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Porsche Turret King Tiger 332 In Grey!?
Charleygnarlyp290
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California, United States
Joined: May 07, 2013
KitMaker: 105 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 04:39 PM UTC
In doing some research on Porsche turret ( I realize that term is incorrect, but for simplicity sake...) King Tigers, I remembered I have a copy of Verlinden's On Target No 1 Modelling Special: The German Tiger Tanks, published in '84. I remembered a specific Porsche turreted KT that was painted grey. I checked the book to make sure I was not remembering incorrectly, but sure enough, its there.

The model Verlinden used was the old Nichimo kit. The vehicle as it sits in the article is grey, no zimmerit and the turret number is 332.

First of all, I understand that the only Porsche Turret KTs that did not have zimm were the two prototype/test tanks that never saw battle.

Second, from what I have read, grey had been phased out by '43 and they were only painted yellow with camo applied.

Third, the only tanks numbered 332 were a Henschel turret vehicle in the usual German, three color camo, and a Porsche turret vehicle in the three color scheme as well.

With all of that said, what gives? I was under the impression thet old Francois was really into accuracy and tricking out his models with all kinds of extra detail to make it more accurate, so I assumed he would do the same with paint.

Was this apparent mistake just due to the limited availability of resource material back then compared to now? Or, was there really a KT like that and I just haven't found pictures that show it?

Inquiring minds want to know.
d111298pw
#456
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Joined: September 22, 2016
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 05:18 PM UTC
Given that the first vehicle, V1, was delivered in late 1943, November I believe, it would have been painted in DunkelGelb.

V1-V3 didn't have zimmerit and were painted in DunkelGelb, based on all the pics I have seen.

I've never seen any pic with a grey turret. Doesn't mean one isn't out there.
GeraldOwens
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Joined: March 30, 2006
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Posted: Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 06:24 PM UTC

Quoted Text

In doing some research on Porsche turret ( I realize that term is incorrect, but for simplicity sake...) King Tigers, I remembered I have a copy of Verlinden's On Target No 1 Modelling Special: The German Tiger Tanks, published in '84. I remembered a specific Porsche turreted KT that was painted grey. I checked the book to make sure I was not remembering incorrectly, but sure enough, its there.

The model Verlinden used was the old Nichimo kit. The vehicle as it sits in the article is grey, no zimmerit and the turret number is 332.

First of all, I understand that the only Porsche Turret KTs that did not have zimm were the two prototype/test tanks that never saw battle.

Second, from what I have read, grey had been phased out by '43 and they were only painted yellow with camo applied.

Third, the only tanks numbered 332 were a Henschel turret vehicle in the usual German, three color camo, and a Porsche turret vehicle in the three color scheme as well.

With all of that said, what gives? I was under the impression thet old Francois was really into accuracy and tricking out his models with all kinds of extra detail to make it more accurate, so I assumed he would do the same with paint.

Was this apparent mistake just due to the limited availability of resource material back then compared to now? Or, was there really a KT like that and I just haven't found pictures that show it?

Inquiring minds want to know.


Verlinden was wrong. It's not the only error in the book--his Tiger maintenance diorama shows a Maybach HL210 engine on a late Tiger I, when it should have been an HL230. References were far less encyclopedic thirty years ago, and one could either choose to be paralyzed because some details were unknown, or one could take the best shot and actually finish a model. Verlinden took his best shot, and sometimes he goofed, that's all.
Charleygnarlyp290
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California, United States
Joined: May 07, 2013
KitMaker: 105 posts
Armorama: 85 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 - 12:38 AM UTC
Thanks for the replies.

Gerald, I agree, and that is what I assumed myself. There was no interwebs out there back then. Some of the books I had from back then that were geared towards modelers, or not, are pretty weak compared to modern stuff. There are webpages that are more in depth than some of the old school reference materials.

I also want to add as a disclaimer, that for the time, people like Verlinden, Paine, etc., were doing outstanding stuff with the materials and references they had.
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