Review and history of the Tiger (P) tank in the game World of Tanks. "Tiger" Porsche: a victim of dirty competition What perks to download on a tiger

As you know, initially there were two versions of the famous heavy tank “Tiger” PZ V. The first version of the tank was created by Erwin Aders, who worked in the design bureau of the Henschel company. The second version of the “Tiger” was created by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (later, a famous automobile designer), which, according to the results of the German military commission, was considered less successful due to the complex electrical transmission of the car. That is why Porsche’s “Tiger” was not recommended for adoption by the Wehrmacht, although this tank was completely ready for mass production, which cannot be said about Erwin Aders’ “Tiger” (Henschel’s Tiger).

The history of the creation of the Porsche Tiger tank.

At the moment, there are no documents left indicating exactly when Porsche began work on creating his tank. Some historians are inclined to believe that after the assignment for the development and creation of a heavy tank for the Wehrmacht was issued, May 26, 1941 is the starting point when work began on the VK4501(P). On May 26, 1941, a military meeting was held in the Bavarian Alps at the residence of Adolf Hitler. It discussed the state of the Wehrmacht's tank forces and provided a thorough analysis of the combat use of the Wehrmacht's armored forces in France. Composition of the military council (technical meetings): Adolf Hitler, Steyr Hacker, E. Kniepkampf, Lieutenant Colonel von Wilke, Phillips, Saur, Ferdinand Porsche, F, Todt. Adolf Hitler paid special attention to the British Matilda tanks, which seriously annoyed the German troops due to their thick armor.

In one of his reports, Zaur mentioned two heavy tanks VK3601 (H) and VK4501 (P), work on which is in full swing. After the start of the blitzkrieg in Russia, German designers temporarily stopped work on the design and creation of the VK3601 (H) and VK4501 (P) projects, modernizing and improving their “workhorses” Pz III and Pz IV. However, after the T-34 and KV tanks appeared on the battlefields, work on heavy tanks began again. In addition, complaints from German tank crews were constantly received from the battlefields, complaining about the weak cannon armament and the small thickness of the armor of their tanks. During the design process, designers Aders and Porsche increased the thickness of the tanks' armor, resulting in the weight increasing from 36 tons to 48. After this, the Tiger tank project was renamed from VK3601 (H) to VK4501 (P). With the increase in the weight of the Tiger, the pressure on the ground increased significantly, for which special tracks with wide propeller blades were developed. For the stowed position and for transportation along railway tracks, the tank was “re-shoeed” into special traveling tracks.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that Ferdinand Porsche was known as a considerable brawler. Although, the reasons for scandals were not groundless. The Porsche Design Bureau developed a tank turret for the Tiger, after which the drawings were sent to the Armament Directorate, which forwarded the order for the turrets to the well-known company Krupp. The Krupp company made an inaccuracy in the manufacture of the turret: they produced a turret ring measuring 1820 mm, although the drawings required 2000 mm. With such a shoulder strap it was impossible to install an 88-mm cannon, which by that time was still completely ready (work on its production, by decision of the German weapons department, was postponed for a year). Reich Minister of Armaments Todt sympathized with Porsche and personally oversaw the project of the Tiger heavy tank. According to some reports, there was an outside agreement between Porsche and Todt, according to which the fate of the Tiger tank had already been decided, according to which his project received the green light in the Wehrmacht.

However, fate decreed otherwise. On February 3, 1942, the plane flying with Todt crashed, and A. Speer took the place of the Reich Minister of Armament, as a result of which the Porsche tank became “unreliable and excessively expensive” for everyone. Speer managed to look at the Tiger project sensibly. In his meetings, Hitler and Speer, the latter constantly convinced the Fuhrer that the Porsche tank was economically and technically impractical. Since the tank transmission required a lot of copper for electric generators. And during the war Germany had a terrible shortage of copper. In addition, the entire design of the Porsche transmission was unreliable, as experiments proved. Before Todt's death, the plan by March 1943 was to create 135 heavy Tiger tanks, of which 50 Henschel Tiger tanks, and 85 Porsche Tiger tanks. However, Speer was adamant, and in his opinion, the production of two identical tanks was not entirely rational, which was reported to Adolf Hitler more than once, but he knew how to count.

First tests and demonstration performances of the Porsche Tiger tank.

