PMMS LogoPMMS
Voyager Models
Tiger I
Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.E Sd.Kfz.181

Voyager Model 1:35 Set # PRO35004
Review by Terry Ashley

Introduction:
To celebrate the 5 year anniversary of producing etched and resin update sets, Voyager Models have released this extensive Superdetail set in their PRO Series for the Tiger I with parts for the Early, Mid and Late production Tiger I kits. The set is designed for any of the Academy, AFV Club or Dragon Tiger I kits although some kit alterations may be needed depending on the target kit, the set could also be used on other brand Tiger I kits with additional work.

The Set:

The set has some etched parts from existing Voyager Tiger I update sets as well as new parts for this set, mostly the resin parts but some etched parts are new also. It includes 15 large to small frets of etched parts in different thickness brass, 72 resin parts, the aluminium barrel with 5 part brass muzzle brake, plus 18 other brass parts, lengths of steel and copper wire for the tow cables and a 12 page instructions booklet to make sense of all the parts included in the set.

The set is labelled to include parts for early, mid and late production Tiger Is with the most parts applicable to the early/mid production with some later details also included. The main early features include the Feifel air cleaner system for the rear engine deck, the six pot smoke grenade dischargers for the turret or the five S-Mine launchers for the hull as well as transport wheel hubs for the earlier rubber tyred road wheels and the early/mid style gun mantlet with binocular sight holes and larger early style muzzle brake. There is also the rear deck mounted travel lock applicable to the mid production as well as cupola details including the AA MG mounting and other smaller turret and hull details for the later type.

Etched, resin, wire and rod parts
Click thumbnails for slideshow views
Voyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager Models Voyager Models
Barrel parts
Voyager Models
Resin mantlet and gun collar
Voyager Models

The resin parts are cleanly cast with just the usual casting plugs to be removed which is quite easy for most with just the resin turret bin having a quite substantial plug that will need a razor saw to deal with. The etched parts are also very well done as we have come to expect from Voyager with fine mesh for the engine deck intakes as well as embossed details and the usual engraved bending lines where applicable. There are quite a few very small parts that will need careful handling as well as some quite intricate sub-assemblies along the way and some previous experience working with fine etched parts would be helpful.

Hull details:

Resin transport outer wheel hubs are provided for the earlier rubber tyred road wheels if you want to show the model in transport mode with the outer set of wheels removed with the hubs having excellent details included with different hubs for the alternate road wheel stations so watch this while fitting.

All the tools and other equipment mounting brackets and clips are provided in etched parts that in some cases will require the moulded on clips be removed from the kit parts beforehand with many of the clips and brackets in multiple parts that can be made workable if you are careful during assembly but can also just be glued into place for quicker assembly. The barrel cleaning rods are provided as brass rod with alternate pins and holes on the ends and you can join these together for a barrel cleaning diorama if you wish while the hull mountings for these have very small etched wing nuts to hold the brackets on place as do some of the other brackets where applicable.

All the side fenders are in etched brass with separate underside supports and small bolt heads as well as the square hull side bolt hole brackets provided as small resin parts to add if you wish especially if not fitting any of the fender segments to the hull. The front fender extensions are multi-part assemblies with working hinges for the outer fold up sections along with numerous very small hinge and bracket fittings with these being typical of the various sub-assemblies in the set.

At the back there are alternate rear fender extension sub-assemblies for the early and mid/later style of fenders which like the front have working hinges for the outer fold up sections and smaller fittings included but you have to choose which to use as some of the smaller fittings are applicable to both fender types so you make only one complete set of fenders.

Other details on the rear hull included a multi-part equipment box and mounting carried on early Tigers and this has working hinges and separate lip clips for a quite detailed sub-assembly and the resin jack has additional etched parts for the jack and the mounting brackets/clips that again can be made workable if you wish?

The large exhaust covers are in etched brass which you have to bend to shape as well as separate resin bolt brackets for the hull to mount the covers off the rear plate as they should be along with other smaller etched parts for the exhausts and towing pintle. There are also alternate parts for the earlier square type convoy light and cylindrical light depending on the model being built?

