Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf.B Tiger II 3715 GERMAN WWII HEAVY TANK 1:35 SCALE PLASTIC KIT intro The roots of the Tiger II can be traced back to 1942 when the development of a new heavy tank was launched. The new armored vehicle was intended as a successor to the Tiger I, although the development program was not initiated by German authorities, but rather by the German tank producers, Porsche/Krupp and Henschel. Both companies developed tanks on their own Porsche designed the unsuccessful VK 45.02(P) Type 180 and 181 and Henschel the VK 45.01 (H). During this process, some modern designs were developed to include such features as the Kugelblende machine gun housing (by Daimler Benz) and the shape of the turret (by Krupp). Issues encountered with the manufacturing of the hulls and wheel suspension by Porsche led German authorities to appoint Henschel as the winner of the contract. Production was launched in November, 1943, and three prototypes were assembled by the end of the year. Series production followed and peak production was reached in October 1944 with 120 Tiger IIs being manufactured. The last 45 vehicles were finished in March 1945, with thirty of them being delivered to the Waffenamt. The total production of the Tiger II amounted to 489 vehicles (plus the three prototypes). The Tiger II underwent some modifications and improvements during production. In 1945, a request for the improvement of engine output and weapons was put forth. A new type of drive sprocket with 18 teeth was introduced along with new tracks (Gg 73/800/152 Type). Contrary to the old type, the new tracks consisted of identical segments. Improvements led to the production of these simplified tracks as well as better vehicle maintenance. The first vehicles with this new tracks were deployed during the Battle of the Bulge at the end of 1944, and most frequently were used in March, 1945 production. Photos of vehicles with 18 tooth sprockets and new tracks are quite rare and few Tiger IIs from s.pz.abt. 506, 507, 510 and 511 are known in this configuration. They fought against the Allies in the Harz Mountains and other parts of Germany. Despite the relatively small number of examples manufactured, the Tiger II was a successful and efficient armored vehicle. Many German tank aces used it and Fw. Kurt Knispel of 1./503.s. Pz.Abt., the ranking German tank ace (168 v.), achieved many kills in the Tiger II. úvodem Historie tanku Tiger II sahá až do roku 1942, kdy byl dán podnět pro vývoj nového těžkého tanku, který měl na bojišti nahradit aktuálně vyráběné a nově nasazované tanky Tiger I. Nešlo však výhradně o iniciativu státních orgánů, ale snahu obou hlavních výrobců těžkých tanků, firem Porsche/Krupp a Henschel. Obě továrny samy vyvíjely své typy tanků, Porsche neúspěšný projekt VK 45.02 (P) typ 180 a 181 a Henschel svůj "Tiger" tedy VK 45.01 (H). Tyto aktivity vedly ke vzniku moderních konstrukčních prvků, jako bylo přední střeliště Kugelblende (konstrukce Daimler Benz) či nově tvarované věže pro tanky Tiger II (návrh firmy Krupp). Problémy při výrobě koreb a podvozků vedly k vyřazení Porsche ze soutěže v listopadu 1942 a dodavatelem tohoto typu tanku se stala firma Henschel. Výroba byla zahájena v listopadu roku 1943 a do konce roku se podařilo vyrobit tři prototypy. Svého