German Tiger tanks: technical characteristics, design, model, photo, shelling tests. How did Soviet weapons penetrate the German T-6 Tiger tank?

The heavy tank "Tiger" has long and firmly become a symbol of the armored forces of Nazi Germany. Despite the fact that it was far from the most popular vehicle, it is with it that most people associate the Panzerwaffe of the Third Reich.

Because soon after the invasion of the USSR, the Germans became convinced that they did not have an adequate response to the Soviet KV and T-34 tanks. They maintained parity only thanks to the “acht-acht” – 88-mm FlaK-18/36 anti-aircraft guns. Mounted for direct fire, they proved to be very effective against Soviet tanks.

A gun of this caliber was installed on the new Tiger tanks, developed and put into mass production in August 1942.

How it all began?

By 1942, the German headquarters finally realized that the “blitzkrieg” did not work out, but the tendency for positional delay was clearly visible.
In addition, Russian T-34 tanks made it possible to effectively fight German units equipped with T-3 and T-4. Knowing full well what a tank strike was and what its role in the war was, the Germans decided to develop a completely new heavy tank. To be fair, we note that work on the project had been going on since 1937, but only in the 40s did the military’s requirements take on more specific outlines. Employees of two companies worked on the heavy tank project: Henschel and Porsche. Ferdinand Porsche was Hitler's favorite, and therefore made one unfortunate mistake, in a hurry... However, we will talk about this later.

First prototypes

Already in 1941, Wehrmacht enterprises offered two prototypes “to the public”: VK 3001 (H) and VK 3001 (P). But in May of the same year, the military proposed updated requirements for heavy tanks, as a result of which the projects had to be seriously revised.

It was then that the first documents appeared on the product VK 4501, from which the German heavy tank “Tiger” traces its ancestry. Competitors were required to provide the first samples by May-June 1942. The amount of work was catastrophically large, since the Germans had to virtually construct both platforms from scratch. In the spring of 1942, both prototypes, equipped with Friedrich Krupp AG turrets, were brought to the Wolf's Lair to demonstrate the new technology to the Fuhrer on his birthday.

Main exhibit: “Tiger” with history

The German heavy tank "Tiger", now on display at the tank museum in Saumur, France, is one of six vehicles of this type that have survived to this day.
Of these six, it is he who has the most interesting story. This tank managed to fight in two armies on opposite sides of the front line, had its own names and changed them. In German hands,
the Saumur Tiger left the assembly line in mid-May 1944. Its chassis number is 251114 - accordingly, this is the 1114th Tiger built, with turret number 250857. The vehicle belongs to the so-called “late” production series, the main technical feature of which is the steel chassis rollers.

"Tiger of Saumur", photographed while on display at the Tank Museum in Münster. The tank is displayed (as in Saumur) on narrow transport tracks. Wide combat tracks lie nearby.

At the end of May, the brand new Tiger joined the staff of the newly formed 102nd SS heavy tank battalion. The vehicle ended up in the 1st platoon of the 1st company of the battalion and, according to the last digits of the serial number, received tactical number 114. The first commander of the tank was SS Oberscharführer Wilhelm Schmidt.

From the beginning of July 1944, the battalion took part in active combat operations against the Allied troops landing in Normandy. The details of the combat use of the Saumur Tiger still remain unknown, with the exception of the last day of the vehicle’s stay in the battalion. As described by a direct participant in the events, the commander of the 1st company, SS Obersturmführer Alois Kalls, it was like this:

“Our tanks fought stubbornly in the very center of Falaise, near the cathedral, and retreated to lines outside the city only on orders, after dark. Thus, the cornerstone of the German defense was broken, and the front line began to quickly fall apart.

In the early hours of August 18th, having received verbal personal orders, we began a general retreat from Villy in the direction of Vigna, south of Fresnay-la-Mer. We arrived at the site at three o'clock in the morning and occupied a section of the front north of the town next to the self-propelled guns positioned on the left flank. During the day, British tanks and infantry occupied La Haugette. Having reported this to the headquarters of the combat group, we received a new order, immediately left our positions and went to the railway embankment at the siding west of Nesi. Tank No. 124 from the 1st company, knocked out there, was towed to the southern outskirts of L'Abé. We blocked the northwestern exit from the city with two self-propelled guns, which at about 17:00 forced the British tanks to retreat.

As darkness fell, we received a new order by radio to immediately withdraw and arrive at a checkpoint 500 meters east of Vinya. The damaged tank was destroyed by a demolition charge and two armor-piercing shells, and burned down. Arriving at the checkpoint at half past midnight, we immediately received a new order. We had to break through Vigna to Nesi with an additional supply of fuel at the rear of the tanks, fill the tanks of the 1st company with gasoline and, together with them, retreat to the heights next to Nesi.

​Tiger commanders who encountered the Allies at Le Fournet, from left to right: Arthur Glagow, Martin Schroiff and Alois Kalls.

At 02:30 we set out on a dangerous night journey through enemy territory with two 200-liter barrels of gasoline secured to the tank's turret. One tracer bullet was enough to fail our mission and completely destroy the tank along with its crew. We started at full speed and an hour later we reached our comrades without a single scratch.

After refueling, our small tank group, as ordered, began to retreat to the northeast. At 05:15, with the first rays of the sun, we came across a British anti-tank position set up on the road. While both sides were trying to overcome the confusion, our tank slipped past the guns and continued along the road at full speed. Schroif, who was following us, opened machine-gun fire on positions that we did not notice in time and from which machine-gun fire was fired at our tanks with tracer bullets, but then received two direct hits.

The radio operator and driver were seriously injured. The third tank (No. 114, commander SS Unterscharführer Arthur Glagov - author's note), walking closely behind Schroiff's stopped tank, crashed into it at high speed and was unable to disengage. All this happened in a matter of seconds. Schroif, wounded in the head and leg, jumped out of the damaged car and rushed in long leaps under the cover of a hedge and further across the field to the German positions. Two crew members were captured by the British, except for the loader, who managed to do the same as Schroiff.

Diagram showing the route of the Tigers of Alois Kalls' detachment on August 18–19, 1944

After a few minutes, when no other tanks appeared, we stopped and decided to slowly return to find out what had delayed them. But as soon as we turned the corner, we saw such fireworks that it was madness to continue on our way. An armor-piercing shell from an anti-tank gun hit the turret, another hit the hull, machine-gun bursts lashed the armor. Something could happen at any minute! At this moment, a clear and clear order from the commander followed: “Tank - stop! Tank - forward - march! The tank stopped so abruptly that we were hit against the side, and then instantly rushed forward, the engine roaring. The lightning-fast reaction of our driver, driving a 60-ton monster, saved our lives more than once!”

The events described took place in a place called Le Fournet, 500 meters west of Brieux. The British, in the combat log of the 2nd battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment, described this battle as follows:

“At about 06:00 we heard the roar of tank engines coming from the north. Some of us thought they were Shermans, but the noise lacked the characteristic rattle of a Sherman. A few minutes later we saw three German Tigers. They immediately opened fire on them with all available weapons, but they passed undamaged through the lines of D Company and reached the crossroads, which was defended by C Company and battalion headquarters.

Modern view of the intersection at Le Fournet. "Tigers" of the 102nd SS heavy tank battalion were moving towards the intersection from Nesi

The road was blocked by an armored personnel carrier of an artillery observer. The Tiger rammed him and threw him against the wall of the barn until there was enough room to pass. The Tiger then attacked the commander's armored personnel carrier, which was hastily abandoned by the crew. Once the path was open, the Tiger continued through B Company's positions. A quick-witted radio operator alerted the company soldiers, and soon we heard three loud bangs. Battalion headquarters decided that the Tigers had opened fire with 88mm guns, but a few minutes later the commander of B Company quickly got in touch and regretfully reported that one tank had managed to escape.

He was clearly being modest. The first "Tiger" managed to slip past a cache with "Hawkins grenades" installed at the command post, but the second, having activated two of them, slid into a road ditch. The third "Tiger", moving, like all the tanks in the group, at maximum speed, collided with a vehicle that stopped abruptly in front of it, which by this time had also received a hit from a PIAT grenade launcher. At the same time, the barrel of his gun pierced the turret box of the second Tiger. Although the grenade did not penetrate the armor, the crews of both tanks hastily abandoned their vehicles. Those who survived were taken prisoner." "Brittany", aka "Colmar"

With the beginning of the liberation of France, the French Internal Forces (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur - FFI) began to form. At the beginning of March 1945, the “Separate tank squadron of Besnier” (L'escadron autonome Besnier) was included in their composition. The squadron was commanded by Captain Guy Besnier, who graduated from the tank school in Versailles in 1939.

The squadron was equipped with German armored vehicles abandoned on the battlefields in France. From January to March 1945, a search was conducted throughout liberated France for armored vehicles that could be repaired and put into service. This was not an easy task: most of the abandoned vehicles were dismantled, and the remains of crew members had to be removed from many.

The earliest known photograph of the "Tiger of Saumur". The French had already put the tank on the move, scraped off the beam crosses from the sides, but the original tactical number 114 was still preserved on the turret

The “Tigers” of Schroiff and Glagow at Brie, which became known in early January 1945, did not go unnoticed. Thanks to the efforts of mechanics, father and son Roger and Jean Lecouturier, as well as Bernard Verrier, after a month of repair work, Tiger No. 114 became combat ready again. On the sides of the turret were applied French three-color cockades and the “geographical” name of the tank, traditional for French tank crews - “Bretagne”.

In addition to the Tiger, the squadron also included two Panthers, eleven Pz IVs, one Marder, two Stug IIIs, one Jagdpanzer IV and various vehicles. Just like the Tiger, all armored vehicles of the squadron were marked with national insignia and given their own names. For example, one of the “Panthers” was called “Dauphine”, some Pz IVs were called “Île-de-France”, “Poitou”, “Normandie”, “ Flanders, Vendée, Anjou, Alsace, and Marder became Lorraine.

