Kurt Knispel Commemorative Buddy Build
Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:15 am
Hey Fellas,
So back in January, "WarWarNeverChanges" Jonas Coleman (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2VKVG ... 2E4gtu5gLw) and I started work on a buddy build dedicated to Kurt Knispel, a WWII German Wehrmacht tank ace.
Here is is with his commander and best friend Ruddel.
Jonas is planning on building Kurt's Panzer IV that he rode in as a gunner.
And myself, I planned on building his Normandy Early Production Tiger II.
I've been planning to do this build for about four years now, back when I first bought an interior package and the Tamiya Tiger II kit. Since then I gathered several PE sets and apparently a couple of barrels for the build. I never managed to find a suitable figure though. I have yet to find a figure of Kurt anywhere (that isn't a basement model and looks like old cheese).
So here's a bit of history and why I have a strong admiration for the young man.
The highest scoring tank ace of WWII was Germany’s Kurt Knispel. Knispel total tank kills were confirmed at 168, with some unconfirmed estimates stating that total could actually be closer to 195 kills. Knispel is considered by some as the greatest tank ace in history. His awards included the Iron Cross, Panzer Badge and German Cross in Gold.
Kurt Knispel began his basic training at Panzer Replacement Training Battalion. He later received tank training on the Panzer I, Panzer II and Panzer IV tanks. Knispel was also instructed on the Panzer IV as a loader and gunner. When training was completed in June of 1941, Knispel was assigned as gunner of a Panzer IV under the leadership of Lt. Hellman and he began his World War II service.
In January of 1943, Knispel returned for training on the newer Tiger I tanks. At that time, he was already credited with 12 kills. His squadron – 1st Company of the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion – participated in various battles throughout World War II, eventually upgrading to the Tiger II tank. Knispel is said to have accomplished an incredible 24 hits in one action with the Tiger II tank.
Kurt Knispel was recommended four different times to receive the Knight’s Cross – a coveted award received by many of the other German tank aces. Knispel, however, did not mind that he was consistently passed over. The purpose of his mission was not for decoration. He is even said to have credited others with kills he could have easily disputed as his own. His rise in ranks was slow which is attributed to a few conflicts he encountered with Nazi authorities and his lack of typical military uniformity – sporting longer hair than most and a goatee.
Kurt Knispel – an individual who fought in every type of German tank as a loader, a gunner and a commander – received a fatal wound just ten days before the end of the war. At age 23, the highest scoring tank ace of WWII – Kurt Knispel – was dead.
Some of my notes on the build...
The Tiger II
- 50 early turrets made (all turrets designed by Krupp, misnomer for porsche/henchel)
- Total Tiger II made 1347
- In May the 503rd re-equipped itself with the new Konigstiger.
- 503rd was the first to use them near Caen durning the Allied invasion of Normandy - July 18 1944
- Knispel fought in Fedensack’s tank in Normandy, and that would be the last time they would fight together: Fedensack died near St. Pierre. Knispel took ad-hoc command of a Konigstiger for the first time and covered the other panzer crew’s retreat.
- Most likely the 12 that they were issued at that time were early production turrets (porsche)
- At that time, according to the notes, Kurt was a Feldwebel (US Staff Sergeant or RAF Sergeant.) in the 1st Company of the 503rd
Kurt's Medals at the time of the Build
Iron Cross E.K.II (2nd Class)
Iron Cross E.K. I awarded after actions at Kursk July 1943. He destroyed 27 T-34's in 12 days during this battle.
Winterschlacht im Osten The so-called 'Order of the Frozen Flesh'.
Wound Badge (silver)
Panzerkampfabzeichen Panzer Assault Badge (silver)
Panzerkampfabzeichen 100 assaults.
German Cross in Gold on 20 May 1944 as Unteroffizier in the 1./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503[6]
To build Kurt's Normandy tiger II I chose Tamiya's German King Tiger "Porsche Turret" 35169.
And Verlindin's resin interior pack. #1792 King Tiger Interior (Tamiya)
And Verlindin's resin engine set . #2117 King Tiger Engine Pack (Dragon) (I bought this for another build originally)
I never had any intention of showing off the interior other than "through the hatch" details, but I wanted to do a full interior build as I hadn't done one in some time.
It wasn't until I'd gotten quite a ways into the construction of the interior that I realised that I was using the late production interior set instead of the early. There were also a number of pieces missing from the set which made it even more difficult to build.
I guess it was a good thing that I was planning on just "through the hatch" haha.
So on the the build.
As with any build, mock ups, dryfits, an planning are necessary.
While going through these steps I noticed my issues with the interior packs, but I decided to use them anyway.
The sets are old and the quality of detail, though exceptional, it's attached to gigantic pour plugs or they're cast on thick sheets of resin that must be thinned considerably in order to fit properly. This is both dangerous as resin is wickedly toxic unless you're wearing a mask and rubber gloves, and it's difficult as the parts are very fragile and sanding that much material can cause them to crack and break.
To say that it was easy to do this part of the build and that I enjoyed it would be a lie.
Here are some shots of the dryfits during sanding.
So it was an epic tale and adventure in toxic dust and mess. Needless to say, it will be some time before I do another full interior build haha.
So the scene that I want to use for the diorama is this one.
It's the 503 hiding under some large trees in Normandy while refuelling and rearming.
I found it really interesting that while I was pouring over these photos I noticed that one of the Tiger II's were a really early version of the Tiger II. You can tell by the front mud flaps.
Were the others are slightly later and looked like this.
I really wish that we could see the turret numbers in these shots other than Tiger 114's.
So back in January, "WarWarNeverChanges" Jonas Coleman (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2VKVG ... 2E4gtu5gLw) and I started work on a buddy build dedicated to Kurt Knispel, a WWII German Wehrmacht tank ace.