Ferdinand Porsche conducted comparative tests and the first display of the new Tiger on Adolf Hitler’s birthday, April 20, 1942. At the same time, a test report was compiled, which indicated that Porsche's Tiger had better cross-country ability than Henschel's Tiger. This was facilitated by the more successful chassis of the Porsche Tiger. But it was immediately indicated that the tank needed to install an upgraded suspension, since the thick armor made the tank too heavy. It is worth noting that the Porsche Tiger was equipped with a heavy turret with an 88 mm cannon from the VK4501, while initially the Porsche tank hull was supposed to carry a lighter turret with a 75 mm cannon. At the time of testing and first display, the turret with a 75 mm cannon was not ready. In general, both tanks had a short range, enormous fuel consumption, low speed and poor cross-country ability.

As stated earlier, the weak point, as well as the main disadvantage of the Porsche Tiger, was its innovative electric transmission. By that time, the costs of electric transmission, namely the electric generators that drove the tank, were prohibitively high. The Germans simply did not have large reserves of copper for electric generators. According to Russian historians, and many Western ones, it was the unsatisfactory chassis of the tank that did not suit the military; in most cases, the tank got stuck in the mud, not to mention swampy areas. From some documents it follows that Ferdinand Porsche himself was not able to eliminate the shortcomings of his “Tiger”, so his project was abandoned and the heavy tank “Tiger” went into mass production, but it was produced by the Henschel company with an 88-mm cannon from the Porsche Tiger. In their writings, some well-known Russian researchers indicate that Porsche was forced to abandon his tank by the order of Adolf Hitler. This order obliged the designer to begin developing the newest assault gun “Ferdinand” (Elephant) based on the chassis of his tank. Subsequently, the new self-propelled gun was named “Ferdinand”, in honor of Ferdinand Porsche.

In any case, the Porsche VK4501 Tiger tank did not go into large-scale mass production. A total of 5 full-fledged tanks were produced, but 90 chassis for the new Porsche Tigers were also ordered, even before being shown to Adolf Hitler. This suggests that Porsche was confident in advance of the victory of his tank and was initially preparing for mass production. Later, all tank chassis were successfully used on the new Ferdinand self-propelled guns, which were released at the Battle of Kursk in 1943.

Design features of the Tiger tank Porsche, Tiger (P)

The tank was driven by two traction electric motors, which were powered by two generators powered by two V10 air-cooled engines. The tank's suspension consisted of 6 double rollers (on board), which were located in pairs on 3 bogies. The rubber of the rollers was inside the wheel, which negatively affected the rubber band, which quickly wore out. Later, rollers with these rubber bands began to be used on Panther and Tiger tanks. Unlike most tanks of that time, the torsion bars of the Porsche Tiger chassis were located in the bogie and not inside the tank body. In this tank, Porsche departed from the “classic” layout of the drive wheel at the front, installing it at the rear.

Drawings of the heavy tank PzKpfw VI "Tiger" "Porsche Tiger" "Tiger P" "Porsche Typ 101" VK4501 (P)

Porsche Tiger reservation scheme

Combat use of Tiger tanks Porsche Tiger IV (P)

Due to the fact that quite a few of these vehicles were produced, they had a very limited chance of participating in combat operations. Initially they wanted to use them against the allies in Africa. In addition, Porsche Tigers used air-cooled engines. But soon they abandoned their use in the African theater of operations, since the tank’s maneuverability on sand left much to be desired. As a result, all 5 tanks created were transferred for training of tank crews to the Dellersheim plant, which was located in Austria.

The only mention of the combat use of the Porsche Tiger indicates that one tank arrived at the location of the 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion on the Eastern Front in the Galicia region in 1944. There it was used as a command tank; it had tail number 003.

The famous "Tiger" Porsche, which fought on the Eastern Front

This was the end of the tank's fate. The remaining chassis was used to create a heavy self-propelled gun. A total of 90 self-propelled guns "Ferdinand (Elephant)" were made. This self-propelled artillery mount was the first self-propelled gun in the world with a fantastic thickness of armor on the front of the hull at that time, which reached 20 cm. Of course, due to its thickness of armor, the vehicle was practically invulnerable to field artillery and tank guns, but it became easy prey for infantry , which easily dealt with it in close combat, since the designers did not provide melee weapons for the self-propelled guns. In the very first modernization, the self-propelled gun "Ferdinand (Elephant)" received a front-facing machine gun and a commander's cupola.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the heavy tank "Tiger" Porsche "Tiger P" "Porsche Typ 101" VK4501 (P)

Crew......5 people;
Tank weight.....57 tons;
Length......9.34 m;
Width......3.38 m;
Height......2.93 m;
Propulsion system......."Porsche" type 101/1;
Maximum speed.........35 km.h;
Range...............140 km;
Radio station...................FuG 5;
Armament............88 mm 8.8cm KwK36 KwK L/56 cannon, one coaxial MG34 machine gun in the turret, one MG34 machine gun in the hull;
Tank armor:
Tower forehead......100 mm;
Front extension......100 mm;
Body forehead......100 mm;
Gun mantlet......110 mm;
Turret sides......80 mm;
Hull sides......60 mm;
Superstructure sides.....80 mm;
Turret feed......80 mm;
Hull stern......80 mm;
Stern superstructure.....25 mm;
Roof...............20-25 mm;
Bottom...............25 mm.

