Question on 131 Tiger

[ForTheWatch]

Guys, a question. I picked up from a store the only Tiger they had from Tamiya. It turns out a DAK one. Now, I have the decals in it for Tiger 131 from 501st. However, looking at it, it is NOT the same as Tiger 131 in Bovington. What gives? Were there two Tiger 131s, one with 501st and Initial Tiger, and One is EARLY 131 like Bovington but serving in 504th? Or is it the same tiger, just upgraded recently with tracks and some parts and went from 501st to 504th and later was captured?

Would really appreciate this clarification. If it is the same 131, then Ill build it. If it is a different one, Im thinking to go for 121 instead or even the 813 or 731 with its red markings or that olive drab paint possibility.

[MarkVerploeg]

Tiger 131 was a early or as some call it a late initial/initial early production
131 had the round exhaust shrouds and the full front fenders
I asume you have the Africa initial with the small front fenders and angled shrouds
That represents a older vehicle from a earlier production run
131 was in a later productiin run that had some improvements applied to it
If you have some spare parts to replace those features you can convert it into a 131 but the kit is for a slightly different version
But i am no expert by any means

[ForTheWatch]

I understood from further readings that the 131 was later changed to 731. I have the DAK from Tamiya. It lacks the tracks on the lower glacis and turret for example.

I am actually cool with modelling the DAK initial as it looks pretty cool and I like the bare non tracked version of turret and hull. I even prefer the one without sideskirts, but ... dunno if it makes sense, but Im not gonna model any german armor that fought on Eastern Front and in SS divisions, so the DAK is kinda the least negative of them all I suppose. Well, thats just why I wont do the early no side skirts Leningrad tank.

[MarkVerploeg]

That is a personal preference ofcourse
The DAK vehicles do have a swastika on them in the unit logo with the palm tree
But not all Tigers where in SS units
Otto Carius was a regular heeres Tiger commander allthough he was stationed on the eastern front for a long time
But his unit was a normal german armored unit and not a SS one
So you may have more possibilities then you think
The same goes for the King Tiger wich also was used by both the Wehrmacht and the SS

[ForTheWatch]

That is a personal preference ofcourse
The DAK vehicles do have a swastika on them in the unit logo with the palm tree
But not all Tigers where in SS units
Otto Carius was a regular heeres Tiger commander allthough he was stationed on the eastern front for a long time
But his unit was a normal german armored unit and not a SS one
So you may have more possibilities then you think
The same goes for the King Tiger wich also was used by both the Wehrmacht and the SS

Yup, aware of them but im not installing those nor did they come in decal. You are spot on about the approach, I think Ill do a Carius Jagdtiger actually, since I have already one Tiger and I like the KT chassi but feels like the Jagdtiger is what Id like to build to be a bit different in my tank line up.

[MarkVerploeg]

I don't know if you have them but Dragon splits up the Africa korps decal
You get a plam tree and the swastika is made uo frim seperate smaller decals
Maybe you won't like that option but it could be usefull
The palmtree is a big marking so easy to see on the vehicle

[andygif290368]

There were many tanks that bore turret number 131
First company, third platoon, tank #1
http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx ... art_id=287

[MarkVerploeg]

There were many tanks that bore turret number 131
First company, third platoon, tank #1
http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx ... art_id=287

That does explain where the turret numbers come from
But in this case it is about Tiger 131 wich is the rather famous working Tiger 1 tank from Bovington in the UK
It is the only one that still runs and was featured in the movie Fury
The question was why is the kit he owns different from that tank as both where present in Tunissia in 1943

[andygif290368]

Just because it's a tiger with 131 on it doesn't make it the tank museums tiger. Kit makers have been known to fudge camo patterns, markings and major variant changes just to make a bob or two.
What kit is it anyway?

[MarkVerploeg]

Well i made the asumption (hope i spelled that right) because he mentionned 131 and the 504th tank unit
The famous 131 was part of that unit
I know there where more tanks that had the number 131 on them but this time i could narrow it down to that specific Tiger
He said it is a DAK initial Tiger from Tamiya
And as far as i know they only released the Africa kit wich was a initial version

[OliveDrab]

Guys, a question. I picked up from a store the only Tiger they had from Tamiya. It turns out a DAK one. Now, I have the decals in it for Tiger 131 from 501st. However, looking at it, it is NOT the same as Tiger 131 in Bovington. What gives? Were there two Tiger 131s, one with 501st and Initial Tiger, and One is EARLY 131 like Bovington but serving in 504th? Or is it the same tiger, just upgraded recently with tracks and some parts and went from 501st to 504th and later was captured?

Would really appreciate this clarification. If it is the same 131, then Ill build it. If it is a different one, Im thinking to go for 121 instead or even the 813 or 731 with its red markings or that olive drab paint possibility.

Were there two Tiger 131s, one with 501st and Initial Tiger, and One is EARLY 131 like Bovington but serving in 504th?
Yes, these were two entirely different Tigers. The Tamiya DAK kit would be correct for Tiger 131 serving with the 501st. (For the most part, for example the tow cable mounting might be different from the kit parts)
This is an AWESOME site for Tiger info:
http://tiger1.info/tank-page/A2H

[AgentG]

Ok,
The Tamiya kit is a representation of a Tiger from Heavy Tank Battalion 501, the first Tiger unit in North Africa. After several battles and breakdowns those tanks were incorporated into the 15th Panzer Division, I think?, and the turret numbers were changed. Therefore a 501 Tiger with turret number 131 became 731 after the transfer.

The Bovington Tiger is from Heavy Tank Battalion 504. They arrived later in Tunisia and as previously stated had newer tanks with some improvements. Most notable of these are the front fenders, location of the tow cables and the exhaust shrouds.

NONE of the tigers in either battalion were ever painted Olive Drab. They began life painted RAL 8000 "Gelbbraun" over painted in RAL 7008 "Graugrun" as a camoflage pattern. RAL 7008 is distinctly green in color, google Bovington Tiger for reference as to these colors, and you can see why Tigers were often described as "green".

The provided link is definately a great resource for modelling desert Tigers.

G

[AgentG]

I checked my references, so I will post a correction to the above.

The remaining tanks were incorporated into the 7th and 8th Companies of the third Battalion, Panzer Regiment 7, 10th Panzer Division.

So, Tiger 131 of sPzAbt 501 became Tiger 731.

G

[ForTheWatch]

Indeed, now I have figured out that the 131 is 731.

What remains is to figure out which of the presented numbers in the kit (121, 131, 731, 813) is most accurately presented if building out of the box.

I cant quite put my finger on it, the 731 is most appealing for some reason because of red numbers on it It. The 121 is well photographed and it would also be nice to model but the tow cable fixture is wrong (backwards, but oin 121 it was correct). Having a really hard time deciding! Also quite like the placement of the headlights on the glacis, but 731 according to Tamiya has it on the roof. But on pics it is on the glacis... go figure!

Never mind the fact that Id like to build a Tiger that was actually captured (141?) in order for it to have the the cleaner history of the lot.