Tamiya 35194 - 1:35 Tiger I Mid Production

1:35 plastic model kit of the German Tiger I heavy tank, mid production

Mid-production Tigers represent the tank at the peak of its legend – still with rubber-tyred road wheels, but after a series of changes to external equipment prompted by front-line experience. Tamiya 35194 reproduces this variant in 1:35 scale, in a 1995 release using new parts on the 35146 mould.

The model retains all the strengths of the modern Tiger tooling: an accurately shaped hull and turret and the interleaved running gear. The tracks are built from individual links, allowing their run and natural sag to be reproduced faithfully. The decal sheet covers three vehicles from the heavy tank battalions, including s.Pz.Abt.101, 501 and 502.

What’s in the box:

• Plastic sprues with hull, turret and equipment parts (including new mid-production parts)
• Individual-link tracks, assembled link by link
• One tank crew figure
• Waterslide decal sheet for 3 marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Product number: 35194
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled model length: approx. 241 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (individual-link tracks)

Note: This kit does not include cement, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The parts fit is very good and the instructions are clear – the individual-link tracks remain the main challenge. It helps to assemble them in sections and to give them a natural sag over the return rollers, as this is what most affects the look of the finished model. The interleaved road wheels are best painted before final assembly, since access to the inner rows becomes limited later.

The base colour is dark yellow (e.g. Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow), over which – depending on the option – patches of dark green (XF-61 Dark Green) and red brown (XF-64 Red Brown) are applied; the instructions give paint codes. Applying decals over a gloss coat is recommended to reduce silvering, and a matt varnish suits the final finish. To take the level of detail further you may want to consider separately sold Tamiya accessories: the 12647 zimmerit sheet, 35179 photo-etched parts and 35189 brass shells – all standalone products that are not included in this box.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in a range of sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to accentuate details and recesses
• Optional: pigments for dust and mud effects

About the vehicle – Tiger I (mid production):

The Tiger I entered service in the summer of 1942 and immediately became one of the most feared tanks on the battlefield. The 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56 gun could destroy practically any Allied tank of the period at ranges from which a reply was difficult, while its thick armour made it a very hard target.

Mid-production vehicles still retained rubber-tyred road wheels but received revised external equipment – changes introduced gradually, based on experience gathered on the Eastern Front and in North Africa.

Tigers were assigned to independent heavy tank battalions and sent wherever breakthrough power or a hard defence was needed. Unit numbers such as s.Pz.Abt.101, 501 and 502 are firmly written into the history of armoured warfare – and it is their vehicles that the decals in this kit represent.

Original vehicle specifications (Tiger I, mid production):

• Length: approx. 8.45 m (gun forward)
• Width: approx. 3.70 m (on combat tracks)
• Height: approx. 3.00 m
• Combat weight: approx. 57 t
• Crew: 5
• Main armament: 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56 gun
• Secondary armament: 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns
• Powerplant: Maybach HL 230 petrol engine, 700 hp
• Top speed: approx. 40 km/h (road)
• Armour: up to 100 mm (hull front)
• Version features: rubber-tyred road wheels, revised external equipment

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The company originally traded in timber and moved on to wooden models in the late 1940s. Its first plastic model kit appeared in 1960, and two years later came its first 1:35 tank – the scale that, thanks to Tamiya, became the worldwide standard for military modelling. The brand is known for precise injection moulds, outstanding parts fit and clear instructions, which is why its kits are equally popular with beginners and experienced modellers. The Military Miniature Series, to which this kit belongs, runs to hundreds of releases covering vehicles, artillery and figures from around the world. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of modelling accessories: paints, cements, tools and brushes. The company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable names in the hobby.