vrcholu produkce dosáhla v říjnu 1944, kdy z továrních hal vyjelo 120 kusů Tigerů II. Poslední kusy byly dokončeny v březnu 1945. V tomto měsíci bylo vyrobeno 45 tanků, z nichž Waffenamt přebral 30. Celkový počet vyrobených Tigerů II dosáhl 489 kusů (plus 3 prototypy). V průběhu výroby tank prošel několika modernizacemi. V roce 1945 bylo nutné zlepšit jak výkonové charakteristiky motoru a podvozkové skupiny, tak zbraňové systémy. Podvozek byl zjednodušen montáží nově vyvinutých hnacích kol s osmnácti záběrovými zuby a novým typem pásů (typ Gg 73/800/152). Pás se nyní skládal z identických článků bez nutnosti párování dvojího typu článků (s vodícím zubem a bez něj). To značně zjednodušilo obsluhu tanku i výrobu pásů. Stroje s tímto typem pásů jsou známé již z nasazení v Ardenách v roce 1944, většího rozšíření však dosáhly až u strojů vyrobených v březnu 1945. Tanků vybavených hnacími koly s 18 zuby a moderním typem pásů není zdokumentováno velké množství. Známé jsou fotografie z pohoří Harz a dalších míst Německa. Zatím se je podařilo identifikovat u těžkých tankových oddílů 506., 507., 510. a 511.). Tank Tiger II patřil mezi zdařilé konstrukce a i přes nijak velký počet vyrobených kusů se jednalo o efektivní bojový prostředek. Na tomto typu sloužilo množství tankových es, z nichž Fw. Kurt Knispel, příslušník 1./503.s. Pz.Abt., dosáhl největšího počtu zničených tanků (168 v.) a jeho úspěchy jsou úzce spjaty právě s tímto typem. 3715 - NAV1
ATTENTION UPOZORNĚNÍ ACHTUNG ATTENTION INSTRUCTION SIGNS INSTR. SYMBOLY INSTRUKTION SINNBILDEN SYMBOLES OPTIONAL VOLBA BEND OHNOUT OPEN HOLE VYVRTAT OTVOR SYMETRICAL ASSEMBLY SYMETRICKÁ MONTÁŽ REMOVE ODŘÍZNOUT REVERSE SIDE OTOČIT APPLY EDUARD MASK AND PAINT POUŽÍT EDUARD MASK NABARVIT PARTS DÍLY TEILE PIECES PLASTIC PARTS A> B> C> D> E> F> G> 2 pcs. H> 2 pcs. PE - PHOTO ETCHED DETAIL PARTS COLOURS BARVY FARBEN PEINTURE GSi Creos (GUNZE) AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR H 3 C3 RED H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN H 12 C33 FLAT BLACK H 47 C41 RED BROWN H 79 C SANDY YELLOW H 90 C47 CLEAR RED H 33 C81 RUSSET Mr.METAL COLOR 2 H 36 C70 DARK GREEN MC214 DARK IRON
F5 B20 B22 - OPEN PARTS B14 B54 B7 B29 H 12 C33 FLAT BLACK B28 A14 A17 B16 A17 A17 B B40 B4 B1 B2 B5 B3 3
B38 B46 B6 B8 B17 B11 D22 B42 B31 B18 D14 B32 B48 B47 A12 DO NOT GLUE! A13 B55 A5 A16 B21 A29 B51 A1 4
A22 B19 B43 B44 A10 A23 A10 B83 DO NOT GLUE! B10 B82 B23 A7 A17 B15 B24 A15 B25 B41 B41 B33 B26 B27 B33 G7 4 pcs. G8 2 pcs. A26 G7 4 pcs. G8 2 pcs. A28 A B B37 PE3 A20 B9 A19 B12 A18 B13 5
PE8 A6 H 12 C33 FLAT BLACK D23 MC214 DARK IRON H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN D16 MC214 DARK IRON A25 A21 B50 A4 A8 A11 A9 A24 A9 A27 B34 F5 F5 F5 F5 B36 B35 B 8 pcs. H1 A H2 E18 E18 D12 C1 D3 - MARKING D3 B ONLY 6
C2 E14 E28 E25 E14 C3 E27 E30 C12 E27 E30 E29 E27 C15 E30 E27 E28 E28 H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN D9 D17 D14 H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN C1 D2 D2 - MARKING B ONLY D11 C D8 D D10 D24 C6 C26 H 3 C3 RED E23 E8 C13 E21 D7 D13 MC214 DARK IRON C9 C7 D15 C10 PE9 C23 C8 E9 C1 D E25 E24 E26 C18 C24 E22 E7 C C11 E11 7
PE4 E15 PE4 C31 H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN E15 C16 C27 C32 C22 H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN H 37 C43 WOOD BROWN E3 D1 E4 4 pcs. E13 E12 E G1 10 pcs. 8 pcs. F G2 G5 G5 F10 G4 F10 G4 G3 G3 F10 F10 8
