Well I guess it is time for an update upon the 'Doppelganger' Tiger '211' of the 2./s.SS.Pz.Abt.101 then?
One thing that puzzles me about this Tiger is the damage, and fire evidence... on the left flank it is quite 'beaten up' with very little evidence of a catastrophic blaze... Yet the fire upon the right upper hull portion has been intense enough to remove the Zimmerit on the turret, and create enough heat to 'detach' the two spare track clamp assemblies both on the turret roof lip, and the outer turret wall. I personally am starting to think that it could have been simply abandoned, with the 'spite shots' coming later. Or that it was 'flanked' and taken down with a 'rump' shot. Still even 'standing in the water' the pattern and location of the fire damage is strange. Though I suppose nothing is impossible eh? But it must have not had much fuel in it's tanks, what do you think?
Well after much thought and personal debate, I have decided to continue with the 'through the hatch' interior within the 'Doppelganger'. I have had creeping doubts, about the accuracy of the parts and the locations within the very lacklustre instructions, since David Byrden highlighted a raft of discrepancies when the box was unpacked initially. So with many of the viewable turret equipment and stowage missing, I have therefore decided to utilise some of the 'usable items' from the Academy kit's. The Firewall, and 88mm ammunition stowage bins being few, the rest will have to be scratched... All this makes me realise the time, effort, skill, and patience, not to mention the vast amount of knowledge and reference needed to completely populate a AFV interior...
Carrying on with the build, a base has been planned for a while. With so long spent working on and studying the Tigers of the s.SS.Pz.Abt.101 in Normandy. I thought that a suitable base for this Tiger would be a part of a Tiger... After all they all ended up in pieces before being smelted. Using the units emblem heraldry of the 'cross skeleton keys' (a reference to 'Sepp' Dietrich's name and his award of the swords to his 'Ritterkreuz') em-placed within a shield with the 'clipped' right hand corner, denoting an Armoured Division, and the 'oakleaves' commemorating 'Dietrich's' addition to his Knights Cross.
So why not place the Tiger on a an armoured shield, with a plinth depicting the s.SS.Pz.Abt.101's rather 'romantic' moniker?
So with this Tiger back in 'progress' I had best get back to the workbench, and get something done eh?
I will post a little more 'in-depth' insight upon the bases construction over on my Zimmerit blog, as I feel this is where it really belongs, being 'pasted' with a replica Zimmerit paste.
Cheers for your enduring patience and support... Phil.
