Soviet Tanks

The Soviet Army had technically superior tanks at the beginning of the war. However they were not very good at using them which led them to some serious setbacks when Germany attacked them. Once they learned to use them and once they were producing them at top capacity, they were enough to offset the technological tank advances on the German side, which was prompted by the Soviet tanks they encountered during Barbarossa. This resulted in the Soviets having to introduce fewer models. Let's take a look at a couple of them. 

Forces of Valor Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 - Part I

The KV-1 was a Soviet heavy tank designed in the late 30's, tested during the Winter War with Finland and found in decent quantities (about 500) in the Soviet Army by the beginning of the war. It weighed about 45 tons, but it was armed with the same 76mm gun as the T34 medium tank. So while it was definitely hard to destroy -it is said that in one engagement KV-1 #864 took about 135 hits-, the KV-1 was slow and prone to breakdowns due to its weight. Its weight also meant that it had problems crossing bridges, which limited its operational mobility. Therefore the KV-1 earned mixed reviews. With the advent of better guns on the German side, its thick armor was no longer enough to justify its drawbacks and it was phased out in favor of the T34 medium tank and new models of heavy tanks such as the KV-85 and IS-2. BTW, the KV-1 was named after Kliment Voroshilov, the Soviet Defense Minister. Forces of Valor has treated us to this model. As usual they have done a nice job. The paint detail includes plenty of mud and dust, and as you can see in the picture it comes with two bundles of logs which were there for extra protection.

Forces of Valor Russian Heavy Tank KV-1 - Part II

Here is another release of the FOV KV-1 tank in a slightly different paint scheme. The painting on the turret seems aa bit more interesting than in the earlier version, however, the weathering on the vehicles was better on the earlier release. This newer model is too clean for my taste. Not how you would expect to see a tank that has gone through some campaigns. 

Forces of Valor Russian T34/85

The T-34 was a medium tank fielded by the Soviet Army. It went into production in 1940, and remained in production throughout the war with some improvements along the way. It was the most produced tank of the war. Close to 65,000 of them were built by war's end, and it continued to be produced for several years after that. Initially it was built with a 76 mm gun and a two-man turret. At the beginning of 1944, the T34/85 appeared, with a bigger 85mm gun and a three-man turret, which then allowed the commander to focus his entire attention towards directing the battle instead of having to help operate the gun. The T-34 is considered by many the best balanced tank of the war in terms of armor, speed and firepower. In addition to that, the sloping armor gave it additional protection and its reliability made it quite effective in the field. While the T-34 was still vulnerable to German heavier tanks, the huge difference in numbers, continued improvements in tactical doctrine, and their own heavy tanks, allowed the Soviets to overcome this. In terms of scale vehicles, FOV has given us a couple of versions of this vehicle. The one depicted here and another one in winter colors. Even as a scale model, the T34 offers a nice streamlined silhouette. The paint job on this tank is also quite nice, with some marks and writing on the turret which would have been added by the crew, and also bent and mud splattered fenders for added realism. 

Ogonek ISU-152 Soviet Self Propelled Gun

This was a motorized assault gun introduced by the Soviets in late 1943. It was the result of merging the SU-152 model with the  more mobile IS (Iosef Stalin) chassis used by the tanks. It carried a 152mm gun, with a 4.2 meter barrel, and could fire at a range of almost 4 miles. Using a crew of 5, it's firing rate was only about 2-3 shots per minute, but it could penetrate armor as thick as 125mm. To compensate for the lower firing rates, they used to fight in groups. Later models increased the barrel length to 4.9 meters and the range doubled. Given its weight, it's cross-country speed was about 10-12 miles per hour. It's heavy frontal armor (120mm) made it quite effective advancing against fortified positions or urban warfare, even in the face of direct artillery fire. The same qualities also enabled it to play the role of ant-tank gun/tank destroyer, able to knock out even the toughest German vehicles, including other heavy tank destroyers. Lastly, because it's gun was a howitzer, it could also be used as long range mobile artillery. As far as the model goes, this is a kit requiring assembly. I got it as a present from a good friend, and I only discovered recently that it was made by Ogonek. 

