# Tiger 1 Mid Production Normandy Numbers (HELP!!)



## FriendsLZ70 (Mar 31, 2019)

Hello,

I haven't been at this kit building in years, but am now feeling like a kid all over again. My wife got me a Tamiya Tiger 1 (Mid Production) last Christmas, and Im just now getting to it... and wow, the memories that have come flooding back, I used to build back in 86, 87... but that was over thirty years ago now. I just cant believe I ever stopped. I am just so grateful that I have a wife that heard me remark offhandedly about an old, beloved hobby.

My problem is having decided that I want to build this particular Tiger for a Western Front diorama, and have decided on the Normandy build/color scheme, but the decals offered in my kit have only the 131 designation in the appropriate red/white numeral markings for tank 131, which, I believe, is the tank in England at the museum, the one from Fury, and if I am further correct that tank was disabled in Africa, never making it to the Normandy part of the war. If (and of course I preface this with IF) this is correct, then do I look for aftermarket decals, as I don't really want to build 131, but again, the only decals provided with what I also believe to be the right color scheme for the numbers (red/white), are 131. The other 3 options are for the Eastern Front I believe, so again, wont work for my build idea.

Any help would be appreciated, as I am at the camo then clear coat, then decal part now... so... hmm... help, please?

I would only add a small PS , I am so new and just getting back to this, and the last time I was a teen with no airbrush or proper tools save a modeling knife, and I am having trouble with the order (steps/procedure) of how to build, paint, weather, so any help there would be appreciated too! (example: above I said camo/clear coat/ decal.... is that the right order?)

Thanks to all for any help/suggestions/info!!


----------



## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

Well, she sure picked a quality product! Tamiya is still viewed as the Gold Standard today.

There are some aftermarket decals out there though - they're not easy to find sometimes...

I did find this set:

ART35259 1:35 Archer Transfers - Tiger I Ausf E1 Normany Will Fey #35259

Specifically for a tank on the Normandy front - I'm not sure if they're meant for a mid-production model. These are from this company:

https://www.archertransfers.com/


----------



## FriendsLZ70 (Mar 31, 2019)

Thank you StarCruiser! I am checking out the dec's now. I am not sure if I am correct or not on the old red white color scheme for 

my numbers... I am still just gobsmacked that the only red white in my kit was for tank 131. That is the tank in England, at the tank 

museum, correct? If so, I obviously cant put those on for the Western Front, right? Still just a bit confused. But thanks to you I am 

now aware that the answer might be out there!



I also find myself one week out from when I was to begin putting my camo down..... I am* SO* nervous about getting started, 

everything in my past was hand painted. This is a whole new game! The airbrushing on the rest of the kit went WAY smoother than 

I expected (which worries me!) Cleanup too was way easier than I thought'd be. Now if only I could find some backbone and get 

some Nato Brown and Nato Green camouflage going... I'd be that mush closer to the home stretch! But man am I nervous! Cant 

even figure out why, just cant get over there and get started!! In hope this passes!


Again, thank StarCruiser! Hope all is well in the land of "everything's bigger", tis a beautiful day here in the Land O' Lincoln!

Any and all help/ideas/tips/suggestions/info *MASSIVELY* appreciated!

Peace!


----------



## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

Keep in mind that the number is a company/platoon/unit type of code. There would have been a number of tanks (various types) that could have the same code on the turret.

The color(s) used depended on who/what/when/where and varied quite a bit.

Here's a little article from Flames Of War:

https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=287

And another from Panzer World:

https://panzerworld.com/tactical-numbers

Might want to dig in and try to find a specific tank in a photo as a target to emulate with this build.

https://www.google.com/search?q=tig...hAhVFeawKHeJyBv8QsAR6BAgHEAE&biw=1610&bih=960

Also, might want to look into a reference book if you want to get detailed. There are a BUNCH of references out there for the old Tiger I.

Boy - I keep digging... Here's a list of the divisions sent to Normandy that had Tigers:

http://www.lonesentry.com/panzer/tiger-tank-normandy.html

And article with a bunch of photos of various tanks around Normandy - includes a few knocked out Tigers:

https://www.argunners.com/tanks-battle-of-normandy-part-i-in-31-photographs/

And another on the subject of Tigers in Normandy:

https://www.quora.com/When-did-the-...ger-tank-in-Normandy-Was-it-on-or-after-D-Day


----------



## FriendsLZ70 (Mar 31, 2019)

Thank you StarCruiser! You have surpassed the amount of help I expected... people had me scared of the internets, "nothin' but mean 

people" they said... 

