Tiger 1 "Tunisian Initial"
s.Pz.Abt.501 Battalion

This is my take on Tiger No. 112 of s.Pz.Abt.501 in North Africa. The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion was formed in mid-1942 and spent a few months training in Germany. This tank was one of the first two Tigers delivered to s.Pz.Abt.501. Battalion, including Tiger 112 arrived in Africa in Bizerte on November 1942. Its first combat engagement was the Battle of Tebourba. At this time, the 501 Battalion still had only four Tigers in Africa, of which only three were in working condition. They fought American tanks on 1st December, in the olive groves east of Tebourba.

During the next few months, between December 1942 and March 1943, Tiger 112 participated in several engagements, of which Operation Fruhlingswind and the battle of Sidi bou Zid were the biggest success when heavy losses were inflicted on American armor.

At the end of February 1943, the 501st was attached to the 7th Panzer Regiment and sent to capture Beja. The mission was a disaster, with seven Tigers lost in the battle of Hunt's Gap. The eleven remaining tanks, including Tiger 112 which survived the battle, were attached to the newly arrived 504th Heavy Tank Battalion and continued fighting until the surrender of Tunisia. After being transferred to 504th, Tiger 112 was renumbered 724.

The damaged tank was abandoned and left by the main road, somewhere in north-eastern Tunis. There are few photos of the soldiers posing by the abandoned tank in the spring of 1943.

This model should represent this tank while it was still Tiger 112, in its condition sometime around January 1943, before Operation Fruhlingswind.

The kit itself, "Tiger 1 Tunisian Initial" from Dragon, No. 6608 is a great kit. The only bigger drawback is the DS tracks. I replaced them with the absolutely fantastic T-Rex 3D-printed tracks. I also used two E.T. model PE sets, one for side skirts and the other for details.

These tanks were probably painted in Tropen 1, so the combination of 2/3 RAL8000 and 1/3 RAL7008. The model was painted with a combination od Gunze and MRP paints, and some Mr. Metal Color and Vallejo for detail painting. It is very hard to notice the disruptive color due to the low contrast. Especially when covered with some dust. On bw photos, almost impossible I would say.

The side of the tank had some repaired battle damage that was brush painted after repairs probably with RAL 8020.

The model was weathered with some pigments and MIG's nature effects. And here are some details shots.