 

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American Tanks

American Tank development during WWII can be probably be analyzed into two parts, with the M4 Sherman tank acting as the turning point. The beginning of the war caught the US under-armored. Initial tank designs were quick, reactive attempts to catch up and focused on light tanks which were almost outdated in the battlefield as soon as they reached production. It was not until the M4 Sherman Medium Tank with its 76mm gun was deployed that they were able to comfortably stand their ground. From that point forward however, a sense of complacency seems to have set in. Or perhaps it was the belief that greater numbers, simpler manufacturing & shipping logistics, and increased air superiority would prevail against the heavier German tanks. The formula did work in the end, but from the perspective of the US tank soldier this could not have been a comfortable feeling. Against the Japanese the Shermans were definitely good enough, so that campaign did not justify further investments in tank development. It is however an interesting question to ponder whether it would have still made sense for the US to invest in heavier tanks earlier than it did. From a collector's stand point, this has also limited the number of vehicles available to us. Let's take a look.

Forces of Valor US M5A1 Stuart - Normandy

Also known as the M5 Light Tank, it was introduced in 1942, as an improved version of the M3 Light Tank (or M3 Stuart). It was still equipped with a 37mm gun and three .30 caliber Browning machine guns, but the main difference was that the engine used less vertical space, allowing the crew to have more room. It was fast and generally reliable. Initially it was used in North Africa by the British, but the small two-man turret put it at a disadvantage, requiring the commander to help operate the gun. When the Americans landed in North Africa, the Stuart tank made up the bulk of their armored forces, but after the initial setbacks against the Afrika Korps they began to phase them out in favor of the Shermans and the Stuart was relegated to perform the role of a fast scouting tank or mobile artillery/infantry support. In Europe it fought in a similar capacity. In the Pacific and China theaters, the Stuart performed better as the Japanese had mostly light tanks and the jungle terrain favored smaller vehicles. Eventually though, towards the end of '43 they also began to be replaced by Shermans. The Stuart tank was in production until 1944 when the M24 Light Tank aka Chaffee took its place. Nonetheless, the existing Stuarts continued to fight on until the end of the war. In all about 25,000 Stuarts were produced, 6,800 of them being M5A1s. The model in this picture was released by FOV. It is a nice sturdy fellow. They labeled it as the Normandy edition, and it actually comes with a hedge-cutting attachment in the front that would have helped it fight in the Norman countryside. 

21st Century Toys US M5 Stuart

Here is another version of the Stuart tank, courtesy of 21C. This one seems to be equipped to fight in hedgerow country. It did not come with any figures, and the tank is relatively small in size. Not the most impressive vehicle from 21C, specially after comparing it to the one from FOV. One interesting touch that 21C came up with are the front fenders. I've actually seen real pictures of Stuarts with them.

Forces of Valor US M3 Lee - Tunisia

Also known as the Medium Tank M3, the Lee began to be produced towards the end of 1940, becoming operational one year later. It was designed in response to the German panzers encountered in France. It was armed with two guns: a 37 mm high velocity gun mounted on the turret to be used against armored vehicles, and a hull-mounted 75mm low velocity gun to be used against infantry and soft targets. The fact that the 75mm gun was mounted in the hull gave it limited traversal capabilities. The M3 Medium Tank also served as the basis for the Grant Tank. The Grant was essentially a British order of custom-built Lees with the radio set in the turret and thicker armor. The Lee saw action first in North Africa, where it proved to be a reliable tank, but it did expose a few problems. The armor was installed with rivets instead of being welded, which resulted in the rivets popping when hit by enemy shells, sometimes causing injury to the crew inside. The high profile made it easier to hit, and this was not helped by the fact that the hull-mounted 75mm gun prevented it from fighting from a dug-in position or behind cover. The M3 saw little action in the Pacific, but it did see more combat in China and Burma, primarily in support of infantry and fighting Japan's light tanks. Of the approximately 6,250 Lees that were built about 2/3 went to Britain and the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program. The Lee was replaced in the US forces by the M4 Sherman as soon as the M4 became available, with the existing M3s being transferred to other allied units. In terms of models we have one Lee version courtesy of Forces of Valor. It is an accurate and well detailed vehicle, although they could have probably done a better job with the paint work as it looks a bit too clean.

