[10] After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was phased out in favour of the Tiger II. With Teutonic perfectionism, they complained that the Tiger I's KwK 36 gun was not the most powerful version of the 88-millimeter cannon (not that Allied tankers would have noticed the difference). The German army ordered 1,500 Tiger IIs, but RAF raids on manufacturer Henschel's factories slashed production. Tiger crews often resorted to using another Tiger to tow the damaged vehicle, but this was not recommended as it often caused overheating and engine breakdown. Would Germany have been better off with a greater number of lighter tanks, especially the heavier Panther? [69] The thick olive grove made visibility very limited and enemy tanks were engaged at close range. A good driver is essential for the successful deployment of the Tiger, he must have a good technical training and has to keep his nerve in critical situations…[23][24]. Peter Broucek "Die österreichische Identität im Widerstand 1938–1945" (2008), p 163. It was probably better than its American rival, the lighter and less heavily armored forty-six-ton American M-26 Pershing. [75] With the tank's very wide tracks, a design feature borrowed from the Soviet T-34, the Tiger had a lower ground pressure than many smaller tanks, such as the M4 Sherman. In comparison to other V12 and various vee-form gasoline engines used for tanks, the eventual HL 230 engine was nearly four litres smaller in displacement than the Allied British Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 AFV powerplant, itself adapted from the RR Merlin but de-rated to 448 kW (600 hp) power output; and the American Ford-designed precursor V12 to its Ford GAA V-8 AFV engine of 18 litre displacement, which in its original V12 form would have had the same 27 litre displacement as the Meteor. The Germans had not developed an adequate diesel engine, so a petrol (gasoline) powerplant had to be used instead. With its square, castle-like shape and long cannon, the Tiger I even looked deadly. However, at over 50 tonnes dead weight, the suspension, gearboxes, and other such items had clearly reached their design limits and breakdowns were frequent if regular maintenance was not undertaken. IVs. Efforts were hastened to get cruiser tanks armed with 17-pounder guns into operation. The Durchbruchwagen I's general shape and suspension resembled the Panzer III, while the turret resembled the early Panzer IV C turret with the short-barrelled 7.5 cm L/24 cannon. This was the case particularly in the beginning when the vehicles which were produced literally from the drawing board suffered from many teething problems. It was classified with ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. The resulting withdrawal led to the loss of many broken-down Tigers which were left unrecovered, battalions unable to do required maintenance or repairs. The 152 mm armour-piercing shells weighed over 45 kilograms (99 lb) and could penetrate a Tiger's frontal armour from about 1,000 metres (1,100 yd). On 22 June 1941, Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. To recap what has been covered, contracts and other German documents give me … One flaw of the IS-2, whose powerful 122-millimeter gun could theoretically penetrate a King Tiger's thickly armored turret at one-mile range—was its low rate of fire and limited onboard ammunition supply. Enter the Tiger II, or Konigstiger (King Tiger). At greater ranges, the 8.8 cm KwK 36 was superior in penetration and accuracy. In June 1990, the tank was removed from display at the museum and work began on its restoration. Expecting an order for his tank, Porsche built 100 chassis. Tiger II tanks in France. The Tiger was prone to certain types of track failures and breakdowns and was limited in range by its high fuel consumption. Wikimedia Commons: Creative Commons 3.0, © Copyright 2021 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. The average reliability of the Tiger tank in the second half of 1943 was similar to that of the Panther, 36%, compared to the 48% of the Panzer IV and the 65% of the StuG III. The Germans could build many more tanks and cheaper tank destroyers for the cost of one Tiger. [59], The 120 mm hull armour of the Soviet IS-2 model 1943 would be defeated between 100 and 300 m (0.062 and 0.186 mi) at the driver's front plate and nose. [90] This conclusion was partly based on the correct estimate that Tigers would be encountered in relatively small numbers, and on the assumption that anti-tank gun-fire (as in Tunisia and Sicily) rather than tanks could knock them out.