Here is is with his commander and best friend Ruddel.
Jonas is planning on building Kurt's Panzer IV that he rode in as a gunner.
And myself, I planned on building his Normandy Early Production Tiger II.
I've been planning to do this build for about four years now, back when I first bought an interior package and the Tamiya Tiger II kit. Since then I gathered several PE sets and apparently a couple of barrels for the build. I never managed to find a suitable figure though. I have yet to find a figure of Kurt anywhere (that isn't a basement model and looks like old cheese).
So here's a bit of history and why I have a strong admiration for the young man.
The highest scoring tank ace of WWII was Germany’s Kurt Knispel. Knispel total tank kills were confirmed at 168, with some unconfirmed estimates stating that total could actually be closer to 195 kills. Knispel is considered by some as the greatest tank ace in history. His awards included the Iron Cross, Panzer Badge and German Cross in Gold.
Kurt Knispel began his basic training at Panzer Replacement Training Battalion. He later received tank training on the Panzer I, Panzer II and Panzer IV tanks. Knispel was also instructed on the Panzer IV as a loader and gunner. When training was completed in June of 1941, Knispel was assigned as gunner of a Panzer IV under the leadership of Lt. Hellman and he began his World War II service.
In January of 1943, Knispel returned for training on the newer Tiger I tanks. At that time, he was already credited with 12 kills. His squadron – 1st Company of the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion – participated in various battles throughout World War II, eventually upgrading to the Tiger II tank. Knispel is said to have accomplished an incredible 24 hits in one action with the Tiger II tank.
Kurt Knispel was recommended four different times to receive the Knight’s Cross – a coveted award received by many of the other German tank aces. Knispel, however, did not mind that he was consistently passed over. The purpose of his mission was not for decoration. He is even said to have credited others with kills he could have easily disputed as his own. His rise in ranks was slow which is attributed to a few conflicts he encountered with Nazi authorities and his lack of typical military uniformity – sporting longer hair than most and a goatee.
Kurt Knispel – an individual who fought in every type of German tank as a loader, a gunner and a commander – received a fatal wound just ten days before the end of the war. At age 23, the highest scoring tank ace of WWII – Kurt Knispel – was dead.
Some of my notes on the build...
The Tiger II
- 50 early turrets made (all turrets designed by Krupp, misnomer for porsche/henchel)
- Total Tiger II made 1347
- In May the 503rd re-equipped itself with the new Konigstiger.
- 503rd was the first to use them near Caen durning the Allied invasion of Normandy - July 18 1944
- Knispel fought in Fedensack’s tank in Normandy, and that would be the last time they would fight together: Fedensack died near St. Pierre. Knispel took ad-hoc command of a Konigstiger for the first time and covered the other panzer crew’s retreat.
- Most likely the 12 that they were issued at that time were early production turrets (porsche)
- At that time, according to the notes, Kurt was a Feldwebel (US Staff Sergeant or RAF Sergeant.) in the 1st Company of the 503rd
Kurt's Medals at the time of the Build
Iron Cross E.K.II (2nd Class)
Iron Cross E.K. I awarded after actions at Kursk July 1943. He destroyed 27 T-34's in 12 days during this battle.
Winterschlacht im Osten The so-called 'Order of the Frozen Flesh'.
Wound Badge (silver)
Panzerkampfabzeichen Panzer Assault Badge (silver)
Panzerkampfabzeichen 100 assaults.
German Cross in Gold on 20 May 1944 as Unteroffizier in the 1./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503[6]
To build Kurt's Normandy tiger II I chose Tamiya's German King Tiger "Porsche Turret" 35169.
And Verlindin's resin interior pack. #1792 King Tiger Interior (Tamiya)
And Verlindin's resin engine set . #2117 King Tiger Engine Pack (Dragon) (I bought this for another build originally)
I never had any intention of showing off the interior other than "through the hatch" details, but I wanted to do a full interior build as I hadn't done one in some time.
It wasn't until I'd gotten quite a ways into the construction of the interior that I realised that I was using the late production interior set instead of the early. There were also a number of pieces missing from the set which made it even more difficult to build.
I guess it was a good thing that I was planning on just "through the hatch" haha.
So on the the build.
As with any build, mock ups, dryfits, an planning are necessary.
While going through these steps I noticed my issues with the interior packs, but I decided to use them anyway.
The sets are old and the quality of detail, though exceptional, it's attached to gigantic pour plugs or they're cast on thick sheets of resin that must be thinned considerably in order to fit properly. This is both dangerous as resin is wickedly toxic unless you're wearing a mask and rubber gloves, and it's difficult as the parts are very fragile and sanding that much material can cause them to crack and break.
To say that it was easy to do this part of the build and that I enjoyed it would be a lie.
Here are some shots of the dryfits during sanding.
So it was an epic tale and adventure in toxic dust and mess. Needless to say, it will be some time before I do another full interior build haha.
So the scene that I want to use for the diorama is this one.
It's the 503 hiding under some large trees in Normandy while refuelling and rearming.
I found it really interesting that while I was pouring over these photos I noticed that one of the Tiger II's were a really early version of the Tiger II. You can tell by the front mud flaps.
Were the others are slightly later and looked like this.
I really wish that we could see the turret numbers in these shots other than Tiger 114's.
all those little interior pieces would have drove me batty 
.....the effort was well worth it though as it looks spectacular it is a little sad that u will close it up but u could always take some real nice pics of the interior to display with the finished kit....i was kinda likeing that triangle base cuz u dont see that shape used much but i can see where it would be a bit of challenge to work with...as always excellent work have fun with the rest of ur build
).
