Tiger I Early
Etched Detail Set#LA48001
1:48 Scale
Review by Terry Ashley

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The etched parts have very good quality etching with well defined details and relief on the parts with the usual engraved lines to help with bending. The main parts are fine mesh screens for the engine deck grills which give a good impression of the weave effect which and okay in this scale plus new side fenders in segments which will allow you to leave off a section or add damage easily.

The rear exhaust covers are also provided in thin metal with additional bolt head details and again this gives good scale appearance and makes adding damage very easy while there are detail parts for the rear mud guards to add to the kit parts plus a few tool clips and smoke grenade mounts for the turret sides. Additional parts are provided for the fire extinguished mount and latches on the turret storage bin.

The barrel is a single piece machined in brass with the a very nice muzzle brake included which is much better than the cast muzzle brake of the recent Finemolds Tiger I barrel although there is some work required to fit the new barrel to the kit mantlet. The Tamiya barrel has a bevel at the end that fits into the mantlet collar (as does the Finemolds barrel) but this bevel is not on the Lion Roar barrel and you have to file the end down yourself or the barrel simply will not fit into the mantlet collar. This is easy enough to do as the brass is quite soft and easy to file down and by test fitting you can determine the right amount to file off. Despite this bit of work the new Lion Roar barrel looks good with just the small screw fitting needed on top of the muzzle brake to finish it off nicely.

A simple but effective update for the Tamiya kit and again has a nice bonus of the metal barrel as well as the nicely etched parts.

Etched parts

Lion Roar barrel with Finemolds and Tamiya barrels for comparison


Lion Roar barrel with taper filed at breech end

Thanks to my credit card and Hobby Easy for the review set.

Page created 15 March 2005