Trumpeter's second two kits of September—a Whisky Cobra & a large-scale King Tiger with a big boomstick. Colours, decals, & built-up kits in our preview...
Two more from Trumpeter—a Whisky with a Tiger chaser?
Pz.Kpfw.VI Sd.Kfz.182 Tiger II (Henschel 105mm)
by Trumpeter
Kit No. 00949
1/16th scale
Price: $315 USD from Hobbylink Japan
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In early October 1942, plans for the production of the VK 45.03 were reviewed. Initially, two competing designs were submitted—one by Henschel and the other by Porsche. Both proposals incorporated a turret design from Krupp, but they differed significantly in hull configuration, transmission systems, and suspension layouts. The Henschel design featured a conventional hull with sloped armour, reminiscent of the Panther tank. It employed a rear-mounted engine and utilised nine overlapping road wheels per side, mounted on transverse torsion bars, similar to the original Tiger. However, to simplify maintenance, the wheels were arranged in an overlapping pattern rather than the interleaved configuration used on the Tiger I.
The colour scheme presented in this kit and its aircraft
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The decals in the box
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The Tiger II’s track system was distinctive, employing alternating "contact shoe" and "connector" links. The contact shoe links had transverse metal bars that engaged the ground, while the connector links served purely as structural connectors without ground contact. Ultimately, Henschel secured the production contract, and all Tiger IIs were manufactured by the firm. Two turret types were used during production. The initial version—often mistakenly referred to as the "Porsche turret"—was actually Krupp’s original design intended for both prototypes. This turret featured a rounded front, steeply sloped sides, and a complex curved bulge on the left side to accommodate the commander's cupola. Fifty of these early turrets were mounted on Henschel hulls and saw combat. The later and more common "production" turret, sometimes called the "Henschel turret," was a simplified version with a flat face, reduced slope angles, and no bulge for the cupola, eliminating the shot trap created by the earlier curved design. Developed late in the war, the Tiger II was produced in limited numbers. Like other German tanks, it was powered by a gasoline engine—the same unit used in the lighter Panther and Tiger I. As a result, the Tiger II was underpowered for its weight class and suffered from high fuel consumption, a critical drawback given Germany’s dwindling fuel supplies during the final years of the conflict
Total of 35 sprues, upper hull, lower hull, turret and tracks
Metal Parts: copper cable, steel tube, pin, spring
Model Length: 706 mm Width: 233 mm
The kit consists of over 1500 parts
-Multi-slide moulded lower hull and upper hull
-Full interior details
-Individual tracks links
- Photo-etched parts included
The model built up by Trumpeter's in-house model builders...
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AH-1W Super Cobra (Turned Exhaust)
by Trumpeter
Kit No. 05117
1/35th scale
Price: $88 USD from Hobbylink Japan
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The AH-1W Super Cobra was the US Marines’ attack helicopter. Designed and developed by Bell, it entered service with the US Marine Corps (USMC). Marines have been flying the AH-1W Super Cobra since 1986. The last AH-1W was delivered in 1998 and was retired in October 2020 after 34 years of service. The AH-1Z Viper, which is also manufactured by Bell Textron, replaced the Super Cobra.
The colour scheme presented in this kit and its aircraft
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The decals in the box
Masks are provided for this kit also
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The Super Cobra was the first attack helicopter to qualify for both the Sidewinder air-to-air missile and the Sidearm anti-radiation missile. Both missiles can use the same LAU-7 rail launcher. The sidearm has a range of more than 15 km. The AIM-9L Sidewinder is an all-aspect, short-range, air-to-air missile that has a range of 15 km.
Model length: 469 mm / Rotor Diameter: 419.5 mm
Total Parts: 380+
Total of 10 sprues
-Left and right fuselage moulded with authentic details
-Finely detailed cockpit
-Finely detailed rotors
- Photo-etched parts included
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These kits will soon be on sale through Trumpeter's distributors worldwide...