At the top is “Brittany” as part of the “Separate Tank Squadron of Besniers”, at the bottom is a “Panther” with the name “Dauphine” and three Pz IVs - “Alsace”, “Vendee” and “Anjou” - from the squadron of Besniers

Until the last day of the war, the "Tiger" with the name "Brittany" as part of the FFI participated in the liquidation of the pocket, operating south of Saint-Nazaire.

On June 20, 1945, the Besnier Squadron was included in the 6th Cuirassier Regiment as the 2nd squadron. As part of the French occupation forces, the regiment was sent to German territory. At the same time, instead of round tricolor cockades, French flags were applied to the squadron’s tanks, and “Brittany” was repainted and at the same time renamed “Colmar”. Initially, the squadron was located in the town of Baumholder, and at the end of October 1945 it moved to Morbach, 50 km east of Trier.

"Colmar" during service with the French occupation forces in Germany

In March 1946, the 6th Cuirassier Regiment was disbanded and the tanks and other armored vehicles were transferred to the Armored Vehicle Reserve Storage Service (ERGM/EB, modern name ETAMAT) in Neuvoy, near the city of Gien.

Photo of the Colmar, which shows a dent at the junction of the frontal armor plates, which appeared as a result of a collision with Martin Schroyff's Tiger on August 19, 1944

Later, in 1950, the tanks and other armored vehicles were sent to a specialized storage facility by Satory AMX, where the Tiger remained for almost 30 years. In 1977, it was transferred to the newly founded armored vehicles museum in Saumur. In 2002, the Tiger temporarily joined the exhibition of the German Tank Museum in Münster, after which it returned to France, where it is on display to this day.

"Tiger" with tail number 241 was probably less lucky than "Tiger" number 114, but it continues to serve people

Three kilometers east of the place where the incident with the Tigers of the 102nd SS Heavy Tank Battalion occurred, a small stream flows. A bridge is thrown across it, in which, upon closer examination, one can guess the side of the Tiger's hull. Perhaps this is part of the tank of Martin Schroiff, who was not as lucky as his “colleague”.

Winner of the competition

It turned out that both machines have significant shortcomings. Thus, Porsche was so “carried away” by the idea of ​​​​creating an “electric” tank that its prototype, being very heavy, could hardly turn 90°. Not everything was going well for Henschel either: his tank, with great difficulty, was able to accelerate to the required 45 km/h, but at the same time its engine got so hot that there was a real threat of fire. But it was this tank that won.

The reasons are simple: classic design and lighter chassis. The Porsche tank was so complex and required so much scarce copper for production that even Hitler was inclined to refuse his favorite engineer. The selection committee completely agreed with him. It was the German Tiger tanks that became the recognized “canon”.

"Tiger" - an impenetrable fascist monster that terrified Allied tanks

The Tiger's weight was 57 tons versus 30 tons for the main American tank. At the same time, despite its size, it was not clumsy. At least, that’s what the German tank ace Otto Carius said in his memoir “Tigers in the Mud.” “We could travel on roads at 45 kilometers per hour and over rough terrain at 20 kilometers per hour. But the equipment being transported forced us to drive at a speed of 20-25 kilometers per hour on the roads and at a proportionally lower speed along the intersection.” No worse than 50 kilometers per hour, which one of the future main opponents of the Tiger could boast of. The frontal armor of the Panzer VI had a thickness of 100 mm, and the side armor was 60 mm thick. This made it virtually invulnerable to most Allied medium tanks and infantry artillery. “The side and rear armor was sufficient to provide protection against American 75 mm and Soviet 76 mm guns at normal combat ranges,” write Yentz and Doyle.

Dry numbers show the hopelessness of the situation for American technology. Historian Bryan Perrett, in his book Tank Business, confirms the fact that the Tigers could destroy a Sherman tank at a distance of up to 3,000 meters (of course, with a successful combination of circumstances). At the same time, most Allied tanks could not penetrate the thick frontal armor of the Panzer VI and were forced to approach it at a short distance in order to bypass it from the side and hit it in the rear. But military operations at that time were carried out completely differently from how they are shown in movies today: tanks could be seen no less than a kilometer and a half before they had time to do anything. And this gave the Nazis a great advantage.

Otto Carius was much more restrained in his memoirs: “In Russia, the most dangerous enemy for us were the T-34 and T-43, equipped with a long 76 mm cannon. These tanks posed a real threat at a distance of 600 meters in a frontal attack, 1,500 meters in a flank attack, and 1,800 meters in a rear attack. With a successful hit, we could destroy them from a distance of 900 meters.”

Yentz and Doyle also point out in their book that American Sherman tanks with a 76 mm cannon and Soviet T-34-85 tanks (upgraded T-34s with a powerful gun) could hit the Tiger, albeit at short range .

However, such an opportunity, most often, was only on paper. So, in the case of the Americans, all the tanks that landed in Normandy were equipped not with 76 mm, but with a less powerful gun. A similar picture was observed in the Soviet ranks, since the basis of the USSR tank forces were T-34s, practically powerless in the face of Hitler’s colossus. The Tiger was much stronger than the T-34. “Our 76 mm cannon could only cause him any harm from a distance of less than 500 meters. “The Tiger didn’t miss even from a kilometer distance,” says tank commander Vladimir Antonov in an interview with the History Channel.

Tiger commander Alfred Rubbel, in an interview with the same channel, adds that the Tiger crews were staffed in a special way: “Tiger crews were recruited exclusively from the most experienced soldiers of other tank units. The training included theoretical classes in the classroom and subsequent practical training on the tank.” Carius, in his memoirs, confirmed his words and added that the Tiger, despite its size, could be driven “with two fingers.”

This tank was terrifying. This is evident in the stories of tankers like Phil Lawrence, Sherman commander of the Sherbrooke Infantry Regiment during the Normandy Landings. In an interview with the History Channel, he described how he collided head-on with a Tiger during combat operations in France.

“He rolled around the corner of the building. […] It was the most terrible sight of my life. […] I had an armor-piercing weapon loaded, I fired, but the shell ricocheted off his armor. We loaded a high-explosive shell with lightning […] The gun rolled back and fired again, my loader tirelessly loaded the shells.” But the shots had no effect. The stunned commander ordered the mechanic to retreat, but they did not have time to do this. The Tiger shot at them point blank. “It’s hard to put into words how powerful this blow was.” The shell hit our tower and pierced it through.” The commander miraculously escaped.

The Man Who Brings World War II to Life

Francisco spoke candidly to the ABC newspaper about his latest work, in which an allied tanker faces off against half a dozen fascists and a Tiger. With each of his answers, this artist demonstrates that he masters the language as well as the brush.

According to him, he became interested in modeling from the age of nine. Since then, all the equipment and infantry of the Second World War passed through his hands. Tanks, planes, soldiers... Whoever visited his small workshop: from paratroopers of the 101st US Airborne Division to German soldiers of the Afrika Korps. And they all found life in his hands.

Until recently, this Spaniard created battle scenes for himself, behind closed doors. But a few months ago he decided to start selling online. According to him, he made this decision when he saw that there was a market for his work.

At the same time, his works differ from others that can be purchased via the Internet in one important detail: a very budget price. According to Francisco, he does his work so that everyone can take home a piece of history and enjoy it. He calls this concept “low-cost dioramas.” And this is true, since similar work often costs hundreds of euros. “I prefer to simplify the painting to make the price affordable, rather than complicate it and raise the price to 200-300 euros.”

Fans of the Second World War accepted his initiative with a bang and began purchasing models from him. Within a few months, he sold almost thirty works and began to receive new orders. American Shermans, German Panthers and even German soldiers who stopped at a rest stop to drink a glass of milk. Francisco can handle anything, and behind each of his works lies its own story. Each brush stroke tells its own story.

1. How did you get into the world of models and dioramas?

I was 8-9 years old when I became interested in gluing together 1/72 scale models. At that time, however, I did not yet know what scale was. My passion for models grew and grew stronger, and at the age of 21 I was given my first tank. Since then, I began to specialize in assembling models, and was trained by outstanding craftsmen and professionals in this small world. Now I'm 46, and I'm not going to stop there. Modeling is still my passion. The only difference is that now I specialize in cars and figures that are difficult to find on the market.

2. Why do you sell dioramas?

Over the years, I have repeatedly met people who told me that dioramas are very expensive. And I decided to change that. To make the product more affordable than the works of outstanding professionals (whose prices, by the way, are quite consistent with the quality of the coloring). I want everyone to be able to enjoy the world of models. So that they can put a diorama in their home, show it, relax, looking at it... I chose this path for myself, and it seems that everything is working out for me. I've already sold 25 or 26 dioramas. I have 10 or 11 more ready and I'm about to put them online.

3. Where do you get ideas for your dioramas?

Some dioramas are based on films. When I see a scene in a movie, I try to remember it and recreate it. And sometimes I just sit down in front of an empty diorama and start placing tanks and soldiers on it... And gradually an idea emerges out of nothing. I try to make dioramas simple, but behind the simplicity there is always some kind of story, a diorama should tell about something. This is exactly the case in the latest diorama, in which an American soldier desperately fights off the Germans.

4. Movies?

Yes. A good example of such work is my latest diorama. I created it based on the final scene of the movie Life is Beautiful. This is the moment when the child sees the Sherman tank that has come to save him. I entered it into the competition and took third place. I'm very proud of this work. I also really like my work “Gladiator”. This is a painted lead figurine that I made on the beach. Literally on a towel while everyone around was swimming.

4. Do you have a favorite diorama?

I love them all. Each of them has its own era, its own history, its own life, each of them is not like the others. But I really have special feelings for some of them. One of them is an image of a scene from the movie Fury. In it I tried to follow the film exactly, and it turned out to be difficult. It was difficult to make the figures look like the actors. And there was a lot of work with the Opel Blitz, because I made a model with a very large number of parts. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it.

