Creating an Accurate Tiger I Model

by Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary L. Doyle

Having selected a great-looking combat photograph as a basis for your model, how do you determine what parts and equipment belonged on the areas you can’t see?  The problem is that there are only a few Tigers that had multiple views photographed, and even these were not photographed from all sides, top, and bottom.  No complete photographic record exists of a single Tiger.

It doesn’t help to try basing your model on one of six surviving Tiger I.  All of the Museum Tigers are missing parts and equipment or have had postwar alterations.

Knowing that this was causing a major problem for modelers, Hilary Doyle and I went to great lengths to dig through the original sources to provide an accurate reference.  Hilary drew sets of accurate as-built scale drawings for seven different Tiger I with all the parts and equipment in the correct location. We also created the Tiger I Mod List (copyright Thomas L. Jentz) with most of the significant external changes (over 100!) in chronological order. The 1:35 scale drawings and additional detailed information on the modifications are available in Germany’s Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I*

Now, you just have to follow a few steps in order to identify the correct parts and equipment that were originally on your Tiger I.

Step 1 : The easiest option is to base your model on one of seven sets of accurate 1:35 scale drawings (including the bottoms) published in Germany’s Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I.  This book also contains interior details from several different Tigers. Two sets of four-view drawings are available in Panzer Tracts No.6, which also has accurate four-view drawings of other Panzers in the Tiger family.  It is not advisable to use Tiger I drawings from any other publications.

Step 2: If you want to model a different Tiger I, other than one of these covered by Hilary’s scale drawings, you need to find sharp photos where small details can be seen. If the photos are poor quality (as are many published photos and most jpeg photos) and you can’t identify small features, you might want to choose photos of another Tiger to model, where you can find clean, sharp images. The more details you can find, the easier it will be to pin down exactly when the Tiger I was completed.

Step 3: Study the photo(s) and check off key features on the Tiger I Mod List (below) to help you identify when your Tiger was completed.

Step 4: You can also use the tactical numbers on the turret to help identify the unit. 

WARNING: Don’t blindly follow photo captions - always independently verify the unit (help is available here on the Missing Links site.).  You should look up when Tigers were issued to each unit in the Tiger I Issue Record (Appendix A in Germany’s Tiger Tanks - Tiger I & II: Combat Tactics*).  Using both the identified features from your photo(s), the Tiger I Mod List, and information on when Tigers were issued to each unit, you can usually pin down the month in which your Tiger was completed.

Step 5: Having identified the month produced, go back to the Tiger I Mod List to identify other correct features for the top, sides, rear, and bottom not visible on your photo(s).  Again, use the seven sets of scale drawings in Germany’s Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I or two in Panzer Tracts No.6 to aid in modeling the correct components and placing them in the correct  location.

Step 6: Obtain the right model parts.  Most important of all, you need an accurate asymmetrical turret (available from Armoured Brigade Models).  Again, help in selecting the best model kits, accessories, and modelling/painting techniques is available here on the Missing Links site.

Step 7: Have fun making a very accurate Tiger I model.

Tiger I Modifications List 

(copyright Thomas L. Jentz 2001)

X - denotes clear enough to model at 1:35 scale     / - denotes feature can be seen in a photo* Drawings of Tiger Fgst.Nr.V1 on pages 38-40 of Ref.1 are the basic starting point.

Ref.1 Germany's Tiger Tanks - DW to Tiger I by Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary L. Doyle

Ref.2 Panzer Tracts No.6 schwere Panzerkampfwagen by Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary L. Doyle, Panzer Tracts

Ref.3 Panzer-Kampfwagen Tiger und Seine Abarten by Walter J. Spielberger, Motorbuch Verlag

Ref.4 Tiger I, Heavy Tank 1942-1945 by Tom Jentz and Hilary Doyle, New Vanguard

Like Ref.4, there are many other books published on the Tiger with photographs that can be useful for identifying the unit, unit symbol, and tactical numbers and also reveal features useful for determining when a Tiger was produced. However, these books do not contain the accurate as-built drawings needed to determine the dimensions and locations of parts and equipment on all sides, the top, and bottom.

When you support further research by purchasing Germany’s Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I and Germany’s Tiger Tanks - Tiger I & II: Combat Tactics directly from the author, Tom Jentz will personally help you identify when the Tiger I you want to model was completed by Henschel and review your selection of the appropriate parts and equipment. Just contact Tom Jentz at Panzer Tracts, P.O.Box 334, Boyds, MD 20841.  Due to the demands of researching, writing, publishing, and distributing; this offer must be limited to a single Tiger I per person.  *Germany’s Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I and Germany’s Tiger Tanks - Tiger I & II: Combat Tactics are available from the author for only $39.95 each plus shipping when you use coupons from the Panzer Ace Quiz.

Other Panzer Facts Installments:

• Facts about German Camouflage Paint in World War II

• The Quest for Accrauccy