InAir / New Ray EZ Build US M3 Lee

This is an all-plastic kit requiring some assembly. It looks fine, but it definitely feels a bit wimpy compared to the FOV model. Still considering the scarcity of armor models, its a good addition to the collection.

21st Century Toys M24 Chaffee

This is 21C's version of the Chaffee. This is the light Tank which replaced the Stuart in 1944. 21C has released it in several paint schemes. The first version was released in solid army green color. This is the more recent one with the cammo strips added to it. I have also seen it with a yellow decorative design on the front, similar to the nose art found on fighter planes. Unfortunately, I got this second hand and it is missing the mounted machine gun from the turret and the figures, a tank commander that stands in the turret, and a driver or bow gunner to sit inside one of the two front hatches. I should also point out that this model feels a bit on the smaller side of 1:32, even for 21C standards.

Forces of Valor US M26 Pershing Allemagne

Also known as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing, was the only heavy tank fielded by the US armed forces during WWII. It's design and development began in mid 1942, but disagreement among the US generals substantially delayed its development, with many believing that the M4 Sherman tank was good enough to carry the US through the end of the war. By early 1944, the final prototype of the Pershing had been built with a 90 mm gun inside a bigger turret with 4-inch frontal armor. Unfortunately, this final design did not make any engine adjustments to compensate for the added weight, so the M26 Pershing was underpowered and had a tendency to break down. Another year would go by before the Pershing tank was deployed to the field. It was the Ardennes offensive that provided the necessary shock for it, as the Shermans encountered Panthers and King Tigers in enough numbers to cause concern. In January of '45 that the first Pershings landed in Europe. Of the 310 Pershings that were sent over, only 20 saw combat, so their impact on the war was negligible, or as they say, too little, too late. The model in this picture comes to us from Force of Valor. A well detailed, realistic model, made of metal and with a heavy, solid feel to it. Just what you would want if war-gaming against a King Tiger.

Forces of Valor US M26 Pershing Allemagne

Here is another view of the Pershing. This is in fact a second Pershing I just bought without realizing that I already had it. This is what happens when you don't double check your inventory before you head out on a shopping trip! And the worst thing is that I did not even pick it up on the other color scheme that it was released on, which is a patchwork of green and brown. One thing that I did capture on this picture is the crew man operating the 50 cal. machine gun. Somehow I must have not found it when I took the previous picture. 

21st Century Toys M18 Hellcat Anti-Tank Self Propelled Gun

Also known as the 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage (GMC) M18, the Hellcat was the fastest armored vehicle of all WWII. Its top speed was 60 mph, which allowed it to out-maneuver other enemy tanks who were slow to turn or traverse the turret. Its design began when the US entered the War, production began by mid '43 and it went into action by the summer of '44, both in Italy and Northern France. It mounted a 76mm gun -the same as the Sherman, which meant that it had the same punch, particularly when using high velocity armor piercing ammo, but it was much faster than the Sherman. Its weaker point was also what gave it its main advantage: its light weight/light armor. This meant that to be operated as it was meant to be used, it required a well-trained crew. While its speed was an asset that gave it a tactical advantage during combat, it was also meant to be used to shift Tank Destroyer units to sectors of the front that were threatened by enemy tanks. In practice however the Hellcats remained close to the units to which they were attached, with the notable exception of an action during the Battle of the Bulge in which their high speed allowed them to reach a key objective ahead of the Germans and thwart their attack. Notice also that in contrast to German tank destroyers, the Hellcat had a traversable turret, which gave it greater firing possibilities, even on the move. The fact that it had an open turret however made the crew vulnerable not only to fire from above, but also to the cold European winter weather. The Hellcat was produced until the end of 1944 with close to 2,500 being manufactured. The Hellcat saw action in Europe, the Pacific and even China. This model from 21C Toys is a good reproduction of the original. It is made out of plastic and the paint job is a bit too clean for my taste, but it is still a good vehicle to have, simply because it is the only Tank Destroyer model that I am aware of from 21C or FOV.

