Tamiya 32536 - 1/48 King Tiger Henschel Turret Model Kit  [32536]

Close-up review of the Tamiya 32536 King Tiger in 1/48

The Tamiya 1/48 German King Tiger kit captures the heavy silhouette and key armament of the wartime heavy tank. With its 88mm main gun and heavy armor lines, the model works well in small scale trench and forest dioramas. This release targets the production variant fitted with the angular Henschel turret popular in later operations.

Period development and realism notes

The King Tiger emerged as an answer to growing Allied and Soviet threats during the late war period. Prototype batches used a Porsche-type turret, but production moved to the Henschel design represented by this kit. Historical specs often list frontal protection of roughly 150mm, side protection around 80mm, and the 88mm L71 gun capable of high penetration at distance. Twin 7.92mm machine guns provided additional firepower.

Build characteristics and kit content

The assembly kit reproduces the production turret accurately and offers separate hatch parts that can be posed for closed or crew-visible displays. The die-cast lower hull provides solidity and a weighted feel. Tracks are supplied as straight, single-piece segments for practical assembly. You also get three marking schemes to match different historical units.