1/35 Tiger I No.131 s.Pz.Abt.504, Tunisia

The Tiger I was one of the most iconic and feared tanks of World War II. Its 88mm KwK 36 gun and heavy armour made it an extremely effective fighting ...capable of destroying enemy tanks at ranges where it remained relatively safe. The deployment of Tigers was always carefully planned - these machines were organized into separate heavy tank battalions (schwere Panzer-Abteilungen), which functioned as mobile strike units designed to break through fortifications or to destroy strong enemy armoured formations. Tiger I No. 131 of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504 made history not by its combat successes, but by becoming the first complete and relatively intact example of the Tiger I to fall into Allied hands.

The capture occurred on 21 April 1943 in Tunisia during the final phase of the North African campaign. Tiger 131 was disabled by a hit from a British Churchill tank, which damaged its turret and blocked its rotation, taking the machine out of combat. The crew abandoned the tank and the British secured it almost intact. This capture was of enormous significance - it allowed the Allies to study the design, armour, mechanics and weaknesses of the Tiger I in detail for the first time, contributing to the development of tactics and techniques for fighting these tanks. After the war, Tiger 131 was transported to the UK where it underwent a phased restoration and is now the only working Tiger I in the world on display at The Tank Museum in Bovington, where it regularly takes part in driving demonstrations.

The 1:35 scale Dragon kit depicts this particular historic machine as it served in Tunisia in the spring of 1943. The model incorporates features of the early Tiger I Ausf. E - an early version of the command cupola (Feifel), typical armor plate arrangement, operational equipment and undercarriage details including interlocking wheels and wide tracks. The 1:35 scale is standard for military models and allows for detailed surface textures, weld highlights, paint wear, dust and mud consistent with a North African environment. The kit is suitable for modellers interested in authentic historical machines with documented fate and for those who want to build a replica of a tank that still exists today and is in the public domain. The package does not include the paint or glue needed for assembly.