Review TK2 Jagdtiger
My first review.
Great overall quality. TK2's bricks just seem,.. crisper? Cleaner? They fit and grip better with less flash and mold marks than others. The included instructions are clear and easy to follow. Mind you I've built 20+ kits over the past 9 months. I'm getting used to looking out for "trouble" spots/techniques so "easy" to follow now may have been a bit frustrating when beginning months ago. I love the included sort bins. Don't like NO minifigures. I was missing ONE part that turned out to be special to this kit. Well I've not seem them anywhere else. It's a very thin sharply angled 1 stud wide tile that is 2 studs long but is totally flush on the bottom side over just the angled area. That missing piece prompted my search light mod next to the commander's hatch.
The build went great. It's so interesting to see the different approaches/ techniques and sometimes, special parts that are used to achieve the desired effect and how there seem to be similarities within the same brand. TK2 loves to do the 1X1 slanted tile bricks to achieve shape and exterior appearance. To do the same thing, 12GO uses an entirely different approach. I didn't mind the tedious nature of all those bricks. My OCD reveled in the chance to perfectly align each piece. I want to point out 2 things: First, when they call out a 1X1 tile with a right angle up or down side stud, you MUST pay attention to if it is a middle stud or high (right angle up) or low (right angle down) stud. Some brands in their instructions will provide a pop out with close-ups of the "use this, not this" parts. TK2 doesn't do this. If you look closely at the instructions you can see the differences. Do it wrong and things don't fit. Second, the road wheels are NOT the same on both sides. One side has a raised hub. The other side does not. I did not find out if this was critical or not. I followed the directions and everything works with no clearance issues. You are told to used 60 track links per side but that is WAY loose. 59 works perfectly. The track droops just a little behind the drive wheel. I think 58 links would have it taught light a bow string. But those 2 extra links gave me 6 total spare. Now I can mount those on the casemate sides like you see in almost EVERY historical picture. A little disappointed that wasn't addressed in this kit (as it is in their winter SO4 Tiger 1). Also wished they included an antenna. The interior is fantastic. Particularly the gun carriage and breech. It's linked to the exterior barrel for elevation but sadly no traverse (as limited as it would have been anyway). The only interior spaces that will accommodate minifigures (without major mod/removal of details) is the driver & radio operator/bow gunner's locations. I'm not bothering with that as the opening (covered by a swivel hatch) is only 1 x 2 wide. All you'd see looking in from above is the top of the minifigures head. I like the included exterior things that seem to be hung onto/strapped onto tanks in RL conditions. Particularly what I think is their interpretation of a jack mounted on the rear lower plate below the exhaust.
Overall I'm very please and impressed. I think it looks spectacular.
u/SpartanZero1311 — 9 days ago