I will DEFINITELY be checking out the resources you helped with, Im still reading up a few articles I came across on my own the other day, but yours 


look more on the nose. 

I was kinda aware of the color/number scheme being a code, but could you find a 131 with red numbers bordered in white on two different 


tanks (or other vehicles, I guess) in different theaters? 


I have (in a spurt of madness) moved ahead with the 131, the camo, dull coat, weathering, mudding and rusting. I grew my backbone last 


night and figured what the H E double hockey sticks, worse thing that happens is I ruin it. Which arguably I did.I guess I'm kinda happy with 


how it turned out for my fist stab at it in years, but I see ALL of my flaws, my impatience and lack of experience staring at me through 


what would have (in another hands) been a beautiful Tamiya Tiger 1. Enough self deprecation though, it turned out fine for my first one, 


I think. I tried to listen to all the advice I've gotten since getting this kit 3 mos ago (mostly through Youtube vids), and the advice I heard 


the loudest was DONT OVER DO IT. Seems to me a LOT of people offered the same theory of how easy it is to put too much rust, too 


much weathering, just too much STUFF on these tiny models. I agreed in my head and said "I wont do that".... well... easier said than 


done. Looking at it now, there's too much chipping, too much rust... and WAY too much dark wash, I feel like my tank just got through 


fighting in a grease factory! Oh well, the key is if I can take these lessons and apply it to model #2... which Im already hunting for now! 


Id like to do the Takom kit Tiger 1 with the full interior, but I'll wait a year, more experience needed for that kit!



Lessons learned. I hope. I am still putting some finishing moves on this kit (painting the figure), and I have yet to put a buff coat or two 


on it (which is something I picked up on Youtube as well), not sure if my dark model even requires that at this point or not. 


Thanks again StarCruiser (funny, I call my wife Stardust sometimes!) I promise, your help, time and suggested resources WILL be used!


Peace!


----------



## FriendsLZ70 (Mar 31, 2019)

By the way, I cant figure out how to double space on here for the life of me, I keep getting weird tags at the end of each line (or at the 

bottom of the first line, as you can see!! Sorry!!)



Peace


----------



## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

Here's a site you'll absolutely HATE:

https://www.track-link.com/

Nothin' but armor, arty and transports there... From WW1 forward (with occasional odd sidetracks).

A lot of the folks post in progress builds so you can see their methods (and madness) for yourself.


----------



## FriendsLZ70 (Mar 31, 2019)

Many thanks again SC, good lookin out. I actually found that site the day before I found this one, they had a server crash that day (or something I think I read, dont quote me) so I still am having problems getting on their boards, but yes, they do look VERY valuable as far as a resource.

Just finishing up my first ever watching of Band of Brothers and am now thinking of dioramas built not just off photos, but from other first hand account type stories _like_ BoB, but of course not _limited_ to that, thankfully the greatest gen is well documented as far as literature. My grandpa served, but on a boat in the other theater, givin Tojo heck, I do remember him sayin from time to time. *Very* proud of my Navy grandpa. 

So far, your my only source here, and at the risk of over doing it, I again say *thanks*! 
I was looking again through your links from yesterday, and... wow... right on the head! I owe ya!

Peace!


----------



## StarCruiser (Sep 28, 1999)

No problem!

Just remember that the whole point to this hobby is "HAVE FUN"...


----------



## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

FriendsLZ70 said:


> By the way, I cant figure out how to double space on here for the life of me, I keep getting weird tags at the end of each line (or at the
> 
> bottom of the first line, as you can see!! Sorry!!)
> 
> ...


Are you trying to use html codes to engage double spacing? For the most part our security editor doesnt allow html tags. Once you submit your message the weird tags dont show in the post so we dont see any.

The default setting here is to wrap longer sentences and a string of senteces into single spaced paragraphs. It should work for you to hit the enter key (return carriage) twice where ever you do want to insert a double space between lines.


Like this....


...and this.


Otherwise you will always get single spaced lines.


----------