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German Self-Propelled Guns

The German Army, in its attempt to neutralize the ever-increasing numbers of enemy tanks and their sometimes superior armor, developed many varieties of anti-tank guns. This was essentially an arms race against the allied tanks that continued up to the end of the war. Mounting the guns in an armored vehicle gave them greater mobility and increased the protection of their crews. The main difference between a tank and a self-propelled gun is the lack of a turret in the latter, which made them cheaper and faster to manufacture, allowing them to be produced in greater numbers. Self-propelled guns usually had a very limited traversal range so to turn one towards its target often the whole vehicle had to be turned. Alternatively, the vehicle could lie in waiting, usually well cammouflaged, until an enemy target crossed its sights. Model manufacturers have taken advantage of the large number of self-propelled guns that were produced to give us a wealth of scale models as you can appreciate below.

21st Century Toys Sturmpanzer Brummbar Sd Kfz 166

Also known as Strumpanzer 43 or Stupa. This vehicle was designed as mobile artillery in support of infantry troops. It was built on top of the Panzer IV chassis, and mounted a 150mm gun. The side skirts were standard equipment. It was produced between 1943 and 1945. It saw action in the Eastern Front, Italy and Normandy. Later versions also had Zimmerit applied to them. This version from 21C Toys is original, but a bit brittle. The side skirt attachments were all broken when I purchased it (from a fellow collector). Also it is all plastic and the tank's surface is too smooth. The FOV tanks feel a little more rugged. Nonetheless, its uniqueness makes it a worthwhile vehicle to collect.

Forces of Valor Elefant Sd Kfz 184

Also known as Ferdinand or Panzerjäger Tiger, this was a heavy tank destroyer built on top of the Tiger chassis which had originally been designed and built by Porsche for the Tiger I Tank. After the Henschel design was chosen for the Tiger, the Porsche chassis were repurposed as tank destroyers with an 88 mm Pak 43 anti tank gun capable of destroying a T-34 at a 3 mile range. 91 of them were produced in 1943 in time for the offensive at Kursk. After some slight modifications to make it less vulnerable to close infantry attacks, Elefant was adopted as its official name. Its strong armor and powerful gun gave it a kill ratio of over 10 to 1, making it perhaps the most prolific tank destroyer of the war, but its weight and mechanical problems reduced its mobility and operational effectiveness. The fact that it was manufactured in such small numbers also meant that there were few spare parts. Most of them had to be abandoned if they broke down or suffered damage as they were difficult to tow by the recovery teams. This version from FOV is really nice. The Zimmerit cover gives is a very realistic look. The only thing that I would have liked would have been 1 or 2 crew figures to go with it and make it come to life a bit more.

Forces of Valor Jagdpanther Sd Kfz 173 - Normandy 1944

The Jagdpanther was built during 1944 and 1945. It mounted a 88mm PAK 43 gun on top of the Panther Tank chassis. The Panther chassis was lighter and faster which gave the Jagdpanther greater mobility, and it was also more reliable, which resulted in fewer mechanical breakdowns. Most Jagdpanthers saw action on the Eastern Front, with a few participating in the Normandy campaign. Later in the war, they also participated in the Ardennes offensive. Forces of Valor has given us a couple variations of this tank destroyer. The one depicted here is their Normandy model. It is covered in Zimmerit paint, in the actual square pattern that was applied to the Jagdpanther. They also produced a second model released in a gold/green cammo color scheme.

