SPA Modeler

speedgraflex wrote:https://dnmodels.com/all/king-tiger-2-i ... ammo-8500/

Looks like a “What if,” although I read online that a unit of Tigers with FG 1250 Vampyr equipment entered a conflict in Hungary. Is there any way to confirm this? Also— Is there any way to confirm the barrel color?

Very interesting! I've been seeing more late war German tank builds with the dark grey barrels. Is this a new discovery?

The late war production situation was so chaotic, the dark gray barrels are a plausible possibility. As would be primer red, dark yellow, or olivgrun. The armaments industry was dispersed in 1944 due to Allied bombing and by the second half of the year many items were produced at dispersed sub contractors. I can only image that by 1945, shortages of all sorts meant that those sub contractors had to use what ever paint stocks were on hand for their components. And then somehow be transported to a final assembly point. At which point the war situation demanded their immediate issue to units in need. Not much time for fine tuning.

speedgraflex wrote: Looks like a “What if,” although I read online that a unit of Tigers with FG 1250 Vampyr equipment entered a conflict in Hungary. Is there any way to confirm this?

There is no confirmation for that. The only pictures of a heavy tank with infrared system are the well known ones of a Panther during tryouts in the last months of war. There were front line tests with a variety of halftracks equipped with Uhu (owl) systems. But the results were considered "meh", since such kind of system is more advantageous for an advancing army, not for a withdrawing.
Tests of the Ultrared System, like it was called in its early years, started with anti-tank guns Pak 40 in the fall of 1942. The tests were considered as successful, but the reliability of the very delicate system in field was too low. The System Puma or FG 1250, the one shown bei John, was mounted on several Panther command tanks. Its weakness was its low range of 600m. The tank was forced to advance in close range to enemy tanks and guns to use the system to own advantage. A contradiction in itself.

With the range limitations of the system, probably the biggest advantage would be for aiding drivers. The official US Army history on the Ardennes campaign (aka Battle of the Bulge) states that some Panthers were equipped with IR night vision devices for the drivers.
I’m pretty sure that where I read of the Jagdtigers having IR equipment was in Cornelius Ryan’s book, The Last Battle. I have not read it in many years, and it is put away now, so I can’t immediately confirm that. But in both cases, the books are written by folks not known for slapdash writing and research.
These were rare items, so in either case, likely only a handful saw actual combat use.

jkim wrote:

speedgraflex wrote:https://dnmodels.com/all/king-tiger-2-i ... ammo-8500/

Looks like a “What if,” although I read online that a unit of Tigers with FG 1250 Vampyr equipment entered a conflict in Hungary. Is there any way to confirm this? Also— Is there any way to confirm the barrel color?

Very interesting! I've been seeing more late war German tank builds with the dark grey barrels. Is this a new discovery?

I do remember reading somewhere about that in Hungary, if the war lasted longer then It's plausible that King Tigers would start being equipped, but in the confusion of things maybe some was before the end my guess it would be SS units that would have them.

Interior Set arrives today! Should be at home waiting for me when I come home from work. Along with the Sotar airbrush too!

I guess we'll both have some eye candy to share!

Got it! But no time to look at it right now!