[91]. [72], On 11 April 1945, a Tiger I destroyed three M4 Sherman tanks and an armoured car advancing on a road. [citation needed] Only the first 495 units were fitted with this deep fording system;[35] all later models were capable of fording water only two metres deep. However, the most telling statistic is that while the Soviet Union produced nearly 3,900 IS-2s, Germany built just 492 Tiger IIs. The humorous and somewhat racy crew manual, the Tigerfibel, was the first of its kind for the German Army and its success resulted in more unorthodox manuals that attempted to emulate its style. The Soviets built more than 108,000 tanks, and the Americans eighty-eight thousand, because World War II was a contest of production that devoured material at an appalling rate. Further development of the Durchbruchwagen was dropped in 1938 in favour of the larger and better-armoured VK 30.01 (H) and VK 36.01 (H) designs. The Tiger was in production for two years, from August 1942 to August 1944. Which brings us to the question dear to every treadhead: Was the King Tiger a great tank? One problem with both the Tiger I and II was that they were so big relative to other German tanks, that the only vehicle that could tow a damaged Tiger was another Tiger. This page was last edited on 20 February 2021, at 02:18. Presumably, German engineers, based on the experience of the half tracks, felt that the improvement in off-road performance, track and wheel life, mobility with wheels missing or damaged, plus additional protection from enemy fire was worth the maintenance difficulties of a complex system vulnerable to mud and ice. The Germans were shocked to encounter Soviet T-34 medium and KV-1 heavy tanks, and,[17] according to Henschel designer Erwin Aders: "There was great consternation when it was discovered that the Soviet tanks were superior to anything available to the Heer.".[18]. It was expensive to maintain, but generally mechanically reliable. It fought in the North, around Ponyri and Maloarchangelsk. The problem was that by the time the King Tiger made its combat debut in Normandy in July 1944, the necessities that Nazi Germany most lacked was trained, experienced tank crews and fuel and logistics support. The others remained in Germany and Poland. Kfz. abandoned, broken down, etc.).[42]. The Krupp-designed 11-tonne turret had a hydraulic motor whose pump was powered by mechanical drive from the engine. Among others, five raids between 22 September and 7 October 1944 destroyed 95 percent of the floor area of the Henschel plant. This was not recommended for normal operation, and was discouraged in training. With the capture of an intact Tiger at. The 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion (sPzAbt 501) reported in May 1943: …Regarding the overheating engines, the HL 210 engine caused no troubles during the recent time. The VK 36.01 (H) was intended to weigh 40 tonnes, with 100 mm (4 in) of armour on front surfaces, 80 mm on turret sides and 60 mm on the hull sides. The VK 30.01 (H) medium tank and the VK 36.01 (H) heavy tank designs pioneered the use of the complex Schachtellaufwerk track suspension system of torsion bar-sprung, overlapped and interleaved main road wheels for tank use. This was due to shortages in fuel supply. Only one hull was built and no turret was fitted. At seventy-five tons, it was bigger than its predecessor. Panzer V Ausf.A. In Italy, a demolition carrier version of the Tiger I without a main gun was built by maintenance crews in an effort to find a way to clear minefields. Today, only seven Tiger I tanks survive in museums and private collections worldwide. Several captured German Tiger I tanks were shipped to Chelyabinsk, where they were subjected to 85 mm fire from various angles. The jammed track was also a big problem itself, since due to high tension, it was often impossible to split the track by removing the track pins. A full rotation took about a minute. The hull for one prototype was built, followed later by five more. How many Tiger tanks are left? What made the German panzers so formidable was that, instead of being divided between various infantry and cavalry tank units, they were all concentrated and used in massed formations in the panzer divisions. [34], The Tiger tank's combat weight of 56 tons was often too heavy for small bridges which had 35 ton weight limits, so it was designed to ford bodies of water up to 15 ft (4.6 m) deep. These self-propelled guns both mounted the large, 152 mm howitzer-gun. Figures include tank production and chassis production used for other variants (for example, Panzer III figures include StuG III production, etc.). [62][63] The Tiger's lack of slope for its armour made angling the hull by manual means simple and effective, and unlike the lighter Panzer IV and Panther tanks, the Tiger's thick side armour gave a degree of confidence of immunity from flank attacks. As of 2020 Tiger 131 (captured during the North Africa Campaign) at the UK’s Tank Museum is the only example restored to running order. The gun carriage had not yet been developed, and the guns were mounted on the carriages of 25-pounder gun-howitzers and were known by the code name "Pheasant". This concept was already common on German half-tracks such as the Sd.Kfz. The Sherman's upgraded 76 mm gun might penetrate the Tiger's driver's front plate from 600 m, the nose from 400 m and the turret front from 700 m.