Forces of Valor Jagdtiger Sd KFz 186- Germany 1945

Also known as Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B, this tank destroyer was built on top of the King Tiger chassis. It mounted a 128mm gun and was thickly armored with 10 inches of frontal armor. All this made it the heaviest armored vehicle of World War II at over 70 tons. Its weight however was also its Achilles heel, causing it to frequently breakdown. Also, the weight of the gun required it to be locked for support when not in combat. This also meant that someone had to exit the tank to unlock it before it could fire. Nonetheless, this giant could destroy any allied tank on the battlefield at safe ranges and it was very difficult to destroy in combat, although it was vulnerable to attacks from the air. Approximately 80 of them were built in total, the first ones reaching the front in the fall of '44 and seeing mainly action on the Western Front. Forces of Valor has given us this nice model. Quite heavy and with almost no range of motion for the gun as the original. The support in the front can indeed be used to hold up the gun.

 21st Century Toys Sd KFz 186 Jagdtiger

This is another version of the Jagdtiger made by 21C. It is all made of plastic, so it feels a bit light. But in terms of appearance, it is quite reasonably detailed, and certainly more affordable than the FOV version. The only thing I did not like about this one is that it does not hold up the gun very well. If you look closely, I had to prop the crew man against the gun so that it would stay up in place...

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 138 Ausf M Marder IIIM Tank Destroyer

This was the third tank destroyer in the Marder series. Also known as Panzerjäger 38(t) mit 7.5 cm Pak 40/3, this tank destroyer was built on top of the Panzer 38(t) Ausf M chassis, of Czech origin. This chassis had the engine mounted in the middle, allowing the gun in the back to be installed in a lower position, which reduced the vehicle's profile and afforded the crew slightly better protection. The back was also closed, but the top remained open. That, plus the fact that it was not heavily armored made it a risky business to operate them, particularly under artillery attacks and urban settings. It carried a 75 mm Pak 40 gun and was operated by a crew of 4: driver, gunner, loader/radio man plus a tank commander who was free to direct the battle operations. It was manufactured during '43 and '44 with almost 1000 of them being produced. It was then phased out of production in favor of fully armored tank destroyers, but it fought on until the end of the war, seeing action on most fronts. This model comes to us courtesy of 21C Toys. Despite the fact that it is entirely made out of plastic, it is nicely detailed as you can tell from te rivets.

21st Century Toys Sd Kfz 139 Marder III Tank Destroyer

Also known as the Panzerjäger 38(t) für 7.62 cm Pak 36(r), this was the first tank destroyer in the Marder series. It was was built on top of the Panzer 38(t) chassis, of Czech origin, and mounted a Soviet 76mm gun which had been captured in large numbers during the early phases of the Soviet campaign. The gun was hosted in a structure that was simply bolted on top of the chassis and it was only lightly armored, which made this vehicle highly vulnerable. The Sd Kfz 139 was manufactured from mid '42 and into 1943. This version of the Marder fought mainly against the Soviet Union, with a few also fighting in North Africa. This Sd Kfz model was also made by 21C Toys. It is also made out of plastic, but like the other Marder, it is nicely detailed, and its gun has a nice range of motion for a tank destroyer.

21st Century Toys Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer Sd Kfz 138/2

The Jagdpanzer 38(t) was yet another variant of a tank destroyer built on top of the Czech Panzer 38(t) chassis. This model however was built with thicker armor and the front sloping at a steeper angle which gave it the equivalent of almost 5 inches of frontal armor. The Hetzer was fully enclosed and had a much lower profile than the Marder III, making it also safer to operate. Its main gun was a 75mm Pak, mounted off-center. This gun was similar to that of the Stug III, capable of destroying most allied tanks. The Hetzer was designed in 1943 and produced as of 1944, at about the same time as as the Jagdpanther and the Jagdtiger, however the Hetzer was cheaper to manufacture. More than 2500 were produced and many survived the war. This Hetzer comes to us courtesy of 21C Toys. I must admit that while it appears to be an accurate representation of the original, I have found it one of their least exciting models. It has almost no moving parts, the surface is lacking in detail and the paint finish is quite dull. And it also seems to be on the smaller side of the 1/32 scale.

