DML/Dragon 1/35 King Tiger, Late Production w/New Pattern Tracks, Ardennes 1944 Kit No. 6232 MSRP: $36.00 By Ray Mehlberger

History

The Henschel design for the Tiger II (King Tiger) was completed in October of 1943. Early production models carried a turret designed by Porsche, but after the first 50 models had been built, the tanks were wholly produced by Henschel. The tank was similar to the Panther and used the same engine. Because of its heavier armor, impenetrable to most Allied weapons, this resulted in a lower power-to-weight ratio and consequent loss of speed and mobility.

The main problem with the King Tiger was reliability. Many were abandoned by their crews when they broke down or ran out of fuel, as their bulk made them difficult to move or even conceal. The King Tigers first saw combat on the Eastern Front in May of 1944 and in the battles in Normandy in Autumn of that year.

What's in the box?

The kit comes in a large tray and lid type box. This box is really stuffed. It is amazing that DML managed to get everything into it.

The box art shows a King Tiger moving down a snow-covered road in a forest (I'm assuming this is the Ardennes?) There is a commander in the turret hatch and he seems to be signaling to someone with his left arm raised. Two German infantrymen accompany the vehicle on foot.

Side panels of the box depict the special features in the kit and two color photos show the completed model.

The kit contains 11 cello bags that hold 16 medium gray trees of styrene parts. Another cello holds the single bottom chassis tub part. Two PE frets, three turned brass ammo rounds, a turned aluminum 88mm gun barrel, a length of metal wire (to fabricate tow cables from), and the decal sheet are in a final cello. All these parts are pinned to a stiff cardboard backing sheet.

The large instruction sheet completes the contents. This large sheet accordian folds out into 8 pages. It is printed on slick, coated, paper and full color actual photos of kit parts are shown in each step. This is versus the usual method of using line drawings and uncoated paper. Some modelers prefer this type of instructions - others condemn it. I remain undecided.

Page 1 of the instructions begins with a full color repeat of the box art. This is followed by the parts tree drawings. Some of the parts on these drawings are shaded out, meaning that they are spares/excess and not needed to complete the model.

Page 2 begins with general cautions about building the model, in 6 different languages. This is followed by international assembly symbol translations and a hobby paint color listing of colors suggested to complete the kit. The bottom of the page gives us the first assembly step. In this step you can opt to choose between two different types of drive sprockets provided.

Pages 3 through the top of page 7 give us the balance of a total of 22 assembly steps for the vehicle. The bottom of page 7 is assembly step no. 23. This is for the assembly and painting of the four figures in the kit.

Page 8 gives us 5-view drawings, in full color, of a King Tiger in service with sPz. Abt. 506, Ardennes 1944. This is the only scheme provided. The bottom of the page gives instructions for applying the decals.

There are two identical letter A parts trees. These hold: one style of drive sprockets, idler wheels and their base housings. (17 parts per tree) 11 of these parts, per tree, are spare/excess and not needed to complete the model.

There are two identical letter B parts trees. These hold: tow rings, exhaust pipes and a lot of other small fittings (46 parts per tree) 26 of these parts, per tree, are spares/excess.

Letter C tree holds: tools, hatch lids, the jack, fender ends etc. (35 parts) 10 of these parts are spares/excess. This tree appears to be a common tree with DML's other kit of the Jagdtiger. This is because one of the parts is definitely the rear plate of a Jagdtiger fighting compartment.

Letter D tree holds: the rear hull plate, upper hull plate, tow points, tow cable ends (to go with the supplied wire cable to fabricate tow cables), complete styrene tow cable, more tools etc. (33 parts). One of the parts is a spare/excess.

There is no letter E parts tree.

There are three identical letter F parts trees. These hold the individual track links. (72 parts per tree).

There are three identical letter G parts trees. These hold: road wheels, suspension arms and wheel axle end caps (26 parts per tree).

There is no letter H parts tree.

Letter I is the single hull bottom tub piece.

There are no letter J, K or L parts trees.

MA is one of the brass PE frets. It holds engine air intake screens (12 parts).

MB is the three turned brass 88mm ammo rounds.

MC is the second brass PE fret. It holds three parts that are the percussion cap ends for the three ammo rounds.

There is no letter O parts tree.

Letter P tree is the other alternate drive sprockets you can opt for. (4 parts)

A loose part, only refered to as number 1, is a gun shield part.

There is no letter Q parts tree.

Letter S refers to the length of metal wire that is used to fabricate tow cables.

Finally there is a tree of the figure parts. This tree carries the kit no. 6115 on it. This is the number of a earlier DML figure kit that was sold seperately and called "352nd Volksgrenadier Div.". It holds parts of four figures. They are divided into separate heads, torsos, arms and legs. Also, on this tree are lower sections of overcoats, two gas mask canisters, four k98 carbine ammo pouches, four stick gernades, four bread bags, four canteens, four MP40 machine pistols and their ammo pouches, four steel helmets, a pair of binoculars, two mess kits and two folded shovels in their pouches. (63 parts).

Two other small parts trees (I'm assuming are parts of 6115) hold personal weapons. You get two K98 carbines, three different styles of panzer-fausts, four bayonets in scabbards, four more stick grenades, two assault rifles, and a panzer-shreck with one round for it (20 parts total on these two trees). 15 of these parts are spares/excess.

The decal sheet completes the kits contents. This sheet only provides turret numbers and German national crosses. There are no division markings or tactical marking on it.

This is one neat kit and will make up into quite a large vehicle. Molding is precise and no flash is evident on any parts.

Highly recommended. I bought my kit at my local hobby shop.