Thank you for sharing your insights on this kit. I’ve built the 1:76 on both the Tiger and Sherman; I’m looking forward to redoing both tanks on the new 1:72 scale. Now, they will match the airplanes and other craft I’ve built on 1:72.
@John 2E0GTU I haven’t had the chance to build the 1:72 versions yet. They will be larger in size, since 1/72 > 1/76. I’ll let you know when I finish this project. I’ve been working on other models because it’s difficult to acquire the new 1:72 scale in my area.
Very nce review ! Good to see Airfix have replaced that tired old 1960's kit - which I've happily built in the past on a number of occasions I must add.
Nice kit! Airfix have played a blinder with the build options. Easy for beginners but also for more experienced modellers who can`t be arsed with tracks and still get a decent result. I can feel a Sherman/Tiger diorama coming with the vintage classic figures I bought in this scale. Great review as always Peter.
Some modellers have been highly critical of this new kit saying that the turret is too symmetrical when the original turret was not. The detail is also a little underwhelming when compared to the Dragon Tiger I and other recent offerings. However, when I compare it to the original 1/76 Tiger from Airfix, it is light years ahead. I think Airfix need to focus a little more on the additional detail so that they appeal to both casual modellers like me and the officianados for whom detail is everything. For me, it is a decent kit. How do I know? Your video made me go out and buy one.
Thanks Peter. Entertaining review. My only disappointment is that Airfix have shifted from 1/76th to 1/72th, having previously released the Tiger 2 and Cromwell kits in 1/76th scale. So now we have a range with mixed scales! Presumably, Airfix are trying to compete with the many European 1/72th AFV kits now available. The sheer size of the Tiger means a 1/72 scale kit will not sit well with 1/76 scale versions. Me, I'm sticking with 1/76 scale and I am currently building an excellent 1/76 scale late version Tiger 1 by Fujimi. Interestingly the turret of the alleged 1/72 scale Hasegawa Hybrid Tiger 1 fits very nicely into the turret ring of the Fujimi model. So much for published scales! Keep up the good work.
Up to the usual standard Peter 10/10. I remember building the original Tiger kit around the late '60s and it came in a plastic bag stapled to a piece of card showing the artwork. I think it cost 1schilling and sixpence. I remember struggling to fit those awful plastic tracks which defied gluing needed to be joined by heating a knife a melting the joining lugs. Not the kind of thing an 8-year-old should have been doing! Still, we didn't have the health and safety brigade like now. I also remember the kit would never sit on the tracks properly unless you put in some weights. Happy days!!
I still have one of those still in its packet! A weird model. It seems it was modelled from the Tiger at Bovington while it was being stripped down and worked on.
This is typical mixed-up Airfix. They should have made it Otto Carius' 213. They could have then offered us Carius' tank AND the famous Tiger 131 at Bovington with the same kit (nobody except Tiger nerds would notice the minor differences between the early production 131 and Carius' unusual Mid production variant). The kit hasn't even got the correct radio aerial fittings for 007. Thanks for the review. I'm still not sure if I'm all that impressed with this kit. It would take a lot of work to fix it.
19:39 What!? The suspension has collapsed! The swing arms on the torsion bars shouldn't line up along the bottom of the hull like that (I suppose then that means that the wheels aren't aligned properly).
I would certainly love to see Airfix including diorama bases in their AFV kits the way Matchbox did. For me, these were a high point of the Matchbox kits, which no one else had, except in the much larger and more expensive multi-kit diorama sets. Given that the Tiger I and Sherman Firefly depict two tanks from the same action these could even fit together in some way, or be released as a sort of Dogfight Double kit for tanks - something Airfix never did in the 1960s or 1970s. I am however sorry to see Airfix switching from their established 1/76th scale to 1/72nd scale. They have done the same with their modern warships kits in 1/350th rather than the original 1/600th, and all those 1/48th scale aircraft instead of 1/72nd. I would not mind if they did the same kit in both scales, but I do not want to mix scales in my collection.
I know what you mean, the scale changes get confusing, especially with the armour. The concept of dioramas and quality poseable stands were the thing Matchbox really showed the way on, yet manufacturers today have not learned the wisdom of this.
Peter please can you help? I’ve used humbrol acryclic varnish on a spitfire model. The decal have dried and I was going to varnish it before trying some weathering. Everything has now lifted and crinkled Gutted 😞 I use revel and humbrol paints spirit based (obviously) what can I use please to seal a model before I try to apply some weathering techniques
Hi Sean, I have had exactly the same trouble with exactly the same product! 😕 I recommend either Tamiya X22A or Mr Colour GX100. I would recommend using acrylics from Tamiya to eliminate these problems, - they are easy to use and cheap. 👍🏻 See my "Tamiya Rattle Can Top Tips..." video, you might find it helpful as I talk about other products that I find seem to work well too. Good luck. 🤞🏻
Never heard about an individual being singled out for wittmans death, only that he was surrounded by at least 7 tanks and a shot managed to penetrate the rear.
If you ever want to see the German handbook for the Tiger, take a look here. Strange sense of humour, but it got the job done. archive.org/details/Der-Generalinspekteur-der-Panzertruppen-Die-Tiger-Fibel/mode/2up and www.alanhamby.com/tigerfibel.shtml
![Airfix King Tiger [1/76 scale]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/o8eTJEHrT-o/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you for sharing your insights on this kit. I’ve built the 1:76 on both the Tiger and Sherman; I’m looking forward to redoing both tanks on the new 1:72 scale. Now, they will match the airplanes and other craft I’ve built on 1:72.