[55] The M3 90 mm cannon used as a towed anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun, and later mounted in the M36 tank destroyer and finally the late-war M26 Pershing, could penetrate the Tiger's front plate at a range of 1,000 m using standard ammunition, and from beyond 2,000 m when using HVAP. The tank was later re-designated as PzKpfw VI Ausf. Fireflies were successfully used against Tigers; in one engagement, a single Firefly destroyed three Tigers in 12 minutes with five rounds. Every Tiger cost as much to build as four Sturmgeschütz III assault guns. In May, mudguards bolted onto the side of the pre-production run were added, while removable mudguards saw full incorporation in September. These battalions would be deployed to critical sectors, either for breakthrough operations or, more typically, counter-attacks. The fate of Tiger 124 in August 1944 is reasonably well known. As a result, only 1,347 Tiger Is were built as opposed to over 40,000 American M4 Shermans. C turret. Two of the Lees were knocked out in this action. Among others, five raids between 22 September and 7 October 1944 destroyed 95 percent of the floor area of the Henschel plant. After the contract was awarded to Henschel, they were used for a new turretless, casemate-style tank destroyer; 91 hulls were converted into the Panzerjäger Tiger (P) in early 1943. Three men were seated in the turret; the loader to the right of the gun facing to the rear, the gunner to the left of the gun, and the commander behind him. The VK 30.01 (H) was intended to mount a low-velocity 7.5 cm L/24 infantry support gun, a 7.5 cm L/40 dual purpose anti-tank gun, or a 10.5 cm L/28 field gun in a Krupp turret. The rear of the tank held an engine compartment flanked by two separate rear compartments each containing a fuel tank and radiator. [5] This required unusual mechanisms for ventilation and cooling when underwater. The suspension used sixteen torsion bars, with eight suspension arms per side. When World War 2 started the German army had nearly 1500 Panzer I tanks. …But They Did Have Disadvantages in Size and Weight After debuting in the Leningrad sector of the Eastern Front in August 1942, Tiger I tanks continued to serve in Russia for the duration of the war, as … [79][80], Tigers were usually employed in separate heavy tank battalions (schwere Panzer-Abteilung) under army command. Germany's Argus Motoren, where Hermann Klaue had invented a ring brake[25] in 1940, supplied them for the Arado Ar 96[26] and also supplied the 55 cm disc. This approach was carried on, in various forms, to the Panther and the non-interleaved wheel design for the Tiger II. E Sd. [69] The first loss to an Allied gun was on 20 January 1943 near Robaa,[70] when a battery of the British 72nd Anti-Tank Regiment knocked out a Tiger with their 6-pounder (57 mm) anti-tank guns. During the roughly two years that the vehicle was in production, only 1,347 were built – a number that is lower than the monthly production figures for the M4 Sherman and Soviet T-34 at the height of the war. When engaging targets, Tiger crews were encouraged to angle the hull to the 10:30 or 1:30 clock position (45 degrees) relative to the target, an orientation referred to as the Mahlzeit Stellung. A single Tiger I was apparently purchased, along with a Panther and two Panzer IIIs, but only the Panzer IIIs were actually delivered. A 6-pounder solid shot from a Churchill tank of the British 48th Royal Tank Regiment hit the Tiger's gun barrel and ricocheted into its turret ring, jamming its traverse and wounding the commander. [39] The closest counterpart to the Tiger from the United States was the M26 Pershing (around 200 deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during the war[40][page needed]) and the IS-2 from the USSR (about 3,800 built during the conflict). Early Tigers had a top speed of about 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) over optimal terrain. The production of KV heavy tanks armed with the 85 mm D-5T in an IS-85 turret was also started. An inertia starter was mounted on its right side, driven via chain gears through a port in the rear wall. Henschel built two prototypes: a VK 45.01 (H) H1 with an 8.8 cm L/56 cannon, and a VK 45.01 (H) H2 with a 7.5 cm L/70 cannon. Both the prototypes were presented to Hitler on his birthday ie 20th April 1942 and by July they were being extensively tested at a tank school in Berka, Germany. In several cases engine failures have to be put down to the missing remote engine thermometer. Usually, we didn't make out the antitank guns until they had fired the first shot. There was also a folding seat on the right for the loader. Out of these 530 Tiger IIs, 100 were to be built at the Nibelungenwerke plant producing 25 per month from May through August. Big tanks like the King Tiger were mobile fortresses if properly sited in ambush positions. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://ag53gqdegnlrcb7vmmwpeuxigi--www-panzer-elmito-org.translate.goog/tanques/tiger_i/informes/tiger_i_03_05_1943_D.html, Disk brake for use in motor cars, airplanes, and the like, Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. [66] Operating in swampy, forested terrain, their movement was largely confined to roads and tracks, making defence against them far easier. This tank was a former firing-range target and has been badly shot-at and cut up (damage include broken running gear and multiple shell-holes on its armour). The Tiger I tank, of which 1,347 were built by Germany during the war, could manage only a 28.2mph maximum speed compared to the Leopard's 42mph. Firing trials of the new 85 mm D-5T also had proved disappointing. This Tiger was used in the film Fury, the first time an original, fully mechanically operable Tiger I has appeared in a movie since World War II.[98]. [65] A platoon of four Tigers went into action on 23 September 1942 near Leningrad. Like a professional football player, the Tiger II was more agile than it looked. Four types of ammunition were available but not all were fully available; the PzGr 40 shell used tungsten, which was in short supply as the war progressed. These numbers must be set against the opportunity cost of the expensive Tiger. Without weapons, optics, or radio. Behind them the turret floor was surrounded by panels forming a continuous level surface. The original engine utilised was a 21.35-litre (1303 cu.in.) On 26 May 1941, Henschel and Ferdinand Porsche were asked to submit designs for a 45-tonne heavy tank, to be ready by June 1942. [55] The IS-2's 122 mm gun could penetrate the Tiger's front armour from between 1,500 and 2,500 m (0.93 and 1.55 mi). Tiger I tanks needed a high degree of support. The low-mounted sprocket limited the obstacle clearance height. Because of that, it was very difficult to identify. As with any sophisticated weapon, the Tiger II did suffer from reliability issues, especially at the hands of the poorly trained and inexperienced tank drivers of the late war German army. Before Durchbruchwagen I was completed, a request was issued for a heavier 30-tonne class vehicle with thicker armour; this was the Durchbruchwagen II, which would have had 50 mm (2 in) of frontal armour and mounted a Panzer IV turret with a short-barrelled 7.5 cm L/24 gun. [18] Compared with the other contemporary German tank guns, the 8.8 cm KwK 36 had superior penetration to the 7.5 cm KwK 40 on the Sturmgeschütz III and Panzer IV but inferior to the 7.5 cm KwK 42 on the Panther tank[21] under ranges of 2,500 metres. [20] For common use it was frequently shortened to Tiger. As a result, there are almost no instances where a Tiger battalion went into combat at anything close to full strength. [73] This Tiger I was destroyed by a Comet tank of A Squadron of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment on the next day without infantry support. 7. A report prepared by the Waffenamt-Prüfwesen 1 gave the calculated probability of perforation at range, on which various adversaries would be defeated reliably at a side angle of 30 degrees to the incoming round. Even before the Tiger I debuted on the battlefield (floundering in the swamps near Leningrad in an ill-advised attack in September 1942), work had begun on a successor. Now, at the time when "Dunkelgelb" was introduced, the factory had built about 150 Tigers. [38] Partly because of their high cost, only 1,347 Tiger I and 492 Tiger II tanks were produced. Panzer V Panther Ausf.A. The crew bailed out and the tank was captured. The 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion was deployed to the Don Front in the autumn of 1942, but arrived too late to participate in Operation Winter Storm, the attempt to relieve Stalingrad. [55] However, according to Steven Zaloga, the IS-2 and Tiger I could each knock the other out in normal combat distances below 1,000 m.[60] At longer ranges, the performance of each respective tank against each other was dependent on the crew and the combat situation. They participated in the Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland in 1939, although it was known that they are not suitable for front line fighting because of their lack of firepower and very thin armor. Almost certainly no more then 500 were ever built. [5][35], The internal layout was typical of German tanks. Its predecessors balanced mobility, armour and firepower, and were sometimes outgunned by their opponents. Another variant was the Fahrschulpanzer VI Tiger tanks (driving school Tiger tanks). With its thick armor and devastating 88-millimeter gun, the Mark VI—or Tiger I—soon earned a devastating reputation on the battlefield. Nobody expected this.[77]. It required two or sometimes three of the standard German Sd.Kfz. To support the considerable weight of the Tiger, the tracks were 725 mm (2 ft 4.5 in) wide. posted by dazed_one at 3:00 PM on April 23, 2018 Tigers were excellent at getting from point A to point A. Heavy tanks like the King Tiger proved a dead end. This was due to its substantially thicker armour, the larger main gun, greater volume of fuel and ammunition storage, larger engine, and a more solidly built transmission and suspension. Although the general design and layout were broadly similar to the previous medium tank, the Panzer IV, the Tiger weighed more than twice as much.
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