"Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger"
Osprey Model Manual No. 13
byy: Rodrigo Hernandez Cabos & John Pigent
MSRP: $15.95
By Ray Mehlberger
I am confident, by now, that most of our readers are familiar with the Osprey series of soft cover books on individual aircraft, armor, uniforms, campaigns etc. Recently, they have branched out into books aimed at us plastic modelers. Other titles, in their series of modeling manuals, are "Panzer Modelling", "Airbrush Painting Techniques", "WWII Dioramas, & "Modeling WWII figures" to just mention a few in this series of what is now 16 different manuals.
I recently bought this new book, on modeling Tiger tank models, at the local hobby shop. Readers can order this book...or any others in this series, online direct from Osprey
The book is soft-cover, in 9 3/4" x 7 1/4" page format. It contains 64 pages. There are 110 color photos of the Tiger models that are featured. Also included are five, black and white, wartime photos of the Tiger, Elephant, and the Sturmtiger.
There are four pages of scrap drawings of various details on Tigers. Add to this 18 color photos of Tigers in various museums (the majority of these are of the walk-around variety), six color profile paintings, three five-view line drawings of Tigers, and one three-view line drawing of the Sturmtiger.
The book begins with a short history of Tiger variants. The next chapter describes building a Tiger I Ausf. E (Mid-production) using various kits and accessories. This is followed by a chapter on modeling a late-production Tiger using a Tamiya kit as the basis and adding extra details. All things done to these Tiger kits is thoroughly explained in these build stories.
The next few pages have some photos of a Tiger diorama by Yoshitaka Hirano, who won a gold medal for it at the Euromilitare Contest in 1995. However, no mention is made as to how he did things.
The third chapter describes building another late E using a Jordi Rubio turned aluminum barrel, and On The Mark PE parts...but it never says what basic kit was used.
Chapter 4 is still another late E model. This one is built using the Tamiya kit, On The Mark PE parts, Model Kasten track links etc.
Chapter 5 is on building a Sturmtiger, using an old Verlinden kit for the basis, On The Mark PE, Show Modeling PE, Grant Line rivets, and parts from various Tamiya kits.
There are details on where you can see the real things in museums, a selected bibliography, and a variety of web sites about the Tiger, plus a full roundup of Tiger models that are available on the market.
If you are going to do a Tiger or Sturmtiger this book will be of good value to have. However, if you intend on superdetailing the interior it will not help you there.
Highly recommended.
