The King Tiger

Tank Museum photo No 4892/F/1

Sd Kfz 182, Pz Kpfw VI Ausf B or Tiger II. Our exhibit is the second prototype tank, Fahrgestell No. V2 which left the Henschel plant in January 1944. It never saw combat service in any form but is still an adequate example of the type for us to examine.

Tank Museum photo No. 3237/E/1

As with other early production Tiger II our exhibit carries the so-called Porsche turret, but it is incomplete. It misses the commander's cupola and the large escape hatch at the rear.

Tank Museum photo No. 5862/E/4

Even the 88mm gun is not the original but a spare, installed after the tank arrived in Britain.

Tank Museum photo No. 3237/D/3

The tracks are enormous, as you would expect on a 68 ton vehicle. The drive sprocket is the original 18-tooth type.

Tank Museum photo No. 3237/D/2

The road wheel design was highly original. It was also very complicated. Each wheel was of bolted construction, with steel rims running on the tracks but an internal rubber ring was installed to provide resilience and cut down internal noise levels.

Tank Museum photo No. 4892/E/4

By any standards it is an impressive battle wagon. Sixty years old it may be but it still has a sense of threat and power that belies its age.