5. How long does it take to create a diorama?

The 1/35 scale figure takes about 3 hours to mount and paint. The tank can take up to 24 hours of work. The complete diorama of seven figures takes five days from the time work begins. Prices are in the low-cost category. I try to stay between 20 and 50 euros.

7. Why are dioramas so popular on various online platforms like Wallapop? Why do people suddenly decide to buy a diorama?

In my experience, people just want to decorate their home with something different. Something made by hand, of high quality, connected with history, personifying some fragment of it. In addition, many are interested in military affairs or love certain tanks that they learned about from films or books. There are also those who see art in the diorama. The scene. They see what can happen to you, to others. And that's why many people start collecting them.

8. Can the world of models be called art?

Yes. We also work with a brush and create real miracles in a very limited space. In addition, simply by swapping the figures in places, we change the plot of the diorama.

9. How long have you been interested in World War II?

Since school. When we got to the topic of World War II, I dove headfirst into it. I became interested in military equipment. I was curious how it works. I started digging and started buying visual books. All this allowed me to understand exactly how to paint models; I saw, for example, how dirt is distributed along the caterpillar. But I am also interested in other time periods, in particular the Spanish Civil War, despite the fact that it was a very painful period.

10. Is historical accuracy important to you?

Yes. I try to stick to real details. Uniforms, in particular, vary from year to year and from season to season. But during the defense of Berlin, for example, the soldiers could be seen wearing very different uniforms, because by that time they had to make do with what they had.

11. What is your favorite tank?

I really like American tanks: Sherman, Sherman M-51... They are great. The Tiger and Jagdpanther are also good. I also really like the Afrika Korps theme.

But they are far from the Sherman...

12. What will be your next project?

I'm thinking something related to the Normandy landings. It would be interesting to recreate the atmosphere of the German rear. There is little work on this topic. The only problem is that it must be something very large-scale. But I will try to make the diorama smaller so that it can be placed on a shelf and is easy to store.

About haste and its consequences

It should be noted here that Porsche himself, even before the start of the tests, was so confident in his success that he ordered production to begin without waiting for the acceptance results. By the spring of 1942, exactly 90 finished chassis were already in the plant’s workshops. After failing the tests, it was necessary to decide what to do with them. A solution was found - the powerful chassis was used to create the Ferdinand self-propelled guns.

This self-propelled gun became no less famous than if we compared it with the T-6. The “forehead” of this monster could not be penetrated by almost anything, even direct fire and from a distance of only 400-500 meters. It is not surprising that the crews of the Soviet Fedya tanks were openly afraid and respected. However, the infantry did not agree with them: the Ferdinand did not have a front-facing machine gun, and therefore many of the 90 vehicles were destroyed by magnetic mines and anti-tank charges, “carefully” placed directly under the tracks.

Serial production and modifications

At the end of August of the same year, the tank went into production. Oddly enough, during the same period, testing of new technology continued intensively. The sample first demonstrated to Hitler by that time had already covered 960 km along the roads of the test sites. It turned out that on rough terrain the car could accelerate to 18 km/h, and it burned up to 430 liters of fuel per 100 km. So the German Tiger tank, the characteristics of which are given in the article, caused a lot of problems for supply services due to its gluttony.

Production and improvement of the design proceeded in unison. Many external elements were changed, including spare parts boxes. At the same time, small mortars, specially designed for smoke bombs and S-type mines, began to be installed around the perimeter of the tower. The latter was intended to destroy enemy infantry and was very insidious: when fired from the barrel, it exploded at a low altitude, densely covering the space around the tank with small metal balls. In addition, separate NbK 39 smoke grenade launchers (90 mm caliber) were specially provided to camouflage the vehicle on the battlefield.

Transportation problems

It is important to note that the German Tiger tanks were the first vehicles in the history of tank construction to be serially equipped with underwater driving equipment. This was due to the large mass of the T-6, which did not allow it to be transported over most bridges. But in practice this equipment was practically not used.

Its quality was excellent, since even during testing the tank spent more than two hours in a deep pool without any problems (with the engine running), but the complexity of installation and the need for engineering preparation of the area made the use of the system unprofitable. The tankers themselves believed that the German T-VI Tiger heavy tank would simply get stuck in a more or less muddy bottom, so they tried not to take risks, using more “standard” methods of crossing rivers.

It is also interesting because two types of tracks were developed for this machine: narrow 520 mm and wide 725 mm. The former were used to transport tanks on standard railway platforms and, if possible, to move under their own power on paved roads. The second type of tracks was combat; it was used in all other cases. What was the design of the German Tiger tank?

The last working Tiger tank in the movie "Fury"

The upcoming World War II movie Fury centers on the tank war that took place in 1945 as the Allies launched an offensive against Germany. In this film, a US Army sergeant (played by Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman medium tank, participating in battles with Nazi troops with superior firepower. The Shermans are, among other things, opposed by heavily armed Tiger I heavy tanks. "Fury," which opens in theaters nationwide on October 17, features the world's last working Tiger tank. The Sherman tank (its official name is the M4 medium tank) was the most numerous on the fronts of World War II. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, this workhorse was used by the American ground forces, the American Marine Corps, as well as Britain, Canada and the Free French. This tank was designed and manufactured in the USA, and only 49,324 Shermans were produced between 1942 and 1946. The M4 was a reliable tank, but the heavy German Tiger was superior. The Tiger I (officially Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Ausf. H) was used on all German fronts during World War II. This formidable vehicle weighed 50 tons and had powerful armor. In total, about 1,350 Tiger tanks were manufactured between August 1942 and August 1944. In one scene in Fury, four M4 tanks engage in close combat with one Tiger I, from which only one Sherman emerges. The M4 tank shown in the film could penetrate the frontal armor of the Tiger I turret from a distance of 500 to 1000 meters, while the German vehicle was able to destroy Shermans in a frontal attack at a distance of 800 meters, as stated in instructions for the Tiger crew. Both tanks shown in the film - the Sherman M4E8 and the Tiger 131 - are real, and they were taken for filming from the tank museum in Bovington, England. Tiger 131 was built in Kassel, Germany in February 1943, after which it was sent to Tunisia as part of the German 504th Heavy Tank Battalion, as reported on the tank museum website. On April 21, 1943, this Tiger was disabled by a Churchill tank from the British 48th Royal Tank Regiment, captured and repaired. On September 25, 1951, the car was transferred to the tank museum. The Tiger was "one of the most formidable fighting vehicles used by the Nazis," with the ability to destroy enemy tanks from more than 2 kilometers away, museum director Richard Smith told the BBC. But despite its menacing appearance and terrifying characteristics, the Tiger was not invincible. In winter, its tracks froze in the mud and snow, and Russian troops often took advantage of this advantage in battle. The tank's propulsion system had low power, making it difficult to control. These machines also had problems because of their large size. Not all bridges could withstand the weight of the Tiger, which is why its first versions had an air intake pipe that allowed the tank to cross rivers up to 4 meters deep. In later modifications this pipe disappeared.

Design Features

The design of the new car itself was classic, with a rear-mounted MTO. The entire front part was occupied by the control department. It was there that the workstations of the driver and radio operator were located, who simultaneously performed the duties of a gunner, operating a course machine gun.

The middle part of the tank was given over to the fighting compartment. A turret with a cannon and a machine gun was installed on top, and there were also workplaces for the commander, gunner and loader. The fighting compartment also housed the entire tank's ammunition.

Armament

The main weapon was the KwK 36 cannon, 88 mm caliber. It was developed on the basis of the notorious Akht-Akht anti-aircraft gun of the same caliber, which back in 1941 confidently knocked out all Allied tanks from almost all distances. The length of the gun barrel is 4928 mm, including the muzzle brake - 5316 mm. It was the latter that was a valuable discovery of German engineers, as it made it possible to reduce the recoil energy to an acceptable level. The auxiliary weapon was a 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun.

The frontal machine gun, which, as we have already said, was controlled by the radio operator, was located in the front plate. Note that on the commander's cupola, subject to the use of a special mount, it was possible to place another MG-34/42, which in this case was used as an anti-aircraft weapon. It should be noted here that this measure was forced and was often used by the Germans in Europe.

In general, not a single German heavy tank could withstand the aircraft. T-IV, "Tiger" - all of them were easy prey for Allied aircraft. Our situation was completely different, since until 1944 the USSR simply did not have a sufficient number of attack aircraft to attack heavy German equipment.

The rotation of the tower was carried out by a hydraulic rotating device, the power of which was 4 kW. Power was taken from the gearbox, for which a separate transmission mechanism was used. The mechanism was extremely efficient: at maximum speed, the turret rotated 360 degrees in just a minute.

If for some reason the engine was turned off, but it was necessary to turn the turret, tankers could use a manual turning device. Its disadvantage, in addition to the high load on the crew, was the fact that at the slightest tilt of the barrel, turning was impossible.

Terrible opponent

The result of Operation Iskra was a breakthrough of the German defense. The success was relatively modest, but it made it possible to supply the besieged city not only along the Road of Life, but also by land. Already on February 7, the first echelon arrived in Leningrad. The successes of the Red Army most directly affected the fate of captured German tanks. Thanks to a corridor broken through the German defenses, they were able to be transported to the “Mainland”. The study of tanks, however, began almost immediately after the capture. By the end of January, a brief technical description had been prepared. At the same time, documents captured along with the tanks were translated. Due to the rush and lack of accurate data, the description was far from ideal. For example, the combat weight of the tank was indicated in the region of 75–80 tons, which is significantly more than the real one. The estimate of the thickness of the armor also turned out to be incorrect.