@John 2E0GTU I haven’t had the chance to build the 1:72 versions yet. They will be larger in size, since 1/72 > 1/76. I’ll let you know when I finish this project. I’ve been working on other models because it’s difficult to acquire the new 1:72 scale in my area.
Very nce review ! Good to see Airfix have replaced that tired old 1960's kit - which I've happily built in the past on a number of occasions I must add.
its nice that even the self assembly wheels are partially done, I hate fitting loads of wheels on German tanks
Definitely will be building this
Nice kit! Airfix have played a blinder with the build options. Easy for beginners but also for more experienced modellers who can`t be arsed with tracks and still get a decent result. I can feel a Sherman/Tiger diorama coming with the vintage classic figures I bought in this scale. Great review as always Peter.
Some modellers have been highly critical of this new kit saying that the turret is too symmetrical when the original turret was not. The detail is also a little underwhelming when compared to the Dragon Tiger I and other recent offerings. However, when I compare it to the original 1/76 Tiger from Airfix, it is light years ahead. I think Airfix need to focus a little more on the additional detail so that they appeal to both casual modellers like me and the officianados for whom detail is everything. For me, it is a decent kit. How do I know? Your video made me go out and buy one.
Thanks Peter. Entertaining review. My only disappointment is that Airfix have shifted from 1/76th to 1/72th, having previously released the Tiger 2 and Cromwell kits in 1/76th scale. So now we have a range with mixed scales! Presumably, Airfix are trying to compete with the many European 1/72th AFV kits now available. The sheer size of the Tiger means a 1/72 scale kit will not sit well with 1/76 scale versions. Me, I'm sticking with 1/76 scale and I am currently building an excellent 1/76 scale late version Tiger 1 by Fujimi. Interestingly the turret of the alleged 1/72 scale Hasegawa Hybrid Tiger 1 fits very nicely into the turret ring of the Fujimi model. So much for published scales! Keep up the good work.
Good vid mate informative
Up to the usual standard Peter 10/10. I remember building the original Tiger kit around the late '60s and it came in a plastic bag stapled to a piece of card showing the artwork. I think it cost 1schilling and sixpence. I remember struggling to fit those awful plastic tracks which defied gluing needed to be joined by heating a knife a melting the joining lugs. Not the kind of thing an 8-year-old should have been doing! Still, we didn't have the health and safety brigade like now. I also remember the kit would never sit on the tracks properly unless you put in some weights. Happy days!!
I still have one of those still in its packet! A weird model. It seems it was modelled from the Tiger at Bovington while it was being stripped down and worked on.
This is typical mixed-up Airfix. They should have made it Otto Carius' 213. They could have then offered us Carius' tank AND the famous Tiger 131 at Bovington with the same kit (nobody except Tiger nerds would notice the minor differences between the early production 131 and Carius' unusual Mid production variant). The kit hasn't even got the correct radio aerial fittings for 007.
Thanks for the review. I'm still not sure if I'm all that impressed with this kit. It would take a lot of work to fix it.
Yes I fully see your points. See the new XVI Mosquito review...that also has issues...only 1 crew member and wrong fairing behind bombay! 😖
19:39 What!? The suspension has collapsed! The swing arms on the torsion bars shouldn't line up along the bottom of the hull like that (I suppose then that means that the wheels aren't aligned properly).
I turned a deliberate blind-eye to the ejector-pin marks, as they are unlikely to be seen. 😉
I would certainly love to see Airfix including diorama bases in their AFV kits the way Matchbox did. For me, these were a high point of the Matchbox kits, which no one else had, except in the much larger and more expensive multi-kit diorama sets. Given that the Tiger I and Sherman Firefly depict two tanks from the same action these could even fit together in some way, or be released as a sort of Dogfight Double kit for tanks - something Airfix never did in the 1960s or 1970s. I am however sorry to see Airfix switching from their established 1/76th scale to 1/72nd scale. They have done the same with their modern warships kits in 1/350th rather than the original 1/600th, and all those 1/48th scale aircraft instead of 1/72nd. I would not mind if they did the same kit in both scales, but I do not want to mix scales in my collection.
I know what you mean, the scale changes get confusing, especially with the armour. The concept of dioramas and quality poseable stands were the thing Matchbox really showed the way on, yet manufacturers today have not learned the wisdom of this.
uk.airfix.com/products/classic-conflict-tiger-1-vs-sherman-firefly-a50186?
Peter please can you help? I’ve used humbrol acryclic varnish on a spitfire model. The decal have dried and I was going to varnish it before trying some weathering. Everything has now lifted and crinkled Gutted 😞 I use revel and humbrol paints spirit based (obviously) what can I use please to seal a model before I try to apply some weathering techniques
Hi Sean, I have had exactly the same trouble with exactly the same product! 😕 I recommend either Tamiya X22A or Mr Colour GX100. I would recommend using acrylics from Tamiya to eliminate these problems, - they are easy to use and cheap. 👍🏻 See my "Tamiya Rattle Can Top Tips..." video, you might find it helpful as I talk about other products that I find seem to work well too. Good luck. 🤞🏻
Good review. 10/10.
Thanks Max! 👍🏻 🤝
Never heard about an individual being singled out for wittmans death, only that he was surrounded by at least 7 tanks and a shot managed to penetrate the rear.
Yep. Joe Ekins
Shame no little diorama though 🤔
If you ever want to see the German handbook for the Tiger, take a look here. Strange sense of humour, but it got the job done. archive.org/details/Der-Generalinspekteur-der-Panzertruppen-Die-Tiger-Fibel/mode/2up and www.alanhamby.com/tigerfibel.shtml