Guess what… we have a change of plan. Instead of opening the M1A2 Abrams order book now (don't worry, it's not cancelled – more below), we're bringing back our 1:6 scale King Tiger, the most formidable heavy tank of the Second World War – but with a twist.
This time you can build it with either of the King Tiger's two turrets: the rare early turret, popularly known as the "Porsche" turret, or the familiar production turret. The hull is identical for both, so you can choose one, or order both and swap them on the same tank. And for the first time, we will supply the King Tiger with steel tracks.
Two turrets, one hull
The Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B – the Königstiger, or King Tiger to Allied troops – was the successor to the famous Tiger I and was built with two distinct turrets, each giving the tank a very different look.
| Early turret ("Porsche") | Production turret ("Henschel") | |
| Fitted to | First 50 vehicles (3 trials vehicles + 47 production) | All remaining production, from mid-1944 |
| Turret front | Rounded, 100 mm | Flat, 180 mm |
| Commander's cupola | Sits in a distinctive bulge on the left side | No bulge – simpler, cleaner sides |
| Main gun rounds | 80 | 86 |
| Vehicle weight | 68.5 tonnes | 69.8 tonnes |
The early turret is the rarer and, to many eyes, the more elegant of the two: a curved front, steeply sloped sides and that characteristic bulge for the commander's cupola. But the curved face could deflect a hit downward into the hull roof (a "shot trap"), and the bulge was difficult to manufacture. The production turret fixed both problems: a thick, flat front plate, less steeply sloped sides and no bulge. It is the King Tiger shape most people know.
A note on the names: despite the nicknames, both turrets were designed by Krupp. The early turret got its "Porsche" label because it was originally produced for Porsche's rival heavy tank design, which lost to Henschel – the surplus turrets were then used on the first Henschel King Tigers. The name stuck, and it is how most modellers know it today.
Your King Tiger: choose your turret
- Order either turret with your kit: early ("Porsche") or production. Or order both – the second turret can be purchased separately, so you can swap between the two on the same tank.
- The "Porsche" turret: limited availability. You've been asking us for this turret for years, and we're finally making it. It's a limited run, allocated strictly first come, first served.
- Early-bird price: £4,895 plus VAT and shipping. Additional turret: price to be announced.
- Pre-orders open: Monday 2 November 2026. Deposit: £700.
- Expected availability: summer 2027, after the Mark IV.
Familiar, with two big additions: the kit is essentially the same as our 2025 release, which sold out in just 11 days – an Armortek record. What's new is the early turret and, for the first time on our King Tiger, steel tracks.
Option packs: Motion, Sound, Dual Smoker, Lights, Machine Gun and Recoil, each priced separately.
To reserve your King Tiger, email us at sales@armortek.co.uk or call +44 (0)1962 571 055. Kits are ordered by phone or email only, not through the online shop. See the King Tiger page.
What about the M1A2 Abrams?
The good news is that the Abrams isn't going anywhere – the timeline is just being pushed back by a few months. The Armortek M1A2 will be the world's first production run of a 1:6 scale metal M1A2, so we're taking a little longer to refine the design and production plan until the kit meets our standards. The Mark IV comes first in spring 2027, then the King Tiger, and the M1A2 will follow later in 2027. We'll share more news as it takes shape, including when we will open the order book.