"Tiger"

with tower number 121 at the NIBT Test Site, April 1943

Initially, in the correspondence, the captured tanks appeared as “captured tanks of the HENSCHEL type,” later they began to be called T-VI. It is worth noting that at least two more such tanks ended up in the hands of units of the Leningrad Front. In addition to the car with tower number 100, two more are indicated in the correspondence. One of them was captured completely burned, and the second was damaged and partially burned. This tank served as a “donor” for the repair of tank No. 100, and pieces of armor were also cut out of it for testing. The vehicle with turret number 100 was sent to the NIBT Test Site in Kubinka, but this happened later. The tank with turret number 121 was the first to be sent to Kubinka.

She is in the view on the right, the winter camouflage has been washed away

The arriving tanks aroused great interest. By that time, the Tigers were very actively used by the Germans both on the Soviet-German front and in North Africa. For the first time, these vehicles were used on a truly massive scale during the battle for Kharkov, making a significant contribution to the defeat of the Red Army on this section of the front. Around the same time, the Tigers fought in Tunisia against American and British troops, inflicting serious losses on them. It is worth noting that the British quickly supplied the Soviet side with information about the new German tank. In particular, on April 5, 1943, the Soviet side received a report about the shelling of a “German MK VI tank” by a 6-pound anti-tank gun. The shelling took place at the end of March. At a distance of 300 yards (274.3 meters), out of 10 shells fired at the frontal plate of the hull, 5 pierced it through.

The tower number became clearly legible only after washing off the camouflage

By April 1943, tanks with turret numbers 100 and 121 were already at the NIBT Test Site. It was decided to test one vehicle by shelling, and the second - to use it to test the armor of Soviet tanks by shelling. The tank with turret number 100 was lucky to be preserved in good condition. As for the tank with turret number 121, it was dismantled and prepared for shelling tests by April 25th.

The badge of the 502nd heavy tank battalion is visible on the front plate of the hull.

Tests were carried out from April 25 to April 30, 1943. In total, 13 artillery systems, 5 anti-tank rifles, a KB-30 anti-tank grenade, 2 types of anti-tank mines, as well as a 37-mm aircraft gun mounted on the LAGG-3 took part in the shelling. It is worth immediately noting that of all these guns, three (107 mm M-60 cannon, 122 mm M-30 howitzer and 152 mm ML-20 howitzer gun) did not hit the target, despite the fact that the weather was clear .

Results from shelling from a 45 mm cannon. A sub-caliber projectile managed to penetrate the side at a distance of 200 meters

The T-70 tank was the first to open fire on the Tiger. It was obvious that it was useless to shoot at the 80 mm thick side armor with its usual armor-piercing projectile, so the fire was carried out with sub-caliber projectiles. Of the two hits from a distance of 200 meters, one resulted in penetration. Also, from a distance of 350 meters, the lower side sheet 60 mm thick was pierced. The 45-mm anti-tank gun model 1942 showed similar results. Its armor-piercing projectile did not penetrate the side of the German tank even from a distance of 100 meters, but it was possible to penetrate the upper side plate with a sub-caliber projectile from 350 meters.

For the ZIS-2 and the 6-pounder anti-tank gun, the sides of the German heavy tank were not too serious an obstacle

Next, 57 mm guns opened fire on the German tank. Both the Soviet ZIS-2 anti-tank gun and the British 6-pounder anti-tank gun showed similar results. The Tiger board made its way at a distance of 800–1000 meters. As for firing at the front of the tank, the ZIS-2 was unable to penetrate it at a distance of 500 meters. At closer distances, shelling was not carried out, but in general, at distances of about 300 meters, the German heavy tank was probably already hit by it, as evidenced by the data received from the British. It is worth noting that the British anti-tank gun had a shorter barrel length. Penetration characteristics similar to those of the Soviet cannon were ensured thanks to higher quality projectiles.

Results of firing from the American 75-mm M3 tank gun

The American 75-mm M3 tank gun installed in the M4A2 medium tank performed quite well. When firing from it, two types of anti-tank shells were tested - M61 and M72. In the case of the M61, penetration of the hull side occurred at a distance of 400 meters, and in the case of the M72 - at a distance of 650 meters. As with the 6-pounder anti-tank gun, the high quality of the shells was noted. There was no fire on the front plate of the hull: most likely, the testers guessed that this would not end well.

The armor of the German heavy tank was too tough for the F-34, the main Soviet tank gun.

The test of firing at a German heavy tank from a 76-mm F-34 tank gun turned out to be a real fiasco. Not a single hit ended in penetration, even when fired from a distance of 200 meters. This applied to armor-piercing, experienced sub-caliber, and experienced cumulative shells. In the case of the armor-piercing projectile, the poor quality of its manufacture was noted. But during the period described, it was the main Soviet tank gun!

Another 76 mm caliber gun, the 3-K anti-aircraft gun, proved to be more successful. The difference, however, turned out to be not so great: the 3-K projectile was unable to penetrate the side of the tower at a distance of 500 meters. In other words, the 3-K turned out to have a penetration level approximately equal to the American 75-mm M3 tank gun with the M61 shell.

The 85-mm 52-K anti-aircraft gun showed the best penetration data among medium-caliber guns. It is not surprising that it was chosen as a priority for arming heavy tanks and medium self-propelled guns.

The 3-K, however, was far from the most powerful weapon in the Red Army's arsenal. In addition, it was discontinued in 1940. The replacement was the 85-mm 52-K anti-aircraft gun. Since 1940, it was considered as the basis for a promising tank gun, but for a number of reasons the matter did not progress beyond the production of prototypes. At the same time, these anti-aircraft guns were very actively used as an anti-tank weapon. Tests showed that the leadership of the Main Artillery Directorate (GAU) and the Main Armored Directorate (GBTU) did the right thing in considering the 52-K as a promising tank gun. Its shell penetrated the frontal armor of the Tiger at a distance of a kilometer, and the sides penetrated at distances of about one and a half kilometers.

"Tiger" after shelling by an A-19 gun

The 122-mm A-19 hull gun showed even more effective results. Unlike the 52-K, it had not previously been considered as a tank weapon. A gun with the ballistics of the 107-mm M-60 hull gun claimed a similar role, but, as mentioned above, it didn’t even make it into the Tiger. As for the A-19, it hit, and how it hit! The first shell passed through a hole in the front hull plate and pierced through the rear plate. The second shell hit the front plate of the turret, tearing off a piece measuring 58x23 cm. At the same time, the turret was torn off its shoulder strap and moved half a meter. After the shelling from the A-19, the Tiger, which was already not looking its best based on the results of previous shelling, turned into a pile of scrap metal.

Same thing in front

The tests did not end with shelling. The new German tank not only had thick armor, but also a powerful 88 mm gun. In parallel with the testing of the Tiger with tail number 121, its brother with tail number 100 fired at Soviet tanks. T-34 and KV-1 were used as targets.

KV-1 after firing from an 88-mm KwK 36 L/56 cannon

The test results turned out to be quite predictable. Even additional armor on the frontal part of the hull did not help the KV-1. At a distance of one and a half kilometers, the first shell partially tore off the screen, and the second pierced both the screen and the main sheet. Thus, the idea of ​​making the KV-1 lighter turned out to be correct: at least the vehicle, which was vulnerable to a German heavy tank, received better mobility. For 8.8 cm KwK 36, both KV-1 and KV-1s were approximately equivalent targets.

The T-34 looked even more heartbreaking after being fired by a “tiger” cannon

The results of the shelling of the T-34, which was also conducted at a distance of one and a half kilometers, looked even more sad. The first shell that hit the turret tore it off its shoulder strap; further hits partially destroyed the frontal plate of the hull. For comparison, the same tanks were fired upon by a 52-K 85-mm anti-aircraft gun. When fired at a distance of 1.5 kilometers, penetration was comparable to that of a German gun. This should not be surprising, since German and Soviet guns were “relatives”. The 76-mm 3-K gun, on the basis of which the 52-K was developed, was created on the basis of an anti-aircraft gun, which also served as the basis for the German Flak 18.

After the tests were completed, both German tanks took a place at the exhibition of captured equipment in the Park of Culture and Leisure named after. Gorky in Moscow. There they were exhibited until 1948, when they were scrapped. As for the conclusions drawn from the tests, they followed immediately. It became clear that the 76 mm tank guns were no longer suitable for the conditions of the war, and an urgent replacement was required. On May 5, 1943, GKO Resolution No. 3289 “On strengthening the artillery armament of tanks and self-propelled guns” was signed. It became the starting point for the development of tank and self-propelled guns of 85 mm caliber.

It should be noted, however, that the GAU KA initiated work on this topic even earlier: as of April 28, 1943, the design bureau (KB) of plant No. 9 had already received the technical specifications. Work on this topic was also launched at the Central Artillery Design Bureau (TsAKB). In addition, at that time work was already in full swing to develop a self-propelled gun based on the SU-152 using the swinging part of the 122-mm A-19 gun. This idea was first voiced back in March 1943 after studying the captured German self-propelled gun Pz.Sfl.V. Finally, in May 1943, the design bureau of plant No. 9 received the task of developing a tank version of the A-19 gun.

And the appearance of the Tiger only accelerated all this work.

A diagram of the fight against the “Tiger” drawn up based on the results of the shelling. The tank is easily recognizable as a “Tiger” with turret number 121

Another result of the tests was the acceleration of work on the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun. Contrary to the widespread version, that gun was not completely abandoned, it was decided only to remake it. Another thing is that these works proceeded at a leisurely pace. The situation that arose after meeting the “Tigers” forced us to sharply speed up the work, and at the same time change plans. Instead of the IS-1 gun with a slightly shortened barrel and altered frames, it was necessary to make another gun, essentially placing the ZIS-2 barrel on the carriage and swinging part of the 76-mm ZIS-3 divisional gun. In addition, the project for the 57-mm ZIS-4 tank gun was revived. In addition to it, the TsAKB began work on the 76-mm S-54 tank gun, which also existed in a self-propelled version.