Forces of Valor German Sturmgeschütz III Ausf B Sd Kfz 142- Eastern Front 1941

The StuG III was Germany's most popular armored fighting vehicle of the war. Its conceptualization and design began prior to the war, with the first prototypes coming online in 1937. Initially it was intended to be used as mobile artillery in support of infantry against fortifications and soft-skin targets so it was equipped with a low velocity 75mm gun mounted on top of the Panzer III chassis. The Ausf B model, was made from mid '40 to mid '41. The main modifications made to this model were that it came with slightly wider tracks and simplified transmission (from 10 to 6 gears). This model from FOV is a nice representation of the early Stug III when it was still used in an infantry support role during the early war campaigns. Contrary to most FOV vehicles, this one feels lighter, which suggests that more plastic than metal was used to make it.

21st Century Toys Sturmgeschütz III Sd Kfz 142

The StuG III's low profile made it easy to cammouflage and hard to hit. Despite the lack of a traversable turret, Stug III's were more effective at destroying enemy tanks than German tanks. This is also in part due to the defensive role in which it was used, as opposed to the tanks which were also used offensively making them more vulnerable to flanking fire. Beginning in march of '42 with Ausf. F the StuG III was equipped with a 75mm Pak gun, marking its transition to a tank destroyer. It's front armor was also upgraded from 50mm to 80mm. Towards the end of '42 a machine gun shield was also added and retrofitted to existing StuGs. This model from 21st Century Toys probably represents Ausf F. Despite being made entirely of plastic it is a nice model and at the time it was sold for a very good price.

Forces of Valor Stug III Sd Kfz 142 - Italy 1944

The Stug Ausf G was the last StuG variant. It was introduced in Dec '42 and it was produced until almost the end of the war. The most noticeable change, made shortly before the Kursk offensive, was the introduction of the side skirts for extra protection. By the end of the war, close to 9500 StuGs had been produced, with a little less than 8000 being Ausf G. This model was released by FOV. It was labeled as the Italy 1944 model, however its colors suggest that it might have also been in Africa, which is quite possible as the Afrika Korps fought there until mid 1943, half a year after Ausf G had been introduced. In Afrika however it would not have had the side skirts. Speaking of side skirts, look at the level of detail on that shell impact. This model was also released in a 'Battle of the Bulge' version.

Dinky Sd Kfz 251/22 Tank Destroyer

As far as I can tell this is the version of the Sd Kfz 251 that had the 75mm PAK 40 mounted on it. I say that because Dinky only labeled it as a tank destroyer. It is a bit underscale, maybe more like a 1:35 than 1:32 model. But it given its uniqueness, I don't really mind. Since it did not come with a crew of its own, I lend it a couple of FOV guys to operate it, although there's not much room left for them by the mounted gun. Similar to other Dinky artillery pieces, it comes with a spring mechanism that allows it to fire mini projectiles. All in all a nice item to add to the collection.

Click here to check out more German Vehicles

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Introducing the Italian Light Artillery

The Folgore division was an Italian Parachute Infantry unit which fought in North Africa with distinction. During the second battle of El Alamein in the fall of '42, it held back the allied attacks of more than 5 divisions for about two weeks, inflicting heavy casualties to the Commonwealth's infantry and tank units, fighting on until it was out of ammunition. Most of the Italian men were either killed or captured by the end of the battle. The survivors were organized into an independent battalion and fought on in Tunisia until they were also captured by mid 1943. In terms of toy soldiers, Waterloo 1815 has given us two sets. One with the traditional infantry figures, described in a previous post, and this one with some heavier weapons.

Waterloo 1815 Folgore Division Light Artillery 1942 - Part I

These figures are manning a heavy machine gun. The man with the bullets does not quite get to feed them into the MG, but he's still useful to have close by. The spotter with the binoculars is doing a good job. I might just try to remove the plastic that joins the cap to the hands which looks a bit odd. The machine gun itself looks like it could take out more than just infantry. It could easily knock out soft-skin vehicles and maybe even some lightly armored ones, but probably not very effective against some British 8th army Grant and Matilda tanks.

