"Fujimi Tiger I" Topic

For those of us of a certain generation, MOG's(Moaney Old Gits) the Fujimi brand has a place in their
hearts. They were the first brand to make all sorts of interesting stuff in 1/76 scale, BMW sidecars Kubels,
Elefants and hard plastic infantry. They were cracking good stuff.
So hearing that Fujimi had done some stuff in 1/72 scale I couldn't resist. Not seen it myself but reports I've
had indicate that the Opel Blitz is terrific. All sorts of unusual and interesting modern JDF stuff made as well.
I got hold of a double pack of Tiger I, worked out at £ 15 a pop which is not at all bad.

Well first impressions.
Beautifully crisply moulded sprues, very fine detail. Plastic is lovely, crisp detail but flexible enough to be
easy to de sprue with the ‘pinging' games with the carpet monster. Glues well.
Instructions, perfectly fine and diagrams quite small so need careful study.
Seems to be an early model Tiger I the absence of loaders periscope puts it pre March 43
example, though of course this easily fixed.

Coupla is the early drum type ( pre July 43).

Tracks are late type from October 43.
Construction.

Well as always road wheels on an early tiger are complex. Separate axles need careful positioning. Don't
make the mistake of thinking construction is symmetrical, slight differences of position on each side.
Personally I decided to assemble the drive sprockets and leave them off the hull side of this more later.
The instructions suggest assembling three set of wheels personally I found it better to add another layer to
make track fitting easier.
Right this is the point where I get a little negative.

The tracks are made up of 4 large sections and a heck of a lot of single link sections. Your supposed to make
up a lot of the single sections into small ‘big bits' all very accurate but a bit of a pfaff. The links fit together
very well mind you. Its slow work getting the tracks on and I removed the inner teeth on my build to make
getting things fitted easier. I find ts easier to fit the induvidual links to the drive sprocket while its separate and then fit it to the hull.

Another problem is the fineness of the fixing lugs on things like the drive sprockets. Lovely small connec-
tors that unfortunately will of course melt under glue fast. I'd have preferred bigger more robust ones. If you
can lock bits together and then open slightly to get some glue in then when firm back up by running some
glue along the join.

Another problem with this utter devotion to blueprint measurement are the road wheels. If you think of the
road wheel in cross section the difference in ‘height' between the outer tyre and the road wheel rim is proba-
bly about .01mm making accurate paint tricky. I'd have preferred a bigger difference in the levels myself
that way you can paint the rubber bits that much easier.

After that is its all plain sailing. Beautiful building. Tools are largely moulded in but very nicely. I've found
that if you run a sharp point, needle/compass point around the edge of tools like this helps paint later by
sharpening up the join.

All hatches are open and have lovely interior detail. The turret bin has hatches that are open as well ! The
filter hoses are not on the model pictured here as I'm planning to paint them and add later, same goes for the
track cables which fit on the side. All handsomely detailed and all three desprued with no breakages.
My build is lacking the mg barrell from the moveable hull mount.
Particularly of note for me is the fines beautifully rendered weld seams.
You get interior turret and engine detail.
Going to zimeret and modify the second one to a late early tiger if that makes sense as OKB ( I should have shares lol)
makes a later cast coupla.

My example here has just had a coat of primer dunkelgelb and some basic road wheel and track painting. I
can see mistakes I've made due to distraction and impatience but don't let that put you off a magnificent kit.
L

I still remember a game with a Tiger that was supposed to balance the play for the overwhelmed Germans: Tiger enters board. Lone soldier scouting in second story window "Is the tank buttoned up?" Player "No." Scout "I shoot at tank commander with my Garand" (rolls 20) GM "Tank commander is dead. Roll morale for the tank." Player rolls 1. Tank backs of board. GM scurries about to find another way to balance the game.

I have no plans to model a 1/72 scale tiger, purely because neither Leclerc nor Napoleon, over a century earlier, used one.

But I loved your review. I read every word of it and I can see just how detailed and well moulded is the kit. You must do more reviews like this (or have you already done so somewhere?)

Thanks

Nice – great review

I did one Tiger in 15mm that I gave to a friend as well as a 1/35 one I did ages ago as well as 5 in 6mm – don't have any in 20 mm which is most of my WWII gaming with no plans to get any – sticking to the StuGs and Panthers

Nice kit, though and great build – very tempting

Glad you found it useful Deadhead, dont do much reviewing these days, lots of people doing it and better than me but this kit seems to have flown under the radar so seemed useful to do one for it.
L

Tools are largely moulded in but very nicely. I've found
that if you run a sharp point, needle/compass point around the edge of tools like this helps paint later by
sharpening up the join.

Good tip Leon. Never thought of this.

My favourite 1/76 manufacturer was Nitto, which was subsequently absorbed and reissued by Fujimi.

Crazy features like tank interiors.

I've just undercoated four Fujimi Valentines. Not easy to make, but lovely little models when complete. The Sdkfz 251 is nice too.

All part of my ‘what I had available as a kid' desert project.

Ah yes I remember the 251 with fond memory :) Nice kit.
L