Tamiya German Tiger I Early Production (1/35)

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It was the end of 1942 when a German heavy tank with extra thick armor

and a powerful main gun first appeared on the North African front. The

new tank, long-desired by the German soldiers who had hard-fought

battles against the allies, became known as the Tiger I Ausf. E.

Development of the Tiger I began at the end of May 1941. The German

Army Weapons Branch ordered the Henschel firm to vie with Porsche in

producing a prototype. The first prototypes underwent trials on April

1942. The result of these and subsequent trial showed the superiority

of the Henschel vehicle to the Porsche's, and thus production orders

were placed for it. The Henschel's prototype had thick armor of 100mm

at the front and 80mm on both sides, and the main gun was the then most

potent, the 8.8cm KwK 36 L/56. The powerplant was Maybach's HL 210 P45,

yielding 650 horsepower. Mass production started already in August 1942

with little alteration from the prototype. Starting from November 1942,

air pre-cleaners were added on the rear hull plate. The mantlet was

partly strengthened and "S" mine dischargers were fitted on five

mounting points around the hull roof beginning from December. Moreover,

a loader's periscope was fitted from January 1943. The Tiger I produced

from November 1942 to July 1943 featured these modifications, are

referred to as the early production. About 200 units of these early

production versions were produced.