Dragon Armor Tiger I Hybrid - Ardennes 1944

No. 60289, Vintage year - 2007, Scale - 1:72

Unit - Schwere Panzer Battalion 506 - this heavy tank battalion was formed in July 1943 around a cadre from 9.Panzer Division. It fought with Heeresgruppe Mitte at the Dnieper and later at Krivoi-Rog and was one of the units involved in the attempted breakthrough at the Cherkassy Pocket in February 1944. It was set to Germany and refitted with King Tigers in August 1944. It fought the Allies near Arnhem in Operation Market Garden and at Aachen. It surrendered in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945. 

Campaign - Ardennes 1944 - In November-December 1944 it was strengthened with a fourth company from Schwere Panzer Kompanie Hummel which was used as a heavy support unit where needed (the thesis throughout the war for these heavy panzer battalions). It took part in the Ardennes offensive (as the only Tiger tank battalion from the Heer) in December 1944. Kompanie Hummel was formed in July 1944 at Paderborn. It was issued with Tiger I tanks from Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 500 and was sent to Arnhem in September and Aachen in November. On 18 December it became the fourth kompanie of Abt. 506.

Markings - Tan with dark brown and dark green camouflage with No. 411 in black and white on sides and back of turret. The model is a 'hybrid' with main features from Early Production (such as the 'original' style turret cupola) but had steel road wheels unlike many of the other Early Tigers. There are photos of this Tiger which found its final resting spot in the Ardennes, 10 km from Bastogne at Oberwampach. According to records, it was destroyed by its own crew on Jan. 17th 1945. Many of the heavy tanks in the Ardennes succumbed to either lack of fuel or acute maintenance issues as the road network in this region was not at all agreeable to long-range heavy tank use. 

Condition - New with minor wear  on box. 

Thank you for your interest.