King & Country: Pre-release information on the Kursk Tigers

Here is the latest info on K&C’s upcoming ‘KURSK TIGERS’ due to be released throughout November and December 2023.

Once more both of these superb 1:30 scale models features: ALL-METAL HULLS, TURRETS and 88MM MAIN GUNS… each has MOVING FLEXIBLE METAL TRACKS with FULL SUSPENSION and FOUR OPENING HATCHES.

In addition, each of these ‘Kursk Tigers’ has TWO original individual crew figures to occupy the turret.

Both ‘Tigers’ belong to the SS Panzer Grenadier Division ‘Das Reich’ which formed an integral part of the Ⅱ SS Panzer Korps which fought in the southern sector of the Kursk battle.

Each ‘Tiger’ is painted in the slightly different 2-colour camouflage pattern typical of ‘Das Reich’ vehicles during this period of the war on the Eastern Front.

ABOUT THE BATTLE OF KURSK

July 1943

The Battle of Kursk was one of the most important World War Two battles fought on the Eastern Front between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during the summer of 1943. It also became the largest ever tank battle in history and resulted in a Soviet victory.

The battle began with the launch of a huge German offensive ‘Operation Citadel’ to eradicate the ‘Kursk Salient’ which bulged into the German line near the city of Kursk in, what was then, south western Russia.

The German plan was to attack the salient from north and south simultaneously using their massive artillery, infantry and armour formations to obliterate the defending Red Army.

Among the German armoured divisions taking part in this operation were the three premier Waffen SS divisions, ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’… ‘Das Reich’ and ‘Totenkopf’ with a fourth division ‘Viking’ held in reserve. All formed part of the ⅡSS Panzer Korps.

ENTER THE TIGER!

Spearheading this huge armoured assault was Germany’s newest and heaviest tank, the Panzerkampfwagen Ⅵ better known of course as… ‘THE TIGER’.

Initially seeing action in North Africa in 1942 and then later on the Eastern Front, it was the first German armoured vehicle to mount the impressive and already battle-proven 88mm gun which was itself derived from the 88mm Flak 36 gun.

Eager to make use of this powerful new weapon the ‘Tiger’ was pressed into service much earlier than had been planned and suffered accordingly with a number of technical problems.

Although achieving some spectacular successes in the early stages of the battle even the strength and power of the ‘Tigers’ was not enough to break through the multiple lines of Soviet defences.

At the same time, the Western Allies invaded Sicily forcing Hitler to divert troops then training in France to meet this new threat rather than using them as a Strategic Reserve on the Eastern Front.

Faced with this conflict Hitler had no choice but to cancel the Kursk offensive after only a week and pull his forces back including his mighty ‘Tigers’.

Each of these fine tank models WS396(SE) and WS397(SE) comes with ALL of these major features… ALL-METAL DIECAST HULL, TURRET and 88mm MAIN GUN․ MOVING FLEXIBLE METAL TRACKS․ ROLLING WHEELS with FULL SUSPENSION․ FOUR OPENING HATCHES․ PLUS TWO ORIGINAL CREW FIGURES for EACH TURRET

Both ‘KURSK TIGERS’ come expertly packed in a special custom-designed, full colour presentation box with a Numbered Certificate limiting each edition to just 250 pieces.

Any one (or both) of these new models will made a great festive gift for any collector of the most famous German tank in history!

Be sure to order yours and avoid any disappointment.

All the best and happy collecting!