In a word, GBTU and State Agrarian University did not sit idle. Already in August 1943, the SU-85 self-propelled guns went into production, and at the same time production of the KV-85 began. Even earlier, in July 1943, serial production of the 57-mm anti-tank gun ZIS-2 model 1943 began.

Power point

The MTO contained both the power plant and a full supply of fuel. This made the German Tiger tanks compare favorably with our vehicles, whose fuel supply was located directly in the fighting compartment. In addition, the MTO was separated from other compartments by a strong partition, which minimized the risk to the crew in the event of a direct hit in the engine compartment.

It should be noted that the German tanks of the Second World War (the Tiger is no exception), despite their “gasoline” nature, did not receive the fame of “lighters”. This was due precisely to the reasonable location of the gas tanks.

The car was powered by two Maybach HL 210P30 engines with 650 hp. or Maybach HL 230P45 with 700 hp (which were installed starting with the 251st Tiger). Engines are V-shaped, four-stroke, 12-cylinder. Note that the Panther tank had exactly the same engine, but only one. The engine was cooled by two liquid radiators. In addition, separate fans were installed on both sides of the engine to improve the cooling process. In addition, separate airflow for the generator and exhaust manifolds was provided.

Unlike domestic tanks, only high-grade gasoline with an octane rating of at least 74 could be used for refueling. Four gas tanks located in the MTO held 534 liters of fuel. When driving on hard dirt roads, 270 liters of gasoline were consumed per hundred kilometers, and when crossing off-road conditions, consumption immediately increased to 480 liters.

Thus, the technical characteristics of the Tiger tank (German) did not imply its long “independent” marches. If only there was a minimal opportunity, the Germans tried to bring him closer to the battlefield on trains. It worked out much cheaper this way.

Modifications and vehicles based on “Tiger”

German tank T-6 "Tiger" - characteristics

The first 250 Tigers received a 12-cylinder Maybach HL 210P30 gasoline engine with a power of 650 hp. All subsequent ones are Maybach HL 230Р45 with 700 hp. For use in North Africa, air filters were additionally installed at the rear of the tanks.

The capacity of the tank's four gas tanks was 534 liters, and the rated fuel consumption was 270 liters per 100 km (when driving on the highway), 480 liters when driving off-road. In reality, this tank “ate” even more gasoline - 5-6 liters for every kilometer it traveled.

The Maybach semi-automatic gearbox provided 8 forward gears and 4 reverse gears. To switch them, you only had to move the lever, and the servo would engage the desired gear without the participation of the driver.

The tank's chassis included 24 road wheels, arranged in 4 rows on one side, in a checkerboard pattern. The torsion bar suspension provided excellent ride smoothness, which was important for good aiming while moving.

The tracks were used for combat - 725 mm wide and transport - 520 mm wide (they were used when driving on paved roads and transporting tanks by rail.

The overall dimensions of the Tiger tank are as follows: length - 6.316 m; with a cannon - 8.45 m; width – 3.705 m; height – 3 meters exactly. Travel speed – up to 38 km/h.

German tank "Tiger" - weapons

The gun of this tank - 88 mm KwK-Z6 L/56 - became a special tank version of the Flak-18/Z6 anti-aircraft gun from the Krupp concern. The gun barrel was equipped with a 2-chamber muzzle brake and an electric trigger. The length of the gun barrel was 493 cm. Its full ammunition load consisted of 92 shells.

Tiger I

The Tiger tank was also armed with two MG34 machine guns installed in the hull and turret. Their ammunition consisted of 4800 rounds. The smoke grenade launchers, which were initially installed on the turret, were later replaced with grenade mortars - a means of protection against enemy infantry.

The tank's armament was equipped with telescopic sights with 2.5x magnification and a field of view of 23 degrees. The MG34 KZF2 machine gun also had a 1.8x telescopic sight. All this was excellent optics from Carl Zeiss.

German tank "Royal Tiger"

In March 1944, a new modification of the Tiger tank, the Pz.Kpfw VI Tiger II "Königstiger", was put into serial production. Before the end of the war, German industry managed to produce about five hundred “Royal Tigers”.

"Royal tiger"

This vehicle differed from the Tiger I in its sloping armor, which provided better protection. The disadvantages of the Königstiger were the insufficient engine power for such a high combat weight, as well as the associated unreliability and poor driving performance.

How much did the German Tiger II tank weigh? 68 tons.

German tank "Tiger" / "Tiger II" in modern museums

Very few authentic German heavy Tiger tanks survived into the 21st century. There is one Tiger I in museums in the UK, USA, and Germany; two each in France and Russia.

"Royal Tiger" at Bovington Museum, England

There are two Tiger IIs in museums in the UK, one each in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Russia and the USA.

Assembling a German Tiger tank from Zvezda becomes the first step in this hobby for many novice modelers.

Chassis characteristics

There were 24 road wheels on each side, which were not only arranged in a checkerboard pattern, but also stood in four rows at once! Rubber tires were used on the road wheels; on others they were steel, but an additional internal shock absorption system was used. Note that the German T-6 Tiger tank had a very significant drawback, which could not be eliminated: due to the extremely high load, the track roller tires wore out very quickly.

Starting from approximately the 800th car, steel tires and internal shock absorption began to be installed on all rollers. To simplify and reduce the cost of the design, external single rollers were also excluded from the project. By the way, how much did the German Tiger tank cost the Wehrmacht? The model of the early 1943 model was estimated, according to various sources, in the range from 600 thousand to 950 thousand Reichsmarks.

A steering wheel similar to a motorcycle steering wheel was used for control: due to the use of a hydraulic drive, a tank weighing 56 tons was easily controlled with one hand. You could literally change gear with two fingers. By the way, the gearbox of this tank was the legitimate pride of the designers: robotic (!), four gears forward, two in reverse.

Unlike our tanks, where the driver could only be a very experienced person, on whose professionalism the life of the entire crew often depended, almost any infantryman who had previously driven at least a motorcycle could take the helm of the Tiger. Because of this, by the way, the position of the Tiger driver was not considered something special, while the T-34 driver was almost more important than the tank commander.

Armor protection

The body is box-shaped, its elements were assembled into a tenon and welded. Rolled armor plates, with chromium and molybdenum additives, cemented. Many historians criticize the “boxy” nature of the Tiger, but, firstly, the already expensive car could have been simplified at least somewhat. Secondly, and even more importantly, until 1944 there was not a single Allied tank on the battlefield that could hit the T-6 head-on. Well, unless it's point blank.

So the German heavy tank T-VI "Tiger" at the time of its creation was a very protected vehicle. Actually, this is why the Wehrmacht tankers loved him. By the way, how did Soviet weapons penetrate the German Tiger tank? More precisely, what weapon?

What Soviet weapon penetrated the Tiger?

The frontal armor had a thickness of 100 mm, the side and rear - 82 mm. Some military historians believe that due to the “chopped” shape of the hull, our ZIS-3 76 mm caliber could successfully fight the “Tiger”, but there are several subtleties here:

• Firstly, a head-on defeat was more or less guaranteed only from 500 meters, but low-quality armor-piercing shells often did not penetrate the high-quality armor of the first “Tigers” even at point-blank range.
• Secondly, and even more importantly, the 45 mm caliber “colonel gun” was widespread on the battlefield, which in principle did not take the T-6 head-on. Even if it hit the side, penetration could only be guaranteed from 50 meters away, and even then it’s not a fact.
• The F-34 cannon of the T-34-76 tank also did not shine, and even the use of sub-caliber “coils” did little to correct the situation. The fact is that even the sub-caliber projectile of this gun reliably hit the side of the Tiger only from 400-500 meters. And even then, provided that the “reel” was of high quality, which was not always the case.

Since Soviet weapons did not always penetrate the German Tiger tank, the tank crews were given a simple order: to fire armor-piercing weapons only when there was a 100% chance of hitting. This way it was possible to reduce the consumption of scarce and very expensive tungsten carbide. So a Soviet gun could knock out a T-6 only if several conditions met:

• Short distance.
• Good angle.
• A high-quality projectile.

So, until the more or less massive appearance of the T-34-85 in 1944 and the saturation of the troops with the SU-85/100/122 self-propelled guns and the SU/ISU 152 “hunters”, the “Tigers” were very dangerous opponents of our soldiers.

They burned the Royal Tigers

That battle broke out near the village of Zanki, Zhitomir region, on December 7, 1943.
At dawn, the Germans launched their strongest Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger" tanks into the attack. There were three combat vehicles in the observation sector of the crew of junior lieutenant Vasily Ermolaev. Vasily Ermolaev did not hit them in the forehead, he let them come at close range, waited until one of the Tigers turned up the side, and opened fire. A few shots and it caught fire. Then another one flashed. There was nothing to fire at the third one - the sub-caliber shells had run out. Only they could penetrate the Tiger's thick armor. Now the Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H could deal with the T-34 without difficulty. A shot thundered, and Ermolaev’s “thirty-four” was engulfed in flames. But the crew continued to fight, the T-34 rushed towards the Tiger at full speed and crashed into its side. Both cars exploded. The commander of the guard tank, junior lieutenant Vasily Ermolaev, and the guard mechanic-driver, sergeant Andrei Timofeev, were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Of the 6 tanks destroyed by the crew in that battle, 4 were the strongest tanks of Nazi Germany - Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger". During the fierce battles of the Great Patriotic War, there was no time to consider which of our tankers destroyed the latest heavy German tanks Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger", Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.B "Royal Tiger", Pz.Kpfw V Ausf.G "Panther" (in the Wehrmacht it was considered a medium tank, weight - 45 tons). But burning such cars was far from an easy task.