For the engine deck there are the intake grill screens in fine etched mesh as well as most of the grill latches and brackets in etched parts that require you to cut off these moulded on parts from most kits. As mentioned above the major item for the engine deck is the Feifel air cleaner system which has the forward U intake and four large pipes in resin with numerous small etched fittings such as the square pipe gaskets/brackets and the securing clips as well as fine etched chain for the air cleaners mounted either side of the rear deck. The air cleaners and rounded pipes are used from the donor kit with the remaining items provided in the resin and etched parts. The later etched cover for the air intake is also provided for the mid/late engine decks as well as a multi-part chain for the barrel travel lock carried on the rear deck of the mid production hull with the etched chain added to the kit travel lock base on the applicable kits.

The two crew hatches have the inner locking mechanism in multiple etched parts that again require the moulded on detail to be removed from the kit hatches before being replaced with the etched detail; the large hatch hinge can again be made workable if you are careful during assembly.

Included are lengths of braided steel and copper wire to use as the large and small tow cables stowed on the top and sides of the hull and there are additional small etched parts for the cable clips and brackets as well as resin cable end "eyes" and the wire allows you to get natural bends and sag into the cables when attached to the hull.

Smaller fittings include the head lights with resin base mountings for the two early lights on either corner of the hull as well as the centrally mounted single head light on the mid/late versions with fine wire leads and etched parts added to the head light assemblies. The two small wing nut fittings either side of the hull machine gun ball mounting are provided as well as front bracket for the spare track and the crew step on the early hulls. As mentioned there are also the five S-Mine mountings in etched brass with brass tube for the grenade launcher tubes as well as the later Command star antenna for the applicable Dragon kit.

Turret:

The main items for the turret are the replacement gun mantlet and aluminium barrel with brass muzzle brake and this is the early/mid type mantlet and barrel/muzzle brake as included in the Voyager set #VBS0111 and I will refer you to the full review of that set for details with the mantlet having the two hole binocular sight openings which restrict it's use to the early/mid Tigers as later mid and the late models used the single aperture for the monocular gun sight.

The large rear storage box is made entirely from brass with the main box structure in two pieces with embossed flush screws around the upper edges. The main box part has the rear walls, top and bottom in one piece that is carefully bent to shape and it's best to solder the joins for greater strength with the front wall as a separate part. Added to this are separate upper lids with workable hinges and latches if careful during assembly with smaller fittings fitted for quite an intricate sub-assembly. Contrary to this etched multi-part box is the single resin turret box for the uniquely shaped box carried by some Tigers of Schwere Panzer-Abteilung and this is obviously is restricted to building a Tiger of that unit but it's inclusion offers something different.

The six smoke grenade launchers and their mountings are provided in etched and brass parts for quite nicely detailed launchers for the applicable early Tiger turrets but you should note there are only the six brass grenade tubes in the set so you have to choose between using these for the turret mounted units here of the hull mounted S-Mine tubes mentioned earlier as the same brass tubes are used for both depending on your choice.

The loader's hatch, both early and later types have the inner locking mechanism again replaced with etched parts after you remove the moulded on details from most kit hatches and there are alternate etched parts for the early and later roof ventilators as well as spare track mounting brackets for the turret sides.

Alternate detail parts are also provided for the early drum and later cast cupolas and hatches as well as the AA MG mounting for the later cast cupola.

As a final touch there are some uniform details in the form of rank insignia and decorations as well as the headphones for the crew figures.

Conclusion:

This is an extensive update set for the Tiger I with parts for basically any of the Academy, AFV Club or Dragon early, mid and late Tiger I kits although the best value would be to use the set for the early or mid variants as most of the major parts such as the Feifel air cleaner system, smoke grenades and the gun/mantlet are for these versions while the late version only gets the smaller details updates.

The quality of the resin in particular and the etched parts is first class with basically every detail conceivable included in the set but there are a few compromises due to catering for all three types in one sets but in general the details are nicely done.

Highly recommended

Instruction Sheets
Click thumbnails for slideshow views
Voyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager Models
Voyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager ModelsVoyager Models

See the Tiger Tank Subject page for additional reviews for the Tiger series.

References:


Thanks to Voyager Models for the review set.




Page created October 18, 2008