the model, so, ideally I needed to first add the armoured plate to the hull tub. Checking that fixing it to the hull tub instead would not disturb the build sequencing, or impede any other parts placement, I found it is possible. But only if the lower glacis plate is fixed in place at the same time. Two glacis plate options are offered. One with moulded on front track guards and one without, so you can add the PE track guards with the option of folding them back or adding damage etc.  

As I was going to represent a vehicle with zimmerit applied to the front armoured plate, glacis, and bow plate, I could now attach all these parts and the zimmerit sheets at the same time. The hull side zimmerit sheets have a myriad of small square witness holes to open up to fit around moulded on track guard mounting studs and cable fixings. Once these are opened up with a sharp blade the zimmerit fits really well. Likewise, both front and rear sheets also mated up nicely. There is the inevitable small amount of tidy up to do where the sheets meet, but overall I'm happy with the way it's looking.

Comparing 1/35 aftermarket metal & 3D printed tracks (2024)

Aftermarket track links are not cheap. Let’s get that out of the way first. Often as much as 50% of the price of a kit! Whether you think they are good value and will enhance a build will be down to personal preference. Although kit manufacturers have made great strides in improving what they now offer in their kits, whether it be individual tracks, workable, or the link and length type, there is no denying that the workable type have a huge advantage over the conventional fixed or rubber band type. The natural sag that a set of workable links exhibit is difficult to replicate. It can be done but it is not always straight forward. Whilst Friul metal tracks were once the go-to for aftermarket tracks, let us look at some recent additions to a rook of 3D printed tracks that have recently hit the market. 

StuH 42 & StuG. III Ausf G late production (Rye Field Models RM - 5086 1/35) Chapter 3: Gun box, engine deck and fixing the loaders front armour plate

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I’m currently building up the engine deck which comes as a separate moulding but I’m not going to attach all the parts permanently until I can confirm how the Legends Production stowage I have just ordered is contoured to fit. 

 

Engine deck, armoured engine hatches, and gun box roof all test fitted.

Panzer IV Ausf J (Rye Field Models RM-5033) Chapter 6: Tracks

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RFM offer individual links together with a fitting jig. They are an appropriate type for the vehicle. Along with this out of the box solution I had quite a few other options. First up I had the three-return roller link and length tracks leftover from the Border kit. In addition I also had two 3D printed aftermarket sets.  T-Rex and QuickTrack. As I hadn't yet tried them, I finally opted for the QuickTrack snap fit set.

These are type 7 links and come in two bags for both left and right fitting. A small bag with a few open links and wire, to which you can thread through to close a completed track loop is also included. Both runs were built up in an alarmingly quick 20mins. They do indeed simply snap together and are far more robust than they look once assembled. 

Mercedes L4500A (Zvezda) Chapter 4: Aftermarket resin wheels and suspension

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Aftermarket wheels

If you are to employ an aftermarket set of wheels beware to check before adding parts C42 and C43 to the rear axle. The kit's outer hub moulding was included as part of the outer wheel in my Hussar aftermarket set so the inner rear wheels mounted directly to the backplate parts C39 and C40

Axles

The front and rear axles are nicely rendered, and all the small assemblies go together without hitch. The front wheels are designed to rotate but to make this possible, as well as the simple task of trapping the tie rod allowing the wheels to move inwards and outwards, you would still need to drill out the steering arm, drag link and knuckle arms. I did this successfully with a previous L4500S build but this time I decided to fix the wheels at a rotated angle.