Tiger I - Gruppe Fehrmann - 6335

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Tiger I - Gruppe Fehrmann
Ref. # 6335
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer: Cyber Hobby
Price: Unknown
Material: Styrene, photo-etch, aluminium, vinyl

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Introduction

Dragon themselves have produced two modern kits of the Tiger I, the initial production and late, although the late version was later re-issued with different tracks and less 'goodies'. Cyber Hobby have issued a number of kits depicting specific vehicles such as Michael Wittmans Tiger I, the DAK one, and now this Tiger F13 of Gruppe Fehrmann.

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This kit represents the Tiger of Feldwebel Bellof which was destroyed in April 1945. The Gruppe Fehrmann was formed at the beginning of 1945 from six Tigers and five panthers numbered F01 to F13 and commanded by Oberleutnant Ferhmann. F13 appears to be a mixture of features from an early and late tiger I.

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The kit

As you would expect of a kit depicting this vehicle, Cyber Hobby have had to take parts from both of their Tigers in order to depict it, which not only means lots of leftovers for the spares box, but I'm afraid it's one of those kits that you can't put the lid back on after examining all the sprues....there's just too much in the box!

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As soon as you open the box, you'll notice that it's one of those kind of kits with lots of 'extras' thrown in. There's that now familiar black plastic 'tray' containing metal 'goodies', and the Dragon 'card' has lots attached to it too. Cyber Hobby have learn the lesson of protecting the tracks after having to replace them for most buyers in an earlier kit release, and the tracks in this kit are protected by their own lengthy cardboard tray. They're one-piece vinyl, which is about the only thing I don't like about this kit, but then again I'm not a fan of vinyl tracks, although I know a lot of modellers are. Having said that, as far as vinyl tracks go, these are about the best that have ever been produced, featuring absolutely no nasty vinyl flash, which can be difficult to remove, and even hollow guide horns (how do they do that in vinyl?).

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Contents-wise we get twenty large sprues of grey styrene, eleven smaller ones, two transparent sprues, a separate hull and cupola, one large photo-etch fret and three smaller ones, aluminium barrel, photo-etched engine grills, four early and four late metal towing shackles, a brass cleaning rod, a PE shovel bracket and two pre-formed wires for the headlights. Phew! See? I wasn't joking about not being able to get it back into the box. I'll have to build it instead.

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It's difficult with this many parts to tell exactly where 'slight' improvements might have been made. All the sprues appear to be from the earlier Initial and Late Tigers, but obviously in a new 'mix' and with different parts marked as 'not for use' etc. For example, sprues A & B can be found in both of the other kits but uses the same options in this one as presented in the Late version, whereas sprue D is from the Late production kit, but is hardly used, with most of the parts being marked as 'not for use'.

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The only really 'new' part I can find is sprue Y which appears not have been in either of the earlier kits. This sprue holds a turret roof, which is not used, and a new rear hull which is. Sprue C has been seen before, but has a new section added with a new turret half.

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Whatever bits have and have not been seen before, Cyber Hobby have tweaked various parts and include all the 'goodies' necessary to make a superb looking, accurate Tiger. Highlights are the newly-tooled escape hatch, hatches which can all be modelled opened or closed and have internal detail, clear periscopes, working torsion bar suspension, a choice of on-vehicle tools with moulded on clamps or photo-etched ones, fuel tanks and radios for the engine compartment, and a superb MG34 for the front hull, most of which won't be seen but it looks great!

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Detail-wise it's all there, with even weld marks newly tooled on the turret to represent where equipment has been deleted. In fact, the only thing missing from this kit is the zimmerit which the real vehicle had. To depict it correctly, you'll have to use your favourite method, since it was a mix of types, a full zimmerit coat as supplied by the likes of Cavalier or Atak would be inappropriate, although Cavalier do a sheet of 'worn' zimmerit that can be cut up and applied as necessary.

Markings-wise, it's F13 or nothing. The vehicle is shown on the box art as olive green, although some would argue that it was actually Panzer grey. Consult your references and take your best shot!

Conclusion

It's a Cyber Hobby Tiger! It's limited edition and will sell out fast. Get a couple if you can. Recommended!

For full details of all Cyber Hobby products, please see their website: Cyber Hobby.