The BIG Lego Tiger build…
Pretty awesome.
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Hoping to end the lack of model building updates late tonight or tomorrow morning. With the wife’s knee replacement has had priority over everything else…even Kali Kat.
Today a leaking drain detrailed my planned bench time but the mail ran, this arrived so minor update.
Overall, I’m pretty well stocked with Tiger reference and have been for ages so it’s rare a Tiger book holds my attention these days enough to buy it.
Excellent book with pictures, description and combat summary organized by Wehrmacht Tiger Battalion generally speaking. Well worth the price of admission. The author’s picture selection is outstanding in my opinion 
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Given the nineteen Tiger I kits in the stash with four more pending shipping, it safe to say this book will get a work out. I could easily see this book driving the inspiration to for a Tiger build from each Wehrmacht Tiger Battalion.
Sampling for discussion only…
Operations summary
Now that’s a crate engine…wink
Organizational numbering etc.
Highly recommend IF your into Tiger’s.
Edit more mail…
Package full of zimmerit sheets from ATAK arrived today! I like ATAK and I think they make an excellent product. Wanted to include comments on the Tiger related ATAK zimmerit.
Tamiya Elefant - On a roll now! Oh my this one absolutely rocks! Elefant zimmerit! It exceeds my expectations! Crisp & detailed!
Tamiya Tiger 1 Otto Carius - sharp & crisp, looks great! Sections that are damaged. Exceeds expectations!
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Armor buff,
I have that kit and will not be using it. Let me know if you still need it.
Randy Tegnazian
rttaz54@aol.com
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I have to thank @RandyT, he gave me an excellent deal on a set of Model-Kasten Tiger 1 rubber road wheels!
Literally jumping for joy this morning…and it’s going to be obvious why…
The kit wheel assembly.
It’s OK except there should be three wheels instead of two. The big wheel is roughly a double thick single wheel. It should be two wheels.
Here’s an an example from the web of what the wheels should look like. Three per assembly.
Kali Kat & I concocted a scheme to modify the kit wheel to simulate three wheels.
Needed to cut a groove in the middle of the fat tire to help give the impression it was two tires. The circle template with a card stock spacer would place a razor saw in approximately the middle of the tire. The spacer could float but would be trapped under the beveled edge of the circle template if the template was placed accordingly.
The groove jig…
The kit wheel after four revolutions in the jig, sanding, hand scribing to widen groove and Testor’s Liquid Cement.
I’m so happy the above can be replaced with a nice set of Model Kasten wheels!
Kali’s other “project” inspired by lower temperature, snow, rain and over cast.
Cheers 
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Wow Wade those wheels are beautiful and your solution for making the double wheel borders on genius! Well done!
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Thank you, Matt.
Needed to try something to mask the wrong number of wheels.
Pair of unknown fiddle bits to add to the lower hull sides. Reference the 1989 Tamiya Late model Tiger hull.
Chopped pieces of Evergreen C-channel to rough shape.
I think the wheels will hide most of this so only the top bolt was added, the bottom edge closed & small side extension added.
Attached
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Wade let me know when the wheel set gets to you. Look forward to the photos. VBG
Randy T
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Randy, looks like I’m about to get “rolling” for real on this build!
Should be in the hobby room late tonight and can’t wait!
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Dilemma…
The Model Kasten W-1 Early Tiger wheel set specifically states in the instructions its only recommended for the Tamiya Late Tiger. Unlike the Model-Kasten Panther D wheel set only one set of spacers are provided. They won’t work with the old Tamiya Early Tiger’s torsion arms.
With enough time invested, I think
it’s possible to cobble up custom double bushing adapter.
Cut to size.
Will require à second bushing to fit to smaller diameter torque arm for half of the torsion arms.
48 wheels means ~72 custom bushings will be required to make the wheel set work.
Kali weighed in on this hefty matter…
My best compromise for this project is Model Kasten two front wheel assemblies with outer wheel removed per frequent Schwere Panzerabteilung 502 practice and the other fourteen assemblies modified kit parts.
Sidenote, after this “discovery” I tried to research deeper into when the wheel set released. The instructions say for the 1989 Late model. I’d wrongly thought they predated that kit by several years. They are listed in this 1992 catalog.
My best guess is they were released between 1989 to 1991. The model is for the Great Ones Campaign so I asked if the wheel set was OK to use. They were OK’d via message.
Should wheels become an issue etc, I will drop the build from the campaign if needed. Want to do the due diligence and being upfront etc.
Open to comments and ideals to better adapter methods etc.
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Can the original kit wheels be attached without glue? If so, I would go with them for now, and you can work up the Model Kasten at your leisure.
Ken
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Ken, yes there’s external polycaps for the kit wheels. Probably only going to tweak two sets of MK’s for the front. May use all kit wheels for fitting the MK tracks.
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Took about two hours to make two good bushings and fit two MK wheels.
Goal is to have the first road wheel station per Dragon’s box art for their Leningrad 502 Tiger.
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I think the kit already comes with those parts (pointed with blue arrow - B16).
If you do not have the parts; I have them (off my “Tiger 131” build) that i can happily mail to you… If you need them.
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That looks sweet. I need to look over the newer kits again soon.
Thank you, I appreciate the offer but I’m working with the old 1970 era Tamiya Early Tiger. This is definitely one of the most inefficient paths to a 502 Tiger but part of the fun is trying to do it with the old kit plus the allowed parts (1990 and older) staying inside the guidelines for the Great Ones campaign.
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Ah! Gotcha. No Post-1990 kits or parts. 
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First time out of the house in nearly three weeks at IPMS Roscoe Turner’s Saturday meeting. Wife is doing well post surgery and her daughter is very kind covering today.
Decided this would be a good time to start on tracks.
Pretty favorable impression of Model Kasten, no visible punch marks on the track links to clean up when assembled! Sweet for 30+ year old links! Links on turret will need two punch marks removed.
Separate guide teeth, not jazzed about those. However the pin 
set up is pretty sharp. As bonus there’s fender bolts & turret track holder.
These MK working Tiger links are the most precise plastic working links I’ve ever assembled. Despite the fiddle factor, they are fun to build.
25 links, three hours…
Will square the guide teeth after the LC dries.
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Glad wife is ok… And nice job with the tracks
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Wade I am sorry the wheel set is not for the Tamiya Tiger ! you have. I think i have an older tamiya Tiger 1 partially built that might be the right one I can give you.
Let me know if you want it.
Randy T
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Randy, we are 100% good, no worries.
Thank you for your very kind thoughts.
I very much wanted this MK set of wheels. Very greatful to have them as I could never find a set back in the day.
The Model Kasten’s will be the first set of wheels on each side with the custom aluminum bushings. Leaving the outermost road wheel off as 502 often did due to mud build up will make a very nice detail for the old kit
Besides, I may find suitable plastic tubing to adapt.
Cheers
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