Building the Andy's Hobby 1/16 Tiger Tank Unleashed
Andy's Hobby released the 1/16 scale Tiger I "Unleashed" as their more detailed offering in the plastic model space. Gunners Paradise carries it, and if you are looking at this, you probably already know it competes directly with the Dragon and Tamiya offerings. The question is whether it is worth your time. Here is what actually happens when you open the box. The kit comes in a single large box with multiple sprues. The plastic is a light gray, mid-hardness styrene that behaves normally. Not too soft, not brittle. The detail level sits somewhere between entry-level and mid-range. You get a solid track run, a decent interior for the hull, and the famous long 88mm KwK 36 gun. The track links are individual pieces, which means you will be glueing them one by one unless you go the jointless route. That is the first decision you need to make. My personal approach was to use the individual links on the first attempt. It took roughly three hours just for the tracks. After that, I realized I could save that time on the next build by purchasing a set of aftermarket metal tracks from Master Models or a joined plastic set from King Tiger. For a display piece, the difference is marginal once it is painted. For someone who just wants to build without spending a weekend on the undercarriage, aftermarket tracks are the move.
Fit and assembly realities
The fit is generally acceptable but not tight. Some of the hull side panels have small gaps that show up after dry fitting. I found that using a thin bead of PVA glue and clamping with masking tape for twenty minutes was enough to close most of them. The road wheel axles are a common trouble spot on this kit. The holes in the road wheels can be slightly oversized, leading to a wobbly wheel. My workaround was to add a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate to the axle before inserting it into the road wheel bore. It locks the wheel in place without affecting rotation. The suspension arms also have a tendency to sit unevenly if you do not check alignment before the glue sets. Use a piece of square stock or a ruler against the running gear as you glue each arm. Takes thirty seconds and saves you from discovering a crooked suspension three days later when the tank is supposed to be sitting flat on the shelf.
Interior and detail considerations
The interior is decent for the price point. The driver and radio operator stations have some molded detail, but the instrument panels are mostly flat. I chose to scratch-build the gauges using a sheet of plasticard and a fine liner pen. That added about an hour to the build. If you are not doing a close-up display, the stock parts are serviceable. A wash of black paint thinned with water will bring out the molded relief enough to pass at normal viewing distance. The engine deck components are thin plastic that can warp if you handle them carelessly. Keep them on the sprue until you are ready to paint. I learned this the hard way after leaving the engine deck pieces outside the box for a day and finding two of them slightly bent. I used warm water and flat weights to straighten them, but it was unnecessary stress.
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Painting and weathering
The standard German Dark Yellow (Dunkelgelb) scheme requires at least two coats of base color. I use an airbrush at 15-18 PSI for this. Spray thin coats and let each one flash off before the next. Thick coats run into the track gaps and create a mess that is hard to clean up without damaging the detail. For weathering, I prefer the pigment powder method over panel lining washes for the lower hull and track areas. Apply the pigments with a brush dampened with odorless thinner, then seal with a matte varnish. This gives a realistic mud and dust accumulation that looks authentic on a Tiger tank. The upper surfaces get a combination of iron powder for rust streaks and a light chipping tool for edge wear on the applique armor plates.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not skip the dry fitting stage, especially for the road wheel assemblies. Once you glue everything in place, correcting mistakes becomes very difficult. The sprue gates on this kit leave noticeable marks on several small parts. Use a sharp hobby knife and sand gently with 400-grit paper. Be careful around the delicate suspension springs, which can snap if you apply too much lateral force. Another issue is the placement of the stowage bins. The instructions show them attached to the rear deck, but the locating tabs are weak. I recommend reinforcing these with a tiny dot of super glue on the inside before final attachment. Otherwise, they fall off during painting or transport.
Verdict
The Andy's Hobby 1/16 Tiger Tank Unleashed is a fair build for the price. It is not the most refined kit on the market, but it is not far behind the established brands. If you have patience for the track assembly and are willing to do minor gap filling, you will end up with a solid display model. If you want a quicker build with less hassle, consider the Tamiya version instead, even though it has fewer details. Both are viable depending on what you value more. Download links and build logs are available on Gunners Paradise if you want to see someone else's approach to the same kit. The community there is small but helpful, and people do post useful tips that are not in the manual.
