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6848 – 1/35 Sd.Kfz.182 Kingtiger Porsche Turret w/Zimmerit (2 in 1)
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*Please refer to website. Product details subject to changes
Entering production in mid-1944, the Kingtiger weighed 69.8 tons and was armed with a highly lethal 8.8cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. Fifty Kingtigers featured the so-called Porsche turret rather than the more common Henschel turret. Both turret types were manufactured by Krupp, but the Porsche turret was much more rounded in shape. All tanks with such a Porsche turret were coated in the German anti-magnetic paste known as Zimmerit. Dragon is now offering an exciting 1/35 scale plastic kit of such a Kingtiger with Porsche turret and replete with Zimmerit.
This is a 2-in-1 kit because the tank comes with something special in the box. That special addition is a three-legged crane that can be installed on the turret, and which was used for such tasks as removing the engine or transmission. The chains for the pulleys of the jib crane are made from photo-etched metal for maximum realism. Thus, modelers can depict this tank as ready for combat, or as undergoing maintenance. Of course, the hull and turret have finely crafted Zimmerit already pre-molded on, meaning that modelers don’t need to engage in the long and messy process of applying the sculpted layer with putty. No one does Zimmerit better than Dragon, with the texture realistically crafted to scale. This 2-in-1 Kingtiger kit will have viewers craning their necks in fascination!
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6840
1/35 Sd.Kfz.182 Kingtiger Henschel Production w/Zimmerit s.Pz.Abt.505 Russia 1944 (2 in 1)
The mighty German Kingtiger tank has always been immensely popular with modelers, so Dragon is again catering to the desire for yet another member of the family. It is a 1/35 scale tank belonging to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 505 (s.Pz.Abt.505), an independent heavy tank battalion formed in February 1943.
Its insignia is instantly recognizable – a charging knight on a horse. Initially it was equipped with Tiger I and Panzer III tanks, but by September 1944 it had been re-equipped with the Kingtiger. It fought on the Eastern front until the end of the war.
What sets this 1/35 scale kit apart is the pre-injected Zimmerit coating on the upper hull and turret. Of course, the kit perfectly mimics the original Kingtigers of s.Pz.Abt.505 in that there are rectangles on the turret where there is no Zimmerit to allow the unit insignia to be painted on. No one does Zimmerit better than Dragon, with the texture carefully and realistically crafted to scale. Zimmerit is a unique characteristic on many German tanks, and instead of having to mess and fiddle around with putty, many modelers have stated a preference for having it pre-molded on their kits. Of course, the famous insignia is included as high-quality decals. As a special bonus, Dragon also placed in the box a second turret with a completely normal Zimmerit coating, thus giving modelers even more choices to build a regular Kingtiger. This kit will have modelers charging down to their model shops to see and buy it for themselves!
The German Panther was one of the best tanks to see service in WWII. Designed from the outset to regain combat superiority over Soviet tanks like the T-34 on the Eastern Front, it represented a balance of firepower, mobility and protection. Two companies – Daimler-Benz and MAN – submitted design proposals for the new tank type, with the latter’s platform eventually being selected. Two final pre-production prototypes were delivered in November 1942 (named V1 and V2), and series production of the sleek-looking Panther tank soon commenced. In fact, the first 20 tanks of this preliminary series (designated D1) did not see combat as they were used as training and conversion vehicles.
This kit is logically based on Dragon’s existing Panther family kits, as well as the previously released V2, but a number of new parts have been created just for this release. Examples include the storage bins on the rear of the hull, new exhaust mufflers (and curved horizontal cover plate) and a pair of new air intake covers on the engine deck. This Versuchs-Serie pre-production tank has been intricately replicated in 1/35 scale, giving connoisseurs even easier access to the fascinating lineage of the Panther family.