Waterloo 1815 Folgore Division Light Artillery 1942 - Part II

These other guys are the crew for the small howitzer. I am not sure about the caliber of the gun. I thought it might be a 37mm which is what was often issued to the paratroopers as it was easier to drop along with them during an airborne operation. However a reader recently commented that it's likely a 47mm Bohler gun. Apparently the wheels were detachable and it could be mounted on a tripod. It might not be clear from the picture, but all these figures come without a base, but they still manage to stand well on their own. One thing I don't quite like about the gun is that you can't change the elevation without messing around with the peg that inserts into the wheel carriage. All in all a good addition to the Folgore infantry.

Atlantic Italian Artillery Support

So this post was originally about the Italian Light Artillery, but given the fact that these guys are also Italian and they don't come with a cannon to operate, I've decided that they will be helping out the Waterloo guys. As is often the case with some of the other Atlantic sets, the figures are very straight and show little action. Not the most exciting figures, but they are rare enough that they deserve a place in the collection.

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Introducing the King Tiger

The King Tiger, Tiger II or Königstiger was the last heavy tank manufactured by Germany during the war. Its official ordnance designation was Sd Kfz 182, but it was also known as Pzkw VI or Panzer VI. A more accurate translation of Königstiger would be Bengal Tiger, however King Tiger has become the accepted translation. Design for a heavy tank had begun before the war. Two competing designs were generated. One from Porsche, the other from Henschel. In the end the production contract went to Henschel, however a few turrets had already been ordered to fit the Porsche design. These were then modified to fit the Henschel chassis, which is the reason why there were two turret types for the King Tiger. Production began in 1944. Less than 500 King Tigers in all were produced during the war, with the first King Tigers seeing action in Normandy and continuing to see action through the end of the war on all fronts. The Tiger II combined the thick armor of the Tiger I with the sloping armor features of the Panther, and despite its weight, it was remarkably agile. That, along with its deadly 88mm high velocity gun, made it a formidable opponent on the battlefield with an approximate kill ratio of 10 to 1. There are anecdotes of a King Tiger taking over 24 hits in one action without being destroyed. Kurt Knispel, the tank ace with the highest score of the war, commanded a Tiger II. Unfortunately, the King Tiger was susceptible to mechanical problems which caused many to be abandoned and blown up to avoid capture. In terms of scale models, we have a few variations. Most of them courtesy of Forces of Valor. New Ray has also produced a couple and even 21Century Toys released its own version before going out of business. Unfortunately I did not get to buy this last one. Anyhow, let's take a look at what we have.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Normandy

This is indeed a heavy tank, and I mean that literally. As usual, the level of detail is all there. The Zimmerit cover, the tank tracks on the turret for extra protection against side shots, the MG ready to fire at any diving P-51s. Forces of Valor released it in multiple color schemes. This one they released as the Normandy model.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Normandy

Yes. This is also a Normandy model. I believe that this one was the first one to be released.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Normandy - II

Here we have it deployed in a prepared position. Most likely somewhere on the Eastern Front.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Germany 1945

A late war version of the King Tiger, possibly like the ones which fought on the Seelow Heights or the defense of Berlin.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Porsche Turret - France

This one shows the King Tiger with the early Porsche turret. Note how its rounded front created a trap for any round hitting it on the bottom half. This time the called this model the France model. I guess it would have been too much to label it Normandy for the third time.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Porsche Turret - II

Here we see it from the front. Possibly advancing towards the Norman battlefields.

Forces of Valor King Tiger - Porsche Turret - III
And full view from the side. Good thing this bridge is made of stone.

New Ray King Tiger

This is one of the few vehicles produced by New Ray. The color scheme is not my favorite, the scale is a bit on the smaller side, and the uniform on the commander also seems out of place, but it does have quite a nice feature. It is battery operated. I believe New Ray has come up with a newer version of the King Tiger in a darker, better looking cammo color scheme.

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Click here to see a post about the Panther Tank.

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