WWR: Tamiya Porsche (aka Initial) King Tiger #35169
Tamiya has an error in the name as Porsche didn’t have anything to do with the turret used initially on the King Tiger. It’s similar misconception to the Lil’ Mikey pop rock legend mentioned above.
3 Price $54 MRSP, $45 Online Vendor, ~$5 Paid (a friend desperately wanted rid of the kit)
5 Instructions are the normal Tamiya excellent. They kindly show or hint at the aftermarket that’s nearly mandatory for the kit.
5 Molding Quality This kit was an initial pressing from 1993 and outstanding for its time. No sink marks or short shots.
5 Plastic Quality Top notch quality
5 Parts Clean Up low parts count, however there’s a fair amout of mold seams that really need removed.
3 Ease of Build the need for aftermarket and adding zimmerit make this a little more complex to build than really necessary.
2 Accuracy wrong name on box, no zimmerit, new vinyl kit tracks really aren’t all that, subtle details sometimes a little soft for today (great in 1993), none of it is critical but all add combines for a low score in WW.
4 Fit very good, the main gun barrel design is old school, good parts clean up is critical, kit tracks look ridiculous unless hidden under skirts or tacked down with super glue.
0 Doesn’t Require Aftermarket for a decent build in 1993, aftermarket tracks, photo etch screens and zimmerit were highly desirable, to that list in the 2020’s one might add, tow cables, more PE fiddly bits, Aber brass MG barrels, Aber antenna, Aber metal tow shackles, metal main gun barrel, aftermarket muzzle brake, 3D headlight and 3D antenna mount for turret etc…
0 Details built Out of the Box if build out of box the model doesn’t look right without zimmerit. Given the time period this version of King Tiger was produced zimmerit is almost certainly required unless building the prototype.
32 pts out of 50
32/50 => 64%
Not Recommended as the kit was surpassed years ago. If one’s has the kit in the stash it’s a fun build…if one has time & aftermarket parts to indulge on the kit.
Added Cavalier, Fruilmodel tracks & Tamiya PE screens plus minor details.
