The collectors showcase new Tiger 501st Heavy Tank battalion Ardennes You would think at $150.00 they could get it right
Let's start with the obvious: This is a mid-production unit judging from the lack of pistol port and the dished rubber road wheels. Zimmert is wrong. It is applied only as high as someone on the ground could reach normally so coating the turret is wrong. Second, by the time of the Ardennes Offensive Zimmert was no longer being used on tanks and stopped being issued to units. If this tank is an older vehicle why is the coating in such good shape? It can't be a factory job as by this time the late model production Tigers with resiliant steel road wheels are in production. The markings are totally bogus. The large tiger? Show me a picture of that! Aside from that, there are few crews that would apply such a nice and temporary whitewash finish to their tank. Less obvious: The shovel on the front. Nice wood handle and very clean....and too large... Where is the tool box on the left rear of the tank? Tow cables one side only and no track changing or repair cables?! Rrriiiggggttthhh.... For $150 I'd expect perfection. That isn't. It's a heavy dose of artistic licsense and little more.
Heer 501 served in The East. SS 501 was in The West but by this time it had been issued TII's. The markings are for Heer 501.
There are some mismatches on this vehicle. The large muzzle break, rubber road wheels, "dust-bin" cupola, left rear storage box, binocular sight, pistol port, mine launchers, and air filters belong on the early. Some have two shovels on the front, and round spade on the second deck, and a flat shovel on the first. The late had the shorter cupola, monocular sight, improved exhaust, smaller muzzle break, steel wheels, those (when zimmert was applied) did have it on vertical surfaces, even the turret. As was said...some of each, all of nothing, and looking a bit too fresh off the assembly line. No damage/usage/extras of equipment/spare parts, stores. Thomas L. Jentz's "Tigers at the front" has pictures of any combination of the above mentioned items you want to see. Except the one I see here. The secondary hatch is looking kinda round as well, instead of rectangular. What is right?
By the by, S. Pz Abt 501 was oblitherated at Vitbsk in the opening days of Bagration. That was July 44. There were very few survivors from the unit and as far as I know it never got reestablished as a result.
Hi All the spade on the front Glacis plate is the wqrong way up and would interfere with the bow machine gun. Heres a picture of my early 1/16th tamiya tiger that i painted for a mate. Matt
Hi Subs, No they're not cheap- the full option ones with full metal tracks are very expencive, but i wasn't paying for it and infact never got paid for my time, paint and effort. Matt- Never again!