Let's compare the tactical and technical characteristics of the Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H and the T-34. The Thirty-Four weighs 28.5 tons, and the Tiger weighs more than 55 tons, the armor of the Soviet tank is 52-45 mm, and that of the Tiger is 102-82 mm. The T-34 of the first releases was armed with a 76.2 mm cannon, while Hitler's machine had an 88 mm long-barreled gun. The Thirty-Four could only hit the Tiger on its side from a distance of 300 to 500 meters, and even then only with a sub-caliber projectile. And the “Tiger” T-34 - from a distance of 1.5-2 km, being out of the range of fire from the T-34 guns. In short, the Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H tanks were a very formidable enemy. In the Soviet press during the front-line years they wrote that the “Tigers” burned in battle like matches. This is, of course, not true. And then, heavy German tanks were often confused with the insanely modernized Pz.Kpfw IV medium tanks, which, starting in 1942, had their gun barrels extended and their armor strengthened in order to somehow make them equal to the T-34.

The characteristics of the Pz.Kpfw V Ausf.G "Panther" were inferior to the Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger", this tank was produced as an alternative to the T-34. However, it practically turned out to be a heavy tank, at the same time the best tank of Hitler’s Panzerwaffe, one of the strongest tanks of the Second World War, and posed a great threat to Soviet combat vehicles. The main tactical and technical characteristics of the Panther are as follows. Combat weight - 44.8 tons. Crew - 5 people. Armament: one 75-mm cannon, two machine guns. Ammunition - 79 shells, 4200 rounds. Armor: hull front – 80 mm, side – 50 mm, turret – 110 mm. Maximum speed – 50 km/h, range on the highway – 200 km. The fascist leadership planned to produce up to 600 cars per month, but the plans were not realized. The record production - 400 pieces - was released only in the summer of 1944.

Commander of the Central Front, Army General K.K. Rokossovsky inspects the captured German self-propelled gun "Elephant". Dents from shells are clearly visible on the armor

German self-propelled guns - tank destroyers "Elephant" ("Elephant", originally called "Ferdinand" in honor of the designer Ferdinand Porsche) have proven themselves to be a dangerous enemy. Armed with an 88-mm cannon, they penetrated 180-mm and 200-mm armor from a distance of 1000 meters with armor-piercing and sub-caliber shells, respectively. “Elephants” took part in the battles on the northern front of the Kursk salient and in the autumn battles of 1943 on the right bank of Ukraine - near Nikopol and in the Zhitomir region and proved themselves to be a dangerous enemy of tanks. Few Elephant self-propelled guns were produced - 90 units, and, of course, they could not greatly influence the course of hostilities.

German tanks Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger", Pz.Kpfw V Ausf.G "Panther", as well as tank destroyers "Elephant" on the Soviet-German front were massively used in July 1943 in the Battle of Kursk. For six months they were opposed by the KV-1 (KV-1S) heavy tank with a 76.2 mm cannon (barrel length 41.5 klb), with armor on the frontal hull parts increased to 105 mm, medium tanks T-34/76 and even T-28, which entered service in 1933. The crews of Soviet vehicles had to demonstrate the highest skill to win a duel against the Tiger. Our tank crews acted professionally from ambushes. The fact that, for example, the “thirty-four” was a very maneuverable machine also helped. Inferior to the Tigers in terms of fire power, in capable hands it often effectively resisted them.

In the winter of 1944, more powerful T-34/85 tanks began to arrive in the guards tank units (the T-34 had a long-barreled 85-mm cannon installed in a turret with increased armor thickness). In parallel with the T-34/85, the IS-2 heavy tank was also sent to the troops, later recognized as the strongest tank of the Second World War. The 122-mm semi-automatic tank gun of the 1943 model installed on it had a muzzle energy 1.5 times greater than that of the 88-mm Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H gun. At a distance of 500 meters, a projectile weighing 25 kg and an initial speed of 790 m/sec penetrated armor up to 140 mm thick. The IS-2 itself had 120-90 mm armor. The Joseph Stalin tanks received their baptism of fire near Korsun-Shevchenkovsky in February 1944, where they showed their unsurpassed combat qualities. The Wehrmacht command forbade its tank crews to engage in open duels with them... But in practice, most often the most massive Soviet combat vehicles, the Thirty-Fours, entered into a duel with the strongest German tanks.

Kursk Bulge

The crews of the “thirty-four” from the 1st Tank Army of General Mikhail Katukov gained fame as real “Tiger” hunters in the Battle of Kursk, that is, when the Wehrmacht first used its newest heavy tanks on a massive scale.

On July 7, 1943, the Oboyanskoye Highway near the small village of Yakovleve was defended by a company of guard Lieutenant Vladimir Bochkovsky from the 1st Guards Tank Brigade. At dawn, 7 Tigers and two infantry regiments appeared on the highway. And a little later, at about four o’clock in the morning, three more tank columns with Tigers appeared in the light of the rising sun. Immediately the roar of bombers was heard. About 60 enemy aircraft came in from different directions and began hitting the entire area in front of the tanks, “spreading out” a “carpet” in front of their vehicles. This did not bother the Soviet tank crews. All day long, eight “thirty-fours” repelled attacks.

From behind cover, they hit enemy vehicles accurately, preventing them from being detected. The Nazis' resolve diminished in the very first minutes of the battle, which soon became chaotic. It was then that the crew of Guard Lieutenant Georgy Bessarabov opened his account of the destroyed heavy fascist tanks. Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H became the third tank that he burned by noon. Bessarabov destroyed him from an ambush when he exposed the side. And then the crew won a duel against the crews of two more Tigers.

“By the evening, the Nazis apparently realized that only a handful of tankers were acting against them, and resumed attacks against Bochkovsky’s company with tripled energy,” Army Commander General Mikhail Katukov later said. - “Messers” hung over the village. One of the bombs exploded next to the car of Lieutenant Sokolov's guard. The tank tilted and slid into a deep crater. Lieutenant Bochkovsky took the damaged "thirty-four" in tow, but the car did not give way. And German tanks are very close. All this time, Georgy Bessarabov covered his comrades with the armor of his car and fought off the attacking Tigers. Despite the dramatic nature of the situation, Bochkovsky gave Sokolov a second tug. Rescue was already close, but one German shell hit the car - its gun barrel flew off, and flames shot up above the engine. Guard Lieutenant Sokolov was killed. Under a hail of shells, the track of Lieutenant Bochkovsky's tank was torn off. The company commander ordered his crew to pull the track, but another explosion - tongues of fire ran across Bochkovsky’s car. The crews of the destroyed tanks and four motorized riflemen, who defended their line to the last, climbed onto the armor of Bessara-bov’s vehicle, and, maneuvering among the explosions, it went towards the villages.

In the morning, a company of five vehicles again stood in the way of the German advance. In just two days of fighting, the company's tankers destroyed 23 enemy tanks, including several Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger". 3 "Tiger" was burned by the crew of the Guard Lieutenant Georgy Bessarabov.

Damaged heavy tank Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. H "Tiger" near the road in the Kyiv area

The brave officer will increase his tally of destroyed Nazi tanks in the battles for the liberation of Ukraine. He will burn 12 enemy tanks, including 4 Tigers.

On December 29, 1943, Georgy Bessarabov died in the battles for the city of Kazatin.

7 “Tigers” were destroyed by a tankman of the 1st Tank Army (200th Tank Brigade), Lieutenant Mikhail Zamula.

On July 8, 1943, his company held the defense in the area of ​​​​the village of Verkhopenye. When Zamula saw that two groups of enemy tanks were going around the village, and the third was moving straight along the ravine to the company’s position, he realized that they wanted to take him in a pincer movement. He sent one platoon towards the enemy, who was trying to bypass the company, and the other hid in a ravine, his car behind a “Tiger” smoking nearby. Zamula saw the enemy well, remaining unnoticed by him. In vain the enemy tried to break through the village and its surroundings. The Thirty-Fours jumped out of cover and hit the sides of the Tigers. Despite their superiority in strength, the Nazis were never able to knock down our tank barrier. Leaving about two dozen vehicles on the battlefield, they were forced to retreat. 9 tanks (including 4 Tigers) and 3 self-propelled guns were destroyed by the crew of Lieutenant Zamula.

In total, on July 8 and 9, 1943, he burned 17 enemy tanks (of which 7 Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger"), 5 self-propelled guns and 1 armored personnel carrier. It was in those days that a radio report from German air reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted. Its text read: “The Russians are not retreating. They stand on the same line. Our tanks stopped. They're burning."

The tank aces also include the commander of the T-34 tank of the 1st Tank Army, Lieutenant Grigory Brazhnikov, and the commander of the IS-2 tank from the 2nd Shock Army (30th Separate Heavy Tank Brigade), Lieutenant Ivan Khitsenko.

Grigory Brazhnikov distinguished himself in the battles on the Kursk Bulge. Initially, its crew destroyed one Pz.Kpfw III medium tank and one Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger". But then, in one of the battles, Brazhnikov managed to shoot 4 Tigers from a distance of 350-400 meters, spending 8 shells on them. True, the lieutenant got carried away and in the heat of battle did not notice the fifth, who managed to deal a fatal blow to his “thirty-four”. Fortunately, the crew remained intact.

Destroyed German Tiger II tank with Soviet trophy number 300

Lieutenant Khitsenko participated in breaking through enemy defenses near the city of Ruzhan (Poland). On January 15, 1945, the crew of his tank entered into an unequal battle with 10 heavy enemy tanks and knocked out 5 of them. In the same battle, the brave tanker died.

The tank commander of the 13th Guards Tank Brigade (4th Guards Tank, Corps, 60th Army) of the Guard, Junior Lieutenant Ivan Golub, can be considered an ace in the destruction of heavy fascist tanks. In December 1943, in battles near Zhitomir, he destroyed 3 Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H "Tiger" tanks and 2 Pz.Kpfw V Ausf.G "Panther" tanks.

