|
Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger II heavy tank |
|
|
|
|
No sooner was the Tiger in productionthan the decision was taken to developan even better armed and armouredversion, especially to counter anyvehicle that the Soviets could introducein the future, Once again Henscheland Porsche were asked to preparedesigns. Porsche first designed atank based on the earlier VK 4501 designand armed with a 15-cm (5.9-in)gun, This was rejected in favour of anew design with a turret-mounted 88-mm (3.46-in) gun, which was soon cancelledas its electric transmission usedtoo much copper, which at that timewas in short supply, By this time theturrets were already in production andthese were subsequently fitted to earlyproduction Henschel tanks. The VK4503(H) Henschel design was completedin October 1943, somewhat laterthan anticipated as a decision wastaken to incorporate components ofthe projected Panther II tank.Production of the Tiger II, or PanzerkampfwagenVI Tiger II Ausf B (SdKfz182) to give its correct designation, gotunder way at Kassel in December 1943alongside the Tiger, the first 50 productionvehicles being completedwith the Porsche turret. All subsequenttanks had the Henschel turret, and atotal of 485 vehicles was built.The Tiger II first saw action on theEastern Front in May 1944 and on theWestern Front in Normandy in Augustof the same year, the Western Alliescalling it the Royal Tiger or King Tigerwhile the Germans called it theKönigstiger (King Tiger).In many respects the Tiger II wassimilar in layout to the Panther tank,and was powered by the same engineas later production Panthers, resultingin a much lower power-to-weight ratio,and the tank was therefore much slowerand less mobile than the Panther.While its armour gave almost completeprotection against all of the gunsfitted to Allied tanks, the Tiger II wasunreliable and its bulk made it difficultto move about the battlefield and toconceal. Many were abandoned ordestroyed by their crews when theyran out of fuel and no additional supplieswere to hand.The hull of the Tiger II was of allweldedconstruction with a maximumthickness of 150 mm (5,9 in) in the frontof the hull, The driver was seated at thefront on the left, with the bow machinegunner/radio operator to his right. Theturret was of welded construction witha maximum thickness of 100mm(3,9 in) at the front, and accommodatedthe commander and gunner on the leftwith the loader on the right. The enginewas at the hull rear. Main armamentcomprised a long-barrelled 88-mm (3.46-in) KwK 43 gun that could firearmour-piercing and HE ammunition,the former having a much higher muzzlevelocity than the equivalent roundfired by the Tiger. A 7.92-mm (0.31-in)MG 34 was mounted co-axial with themain armament, and another weaponwas mounted in the hull front. Totals of84 rounds of 88-mm (3.46-in) and 5,850rounds of 7.92-mm (0.31-in) machinegunammunition were carried.The Tiger II chassis was also used asthe basis for the Jagdtiger B, which wasarmed with a 128-mm (5.04-in) gun in anew superstructure with limitedtraverse; only 48 of these powerful tankdestroyers had been built by the endof the war.SpecificationPzKpfw VI Tiger II Ausf BCrew: 5Weight: 69700 kg (153,660 lb)Dimensions: length (includingarmament) 10.26 m (33 ft 8 in); length(hull) 7,26 m (23 ft 9.75 in); width 3,75 m(12 ft 3.5 in); height 3.09 m(10 ft 1.5 in)Powerplant: one Maybach HL 230 P 3012-cylinder petrol engine developing700 hp (522 kW)Performance: maximum road speed38 km/h (24 mph); maximum roadrange 110 km (68 miles); fording 1.6m(5 ft 3 in); gradient 60 per cent; verticalobstacle 0.85 m (2 ft 10 in); trench 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in)
|
