Meng 1/72 German Heavy Tank Sd.Kfz.182 King Tiger (Henschel Turret) Model Kit

Meng 72011 is an assembly kit reproducing the German heavy tank Sd.Kfz. 182 King Tiger in its Henschel-turret variant. This is the most common, production version of the King Tiger – with a redesigned flat-fronted turret that replaced the earlier Porsche turret and was free of its characteristic shot trap.

The model features new Henschel turret parts and uses a modular design that simplifies and speeds up assembly while retaining detail. Despite the small 1:72 scale, the vehicle's silhouette is reproduced together with its powerful 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. It is a convenient display format for beginners and collectors of German armour.

Contents

• Plastic parts for the hull, turret and running gear (modular design)
• New Henschel turret parts
• Waterslide decal sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

The King Tiger (Tiger II) was the heaviest mass-produced German tank of WWII, combining thick, sloped armour with a very powerful 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. This let it engage enemy tanks at long range while remaining a difficult target for the anti-tank artillery of the time. The first examples saw combat in the summer of 1944.

The Henschel turret was the redesigned, production solution that replaced the earlier Porsche turret. It had a flat front without a shot trap and a better-arranged interior. The vast majority of King Tigers were built with this turret. Despite its heavy armament and armour, the vehicle was heavy, fuel-hungry and unreliable, and its influence on the fighting was limited by the small number produced.

Original vehicle specifications (Sd.Kfz. 182 Tiger II):

• Length with gun forward: approx. 10.3 m
• Width: approx. 3.76 m
• Height: approx. 3.09 m
• Combat weight: approx. 68–70 t
• Crew: 5
• Main armament: 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun
• Secondary armament: two MG 34 machine guns of 7.92 mm calibre
• Powerplant: Maybach HL 230 P30 petrol engine, approx. 700 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 38–41 km/h (road)
• Armour: Henschel turret front up to approx. 180 mm
• Production: 1943–1945, approx. 489 in total (most with the Henschel turret)