Ivan Golub arrived at the 1st Ukrainian Front on December 6, 1943 after graduating from the Oryol Armored School and soon distinguished himself in the battles near Zhitomir. On one of the days of the offensive, Ivan Golub’s “thirty-four” burst into the village of Genovichi with other tanks, destroying several guns and vehicles in ten minutes. However, the Nazis launched a counterattack. Ivan Golub managed to deftly place the tank in cover and camouflage it well. When two Tigers approached the village, the crew knocked out the first tank with the first shot. Another tried to hide in a ravine. Golub walked around the high-rise building on the left and met him at an advantageous position. This car also caught fire.

On December 24, 1943, the Zhitomir-Berdichev operation began. And six days later, on the evening of the 31st, Ivan Golub’s “thirty-four” was the first of the advancing Soviet tanks to find itself on the outskirts of the village of Vysokaya Pech, Zhitomir region, where Nazi equipment was grouped. Skillfully using the surprise of their appearance, the crew destroyed three Tigers, two Panthers, 5 guns and many infantrymen with well-aimed shots.

Thus, junior lieutenant Ivan Golub, in twenty December days, chalked up 5 destroyed enemy vehicles, becoming one of the tank destroyer aces. Unfortunately, Ivan Golub was unable to increase it. On January 5, 1944, in a battle near the village of Gordievka, Zhitomir region, where his crew disabled several guns of an enemy battery, the young officer died. In his last attack, having used up his ammunition, he sent the tank to enemy firing positions.

Hero of the Soviet Union Guard Junior Lieutenant V. Ermolaev

4 Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H tanks were destroyed by the tank commander of the 12th Guards Tank Brigade (1st Ukrainian Front), junior lieutenant Vasily Ermolaev. 3 “Tigers” were on the account of the commander of the T-34 tank, Lieutenant Grigory Chesak from the 10th Guards Ural Volunteer Tank Corps, who distinguished himself in battles in Ukraine, for the city of Fridrikhovka (now Volochinsk) in March 1944. The platoon commander of the 14th Tank Regiment (1st Tank Army), Lieutenant N. Laizeikin, has the same number of formidable vehicles. Of the nine tanks he destroyed in one of the battles on the Kursk Bulge, three were Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H. Three "Tigers" and two medium tanks Pz.Kpfw III in a 3-hour battle on the Kursk Bulge were destroyed by the tank crew of Lieutenant M. Frolov from the 178th Tank Brigade (10th Tank Dnieper Order of Suvorov Corps). 3 “Tiger” was hit by the tank crew of the same guard brigade, Sergeant Major Alexander Milyukov, during the battles on the Kursk Bulge. 3 Tigers out of 18 destroyed were credited to the platoon commander and crew of the T-34 tank of the 45th Guards Tank Brigade (1st Tank Army) Guard Lieutenant Vladimir Maksakov.

Hero of the Soviet Union Guard Sergeant A. Timofeev

In August 1944, at the Sandomierz bridgehead, the German command sought to defeat the formations of Soviet troops entrenched on the western bank of the Vistula. The German 501st heavy tank battalion with Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.B “Royal Tiger” super-heavy tanks arrived in the front line, near the Polish village of Ogliandow, previously cordoned off by the SS men...

There were five of them in the T-34 (T-34/85) tank crew. The commander is junior lieutenant Alexander Oskin, driver-mechanic senior sergeant Alexander Stetsenko, gun commander sergeant Abubakir Merkhaidarov, gunner-radio operator Alexander Grudinin and loader junior sergeant Alexey Khalychev. One evening, an order was received from the commander of the 53rd Guards Tank Brigade (it was part of the 6th Quarter Tank Corps, 3rd Guards Tank Army, 1st Ukrainian Front) to go to the Polish village of Oglendow and conduct reconnaissance. Oskin gave the command, and the “thirty-four” rushed to the west. There was a landing party on the armor of the vehicle. It was not possible to enter Oglendow. On the outskirts, the crew noticed German tanks; there were over a dozen of them; there was no point in engaging in battle. Having driven to a safe distance, Oskin contacted the brigade headquarters, from where he received an order - take a convenient position, continue observation, and act according to the situation.

The Thirty-Four froze on a mown field opposite a populated area. It was separated by a deep ravine, behind which there was a road from Oglendów to the east, so it was possible to maintain control. The crew members immediately began to camouflage the car with sheaves. For the sake of credibility, they piled the same large heaps in other places in the field. The night passed peacefully. At dawn, Oskin noticed how a column of heavy, clumsy vehicles appeared from the direction of Oglenduv. They looked unusual and menacing.

Soviet officers inspect the destroyed heavy tank "Royal Tiger". Road Balasnody - Armath, Hungary

“They look like the Tigers,” Merkhaidarov noted. - But not them. Maybe Panthers?

The crew commander understood: you can’t take the new cars head-on. Better to hit the sides. Such an opportunity will present itself, heavy tanks will definitely go along the road. And he was not mistaken. Soon the column stretched along the ravine, moreover, for some reason it stopped. Fourteen vehicles immediately placed their sides under the 85-mm gun of the T-34. Oskin decided to hit the lead tank. A shot rang out. Hit right under the tower.

The second shell hit the side. Having destroyed the armor, he set fire to the fuel tanks. Flames danced over the wrecked car. It mercilessly devoured the new creation. Another torch flared up on the opposite side of the ravine.

The Nazis were seized with panic. Their tanks began to retreat to Oglendów. And only the third giant, standing directly opposite the T-34, prepared for battle, pointing its gun at the Soviet vehicle. Now everything was decided by seconds.

- I don’t see the goal! – Merkhaidarov reported excitedly.

The camouflage sheaf covered the sight lens. Oskin leaned out waist-deep from the tower, the sheaf flew to the side. A shot rang out, and the third “Royal” flared up in the predawn darkness.

By that time, reinforcements had arrived. Soviet tank crews went on the offensive. Oskin’s “Thirty-Four” burst into Oglendów on the shoulders of a retreating Nazi unit. There were 3 “Royal Tigers” standing motionless in the village. The crews, apparently, were preparing for the attack, but expected that they would be brought into battle in the second place, and therefore the tankers were not there. The SS men guarding the tanks did not offer significant resistance. 3 enemy tanks were captured. Later, Alexander Oskin’s crew learned that they had knocked out and captured 6 of Hitler’s newest Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.B “Royal Tiger” vehicles.

Captured German equipment in the Central Park of Culture and Art named after. Gorky in Moscow in the fall of 1945

The “Royal Tigers” were shown to the commander of the 3rd Tank Army, Pavel Rybalko. He was amazed by their size and extremely surprised that the “thirty-four” managed to deal with these formidable tanks. Soon one of the giants was exhibited in the Moscow Park of Culture and Leisure named after M. Gorky - for public viewing. (According to other sources, Oskin’s crew knocked out Pz.Kpfw IV tanks in that battle)

Unfortunately, this is so far the only known result of fights between Soviet tank crews and the strongest enemy tanks. True, the memoirs describe an episode when our tank crews captured 13 serviceable Royal Tigers.

During the fighting on the same Sandomierz bridgehead, the tank battalion of Major Vladimir Zhukov (1st Guards Tank Army), during a night attack in one of the settlements, came across 16 unknown German tanks. There were no crews - they slept in village houses. The attack was so sudden that only three crews managed to jump into the hatches of their tanks and, as they say, escape.

Note: in his article, the author used simplified designations for German tanks, previously used in domestic literature - T-VIH, T-VIB, T-VG. In the text they are replaced by Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.H, Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.B and Pz.Kpfw V Ausf.G, respectively.

Characteristics of combat use

How highly the German T-6 Tiger tank was valued by the Wehrmacht command is evidenced by the fact that a new tactical unit of troops was created specifically for these vehicles - a heavy tank battalion. Moreover, it was a separate, autonomous part that had the right to independent actions. Typically, of the 14 battalions created, initially one operated in Italy, one in Africa, and the remaining 12 in the USSR. This gives an idea of ​​the ferocity of the fighting on the Eastern Front.

In August 1942, the “Tigers” were “tested” near Mga, where our artillerymen knocked out from two to three vehicles participating in the test (there were six in total), and in 1943 our soldiers managed to capture the first T-6 in almost perfect condition. Immediately, shelling tests were carried out on the German Tiger tank, which yielded disappointing conclusions: the T-34 tank could no longer fight on an equal footing with the new Nazi equipment, and the power of the standard 45-mm regimental anti-tank gun was generally not enough to penetrate the armor.

It is believed that the most widespread use of Tigers in the USSR took place during the Battle of Kursk. It was planned that 285 vehicles of this type would be used, but in reality the Wehrmacht fielded 246 T-6s.

As for Europe, by the time the Allies landed, there were three heavy tank battalions equipped with 102 Tigers. It is noteworthy that by March 1945 there were about 185 tanks of this type on the move in the world. In total, approximately 1,200 of them were produced. Today all over the world there is one running German Tiger tank. Photos of this tank, which is located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, regularly appear in the media.

"TIGER". A selection of photos.

