Model Art Extra

Tiger Tank Model Painting Manual: Wittmann and SSPzAbt 101(501)

Reviewed By  James Kelley, IPMS# 42106

MSRP: ¥2,500 (Approx. $27.00) Imported by Dragon USA (www.dragonmodelsusa.com) Model Art Website: www.modelart.jp Model Art Magazine, the Japanese-language producer of Panzer Graph!, Model Art, and Model Fibel have just released another outstanding "Extra" issue. Dedicated solely to the painting of Tiger tank models, it is called just that; TigerTank Model Painting Manual: Wittmann and SSPzAbt 101(501). Printed on 112 glossy, heavy stock pages, it is filled with step-by-step photos of 9 different Tiger tank models. Also included in the issue are 30 color profiles, and 6 black and white photos. The examples given are some of the nicest models I've seen anywhere…armor or otherwise. While raw inspiration knows no boundaries, unfortunately, most languages do. Unless you can read Japanese, you will have to use the abundant color photos to aid in painting your own Tiger Masterpiece, as the entire text is in Japanese. I've owned a few copies of Panzer Graph!, and greatly appreciate the appendices in the back of each issue; several of the articles' text are always translated to English. Sadly, this volume has no such appendix. While each of the stepwise sequences is beautifully illustrated, knowing what subtle nuances are described in the text would be valuable. As is, the reader is on his or her own to derive what they can from the photos. And, as I said, they are explicitly-well illustrated, so a lot can be derived. The quality of the work in all 9 of the projects is simply outstanding, so I will offer that a great deal of what is lost through the language barrier is made up for in inspiration. The models painted in this issue are: Tamiya 1/35 German Tiger I Initial Production (MM35227). Cyber Hobby 1/35 Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E "Michael Wittmann (6350). Tamiya 1/35 German Tiger I Early Production (MM35216). Tamiya 1/35 German Tiger I Mid-Production (MM35194). DML 1/35 Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E Tiger I Late Production 3in1 (6406) AFV Club 1/35 Tiger I Late Version (AF35079). DML 1/35 King Tiger Henschel Turret w/Zimmerit (6303). DML 1/35 King Tiger Henschel Turret (6208). Cyber Hobby 1/35 Tiger I Gruppe Fehermann (6335). Aside from the lack of article translation in the form of an appendix, like several of this publisher's titles, I recommend this volume. My thanks to Model Art and IPMS/USA for the review sample.