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1:35 model of the alternative Tiger prototype VK.4501(P). This failed to impress in testing against the well known Henschel Tiger. Porsche had already made approx 90 chassis and these were converted into the Ferdinand, later modified into Elephant.

On a bit of a military modelling binge at the moment so thought I’d share my thoughts behind this one. The Italeri model is a good kit and goes together easily. Some resin tracks were used instead of the rubbery ones supplied. Crew were from a Dragon set, I picked a couple looking more casual as all the photographs of this vehicle in testing show people in shirts or overalls, not combat uniform. It was base coated in Vallejo Grey Green as this reflects a colour supposedly used mid war to some extent. Mostly I chose it as regular panzer grey is a bit too harsh and dark, whereas this has a more pleasing finish to my eye. It was also my first trial of the Vallejo weathering pigments, in this case 73.109 Natural Umber applied with their own fixative.



Gallery Link

Great work. Nicely done.

Clean paint job, which fits in with a prototype. Too bad the Germans didn't retain the hull MG when they converted it to the Elephant SPG, for the battle of Kursk. I read where one crew was so desperate to hold off Soviet AT troops closing in on them with satchel charges that they fired a MG down the main gun barrel.

Losing the machine gun is crazy really, Kursk cost them about half of the Ferdinands and the remainder were then refitted as Elephant. The Elephant is currently visiting Bovington in the UK, last week I made the trip specifically to see it.