"Tiger" of the 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion, destroyed at Villers-Bocage. France. 07.1944

“Panther” and “Tiger” in the yard Demonstration... Pod Mgoi (Leningrad region), they, too, at Hitler’s insistent desire, had to demonstrate their capabilities. Even a movie was ordered to be made about it... Kina, however, did not work out... “On August 19, 1942, the 502nd battalion was the first to receive the Tigers. Early in the morning of August 23, four “tigers” were loaded onto railway platforms and sent to the front - Hitler was in a hurry, he was eager to find out what the new tanks were like in action. On August 29, a train with combat vehicles and personnel of the 1st company sPzAbt 502 unloaded at the Mga station, near Leningrad. Already during the advance to the initial positions for the attack, breakdowns began. The gearboxes of two tanks failed, and the engine of a third tank overheated and caught fire. These units, already working under overload due to the large mass of the tanks, experienced additional load due to movement on wet, swampy ground. Under cover of darkness, the Tigers were towed to the rear, and the factory mechanics accompanying the vehicles began repairing them. Units that could not be restored were replaced with those imported from Germany. By September 15, the Tigers were ready for battle. On September 21, the 1st company sPzAbt 502 was transferred to the operational subordination of the 170th Infantry Division, in whose zone it was to operate. The next day the Tigers went on the attack. Moving in single file along a narrow road, the German tanks came under flanking fire from Soviet anti-tank artillery. One Tiger was hit, and three others stopped due to breakdowns. These vehicles, apparently broken down for technical reasons, were evacuated, but the fourth damaged one remained in no man's land, where it remained for almost a month. Then, on Hitler’s personal orders, it was blown up. In his “Memoirs of a Soldier,” General G. Guderian commented on this episode as follows: “In September 1942, the Tiger entered the battle. Even from the experience of the First World War, it was known that when creating new types of weapons, one should be patient and wait for their mass production, and then use them immediately in large quantities. Knowing this, Hitler, nevertheless, wanted to see his main trump card in action as quickly as possible. However, the new tanks were given an absolutely secondary task: a local attack in difficult terrain in the swampy forests near St. Petersburg. Heavy tanks could only move in a column one at a time along narrow clearings, coming under fire from anti-tank guns placed along them. The result is losses that could have been avoided, premature declassification of new equipment and, as a consequence, the inability to take the enemy by surprise in the future.” Source - Mikhail Baryatinsky “Heavy tank “Tiger” “Tiger” of the 505th battalion near the city of Velikiye Luki. 11/15/1943

In a wheat field. Eastern front. 07-08.1943 "Tiger" near a damaged KV-1 tank in the Ladoga region. 09/15/1943 "Tigers" of the 502nd tank battalion of the Wehrmacht on the road near Lake Ladoga. 08.1943 "Tigers" and a stuck truck of the SS division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". Vinnytsia district. 11.1943 "Tiger" of the 101st SS heavy tank battalion during training battles. France, spring 1944.

"Tigers" of the 503rd heavy tank battalion on the Kursk Bulge "Tiger" from the 503rd tank battalion in the Belgorod area. Kursk Bulge Near Kursk “Tigers” of the SS tank division “Das Reich” on the Kursk Bulge (I’m not sure about the name of this particular division) “Tiger” of the 506th tank battalion in western Ukraine. 05/04/1944

"Tiger" of the 505th heavy tank battalion of the Wehrmacht on the road. 03-05.1944 "Tiger" of the 503rd Wehrmacht battalion, stuck on the river bank near the village of Znamenka. Ukraine. 04.10.1943 In the photo above, “Tiger” is cutting down a tree. Poland. Summer 1944 Russland, SS-Division "Das Reich", Tiger-Panzer

"Tiger" of the German 502nd battalion during the battles near the city of Daugavpils. Latvia. 07.1944 Russland, Panzer VI (Tiger I)

"Tiger" of the 502nd heavy tank battalion in the Nevel area, Pskov region. January 1944 "Tiger" modification H1 by Guptmann Lange. Winter 1943-44

Russland, bei Witebsk, Panzer VI (Tiger I) Somewhere on the Western Front

"Tiger" from the 503rd heavy tank battalion in France. 1944 "Tigers" in northern Italy. 1943

"Tiger" on the street of a destroyed town in Normandy. 1944 04/20/1943 "Tigers" of the 101st SS heavy tank battalion. France. 06/07/1944

"Tiger" from the 501st heavy tank battalion in Tunisia

Pz VI 82 sPzAbt.SS101 Wittmann 1944

PzKpfw VI "Tiger" No. 121 of the 101st SS heavy tank tank, destroyed in Villes-Bocage, Normandy PzKpfw VI Tiger, France 1944.

Tiger I sPzAbt. 508 Italie Galuzzo

Tiger I Nr. 121 sPzAbt. 504 Tunisia

Americans inspect the Tiger

An abandoned German Tiger tank on the street of the French city of Marl. 1944 "Tiger" abandoned by the Germans on the street of the Sicilian city of Biscari. 07.1943

Apparently, for repairs Near Kharkov Towing of a faulty German Tiger tank. Kursk Bulge

Kiss me on...

"Tiger" from the 509th heavy tank tank of the Wehrmacht. Kyiv area. 1943

Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. H "Tiger" from the 509th heavy tank tank 19.1943. Kyiv area Exhibition of captured German armored vehicles in Kyiv. "Tiger" of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". Winter 1945

"Tiger" knocked out by British tanks in Tunisia. 1943

A broken German column and a destroyed Tiger tank. France. 1944 A British soldier inspects a burnt-out German Tiger tank of the 505th Wehrmacht TB, captured by Soviet troops near the village of Devochkino. 09.1943 Left

The British and the abandoned Tiger No. 211 of the 504th Wehrmacht battalion on the road in Italy Tiger I sPzAbt. 508 Tiger I Italie East Prussia 1945 "Ladungsliger Tiger" - a heavy engineering vehicle based on the Tiger tank. British soldiers observe the testing of a captured Tiger tank. Germany. 1945

The torn off turret of a German "tiger" destroyed by an explosion. Tunisia. 1943 Villers-Bocage, Panzer IV und VI "Tiger" number 211. Italy "Tiger" shot down by the British in Normandy. 2nd SS Corps. Number 231. Summer 1944

"Tiger" shot down in Pisano. Sicily 1943 "Tiger" destroyed by the Allies. 1943

Burnt on the outskirts of Kharkov

"Tiger" from the 101st SS Tank Battalion captured by the British Allies on a captured "Tiger" "Tiger" from the 504th Battalion. Italy 1944

Sicily. German "Tiger". July 11, 1943 "Tiger" of the SS division "Totenkopf", captured by Soviet troops at the Kopichintsy railway station. March 1944 Soviet soldiers and officers near the hull of a German Tiger tank

T-34 crosses the Zhitomir-Berdichev highway. Burning Pz.Kpfw. VI "Tiger". 1st Ukrainian Front. 01.1944 Tiger 501st heavy TB. Lost in Tunisia during Operation Ochsenkopf. February 28, 1943 To the photo above Among the firewood, a completely dead “Tiger”. Normandy Tiger, shot down by the British at Littoria station. Italy. 05/25/1944 The same photograph has another caption: “Tiger” shot down near the Italian city of Cori. Photo dated May 31, 1944.”

Senior Lieutenant Ivan Shevtsov next to the Tiger tank he destroyed. Oryol Region

A tiger from the 502nd heavy tank battalion, knocked out near Leningrad. Filming - 02.1944 "Tiger" from the 3rd Panzer Regiment of the SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf". Hungary. 1945 "Tiger" knocked out by units of the Red Army. 3rd Belorussian Front, July 8, 1944 “Tiger” abandoned by the Germans during the retreat

In the Kharkov area

A Soviet officer “hid” near a destroyed German Tiger tank. 04.1945 Tiger from the SS division "Adolf Hitler" in Ukraine. March 1944

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• Comments (2)

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ujkbrjd 2014-08-18 20:20 the car is good, but the lines have no future.
unlike our 34 and IS ayvavya 2015-06-17 15:45 But what about the Leopard? =)))

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Why did “fear of tigers” develop?

The high efficiency of using these tanks is largely due to excellent controllability and comfortable working conditions for the crew. Until 1944, there was not a single Allied tank on the battlefield that could fight the Tiger on equal terms. Many of our tankers died when the Germans hit their vehicles from a distance of 1.5-1.7 km. Cases when T-6s were knocked out in small numbers are very rare.

The death of the German ace Wittmann is an example of this. His tank, breaking through the Shermans, was eventually finished off at pistol range. For every destroyed Tiger there were 6-7 burned-out T-34s, and the Americans’ statistics with their tanks were even sadder. Of course, the “thirty-four” is a machine of a completely different class, but it was the one that in most cases opposed the T-6. This once again confirms the heroism and dedication of our tank crews.

The main disadvantages of the machine

The main disadvantage was its high weight and width, which made it impossible to transport the tank on conventional railway platforms without prior preparation. As for comparing the angular armor of the Tiger and Panther with rational viewing angles, in practice the T-6 still turned out to be a more formidable opponent for Soviet and allied tanks due to more rational armor. The T-5 had a very well protected frontal projection, but the sides and rear were practically bare.

What’s much worse is that the power of even two engines was not enough to move such a heavy vehicle over rough terrain. On marshy soils it is simply an elm. The Americans even developed a special tactic to fight against the Tigers: they forced the Germans to transfer heavy battalions from one sector of the front to another, as a result of which after a couple of weeks half of the T-6s (at least) were under repair.

Despite all the shortcomings, the German Tiger tank, a photo of which is in the article, was a very formidable combat vehicle. Perhaps, from an economic point of view, it was not cheap, but the tankers themselves, including ours, who tested captured equipment, rated this “cat” very highly.

First fight and sunset

At the end of the summer of 1942, a tank battalion, which included Tigers, was unloaded in the Leningrad region. Already during the first real tests, problems arose: the transmission of two combat vehicles did not last long, and in the third tank the engine compartment suddenly caught fire due to overheating. The tanks were repaired for a whole month, after which they were sent again along with the second shock army of the Volkhov Front. Most of the vehicles were used precisely on the Eastern Front, where Hitler planned the 1943 summer campaign with the participation of the latest combat vehicles. The largest number of Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. The H1 was spotted during Operation Citadel, which began on June 5, 1943. 45 heavy tanks took part in it simultaneously. According to German data, during this operation the German side lost only three tanks.

We can say that it was on the Eastern Front that the Tigers had optimal conditions for demonstrating their strengths. But Hitler’s formidable fighting machine failed to fully demonstrate itself on the Western Front. This is largely due to the nature of the terrain and allied aviation, which had superiority in airspace. This led to the fact that Hitler concentrated 317 heavy tanks on the Eastern Front in 1944, when there were only 84 of them on the Western Front. By 1945, out of a total of 1,354 Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. H1 only 322 vehicles were in service. The era of one of the most insidious and dangerous “predators” on the battlefields of World War II was approaching.