This is a build up of the Rye Field Model King Tiger Upgrade Version.
Overall, the kit is highly detailed with crisp clean moldings and good surface finish for the rolled steel plate. Parts layout suggests a full interior version is planned. Fit is overall very good with no flash and parting lines are very fine and need very little cleanup. The included PE sheets are very thorough. No aftermarket is needed for this kit unless you want accurate tracks.
-The kit includes left and right-handed tracks. This is incorrect which is too bad because the kit tracks are very nice. I used TREX tracks. Don’t. The resin is very brittle, several of the knuckles broke after assembly, track pins need glue to stay in place and they don’t fit the kit drive sprocket very well.
-The spare track mounts on the turret are correct even though the tracks are not.
-The larger hull and turret pieces need some sanding to fit properly.
-In Step 8, the fit of the inner walls to the exterior hull is critical but no alignment features are present. Dry fit with the bottom hull to ensure a good fit.
-Step 13 has a typo for the length of the wire for the armored plates. It should be L: 1.5mm
-In Step 22, the turret instructions omit the required poly cap for the gun mount. F23-F24 need the small ploy cap inserted.
-The aluminum barrel is too heavy for the poly caps and the barrel sags. I glued a “travel lock” inside to fix the gun.
-Step 28 shows the installation of the loops for securing foliage. No locating features are molded on the turret even though they are shown in the instructions.
-Step 31 installs the armored plug for the bow machine gun, #H4. Part #H4 does not exist on any sprues.
-The 3D printed resin is brittle and one of the tow cable ends shattered trying to drill out the hole to insert Eureka wire. The muzzle brake has print errors that needed to be filled and sanded.
-The plastic kit parts are sometimes a better option than the PE replacements.
-The kit welds are detailed but do not match surviving examples.
-Torsion bars are functional.
-The idler wheel is adjustable.
I am in the process of replacing the kit welds with epoxy putty. Incorrect kit tracks have been replaced with Trex 3d printed ones.