D4 E6 E5 E15 C4 C5 C33 C34 E16 E31 F1 F6 F7 F6 F7 F7 F6 2 pcs. F6 F7 F6 F3 F2 F4 F 4 pcs. E 5 pcs. 2 pcs. F9 G9 G6 G9 G6 G9 G6 G9 G6 G9 F8 9
7 pcs. H3 STEP 2 E1 STEP 2 E2 H2 7 pcs. H1 6 pcs. STEP 1 E3 H5 H4 STEP 1 H4 H2 H6 STEP 1 H3 H2 H3 H1 H2 9 pcs. H3 H4 H3 H1 8 pcs. H2 9 pcs. H3 H2 H1 H2 H E10 D18 E10 E10 D19 G G E10 D6 G 2 pcs. E20 E19 D5 H 33 C81 RUSSET D27 D28 D17 C30 A B C30 - MARKINGS ; ONLY D25 D26 C29 C29 - MARKING B ONLY H 90 C47 CLEAR RED PE2 D20 D21 10
D29 PE10 PE11 D30 STEP 1 PE1 A3 PE1 D32 A2 PE5 PE6 D31 STEP 1 PE1 H 11
A 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510, Rengershausen, Germany, April, 1945 One of six factory-fresh tanks that were delivered to 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510 in late March, 1945, in Kassel as a replacement for vehicles lost in previous battles. This unit moved to Kassel from Kuronsk at that time. These tanks, under the command of Hptm. Hellpup, participated in the defense of Kassel in the period from March 30 to April 5, 1945. On the very first day of fighting, he knocked out six US tank destroyers near Fritzlar. On April 2, German tanks attacked advancing American armored vehicles (1st Battalion, 318th IR) and managed to destroy six of them for the loss of one Tiger II. 3./s.Pz.Abt. 510 was disbanded on April 17, 1945. The 'Ambush' camouflage scheme is well visible in photos of this Tiger II. This type of camouflage was regularly used from late 1944 /early 1945 to March, 1945. ČESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/3715 SANDY YELLOW 12 DARK GREEN 70 RED BROWN H47 41 eduard
B 3./s.Pz.Abt. 511, Kassel, Germany, 1945 This vehicle was destroyed on April 5, 1945, probably by an American tank destroyer from the 702nd TD Bn. The driver Rudi Kaiser was killed during this incident. The rare camouflage scheme depicted is known as 'Octopus' thanks to the green rings painted on the European Yellow base. The origin of this scheme is not clear, and may have come about due to the shortage of time to apply the camouflage, or may have resulted from the lack of red-brown paint in stock. The swastika on the front armor plate was painted after the war, probably by some Allied soldier as it s beams are oriented in the wrong direction. As well as other Tiger IIs in this kit, the transport tracks (Verlandekette) are mounted. 70 70 70 ČESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/3715 70 2+3 SANDY YELLOW DARK GREEN 70 eduard 13
C 1./s.Pz.Abt.506, Burg Reuland Area, Belgium, 1945 This vehicle was knocked out by US forces in February, 1945, and belonged to 1./s.Pz.Abt.506 (7th Armee). This unit participated in the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes from December 1944, mainly in the Bastogne area. The vehicle is depicted with the narrow transport tracks as delivered to the operational unit. The standard wide tracks were carried by the tank when destroyed by US forces. The camouflage scheme consists of irregular fields of green, red-brown and yellow. 1 H47 41 H47 41 70 70 ČESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA www.eduard.com/s/3715 1 70 H47 41 SANDY YELLOW DARK GREEN 70 RED BROWN H47 41 eduard 14 EDUARD M.A. 2014 www.eduard.com Printed in Czech Republic