German heavy self-propelled gun "Ferdinand ("Elephant")

In mid-1941, Porsche presented the experimental heavy tank VK 3001(P) or Typ 100 for testing. This vehicle had a number of characteristic features that distinguished it from other similar German-developed equipment. Some of these differences had a negative impact on the project as a whole and led to the fact that the customer did not want to launch mass production of the new equipment. In addition, development of a new version of the heavy tank under the designation VK 4501(P) was already underway.

At the end of May 1941, the German command once again revised the requirements for a promising heavy tank. The experience of several previous projects has shown that the new vehicle should have even thicker armor and an appropriate combat weight. When using armor up to 100 mm thick, the tank should have weighed about 45 tons. It was also necessary to use a powerful weapon capable of penetrating up to 100-150 mm of armor at a distance of about 1 km. In accordance with these requirements, the development of two projects, known as VK 4501, began.

Two organizations were involved in the development of a new armored vehicle. The project from Henschel was designated VK 4501(H), from Porsche - VK 4501(P). Subsequently, the first project, which had the letter “H” in its name, received customer approval, after which the new tank went into mass production. This vehicle became widely known as the Pz.Kpfw.VI Tiger. The second project ended less successfully, with less equipment built.

Experimental tank VK 4501(P) being tested. Photo: Rascarcapaco.blogspot.ru

At Porsche, the new project received its own designation Typ 101. In addition, other names were used at different stages of development. Designations were used that reflected the combat weight of the vehicle (VK 4501), serial number in the troops (Pz.Kpfw.VI), etc. Most of the renaming was carried out in accordance with the orders of the customer, represented by the army.

The new project proposed to use existing developments as widely as possible, taking into account updated requirements for technology. It was planned to maintain the main provisions of the project, as well as make some changes to the armor and weapon system. This made it possible to speed up the development of the project while still meeting existing requirements. This approach made it possible to reduce the number of newly developed components and assemblies.

The existing hull, created as part of the previous project, received enhanced armor. Its frontal part was to be assembled from sheets up to 100 mm thick; the protection of the sides and stern was assigned to 80 mm parts. Due to changes in the thickness of the armor, the contours of the frontal part of the hull had to be changed. In addition, the design of the upper part of the hull, which formed developed fender niches, was adjusted. Between the upper frontal and side parts there were beveled cheekbones. The 25 mm horizontal hull roof at the rear of the vehicle was connected to an inclined sheet.

Tiger(P) tank diagram. Drawing Rascarcapaco.blogspot.ru

Also, as part of the project, an updated version of the turret used on the previous version of the heavy tank was developed. The tower had a vertical frontal plate, and was also equipped with a curved part that served as the sides and stern. In terms of protection level, the turret of the new tank did not differ from the hull and consisted of sheets up to 100 mm thick.

The layout of the VK 4501(P) tank was to be completely borrowed from the previous project. The front part of the body housed the electrical transmission units and some mechanical devices, behind which the control compartment was located. The center of the hull housed the fighting compartment, and the power plant was located in the stern.

The armored vehicle type VK 3001(P) was equipped with two gasoline engines with a power of 210 hp each. To compensate for the increase in combat weight, the tank needed more powerful engines. As part of the VK 4501(P) project, a new Typ 101 carburetor engine was developed. This product differed from its predecessor by one and a half times the volume and power of 310 hp. Two new engines were to be placed in the rear of the hull. Next to them were two Siemens sGV 275/24 electric generators with a power of 275 kW each. Using a set of cables, electricity was supplied to Siemens D1495a electric motors located in the front of the case. Through final drives, electric motors rotated the front drive wheels.

The promising heavy tank retained the basic control principles proposed in the previous project. The driver could change the operating parameters of two gasoline engines, but the main means of control was a set of systems that made it possible to change the parameters of the current supplied to the traction motors. Gasoline engines could operate in the same mode.

An experimental chassis with a turret weight simulator being tested. Photo by Chamberlain P., Doyle H. "A Complete Guide to German Tanks and Self-Propelled Guns of the Second World War"

The chassis with modifications was borrowed from the previous tank. It was proposed to use six dual large-diameter road wheels on each side. The authors of the project abandoned the use of rubber bands, but retained the general architecture of the chassis. The rollers were blocked in pairs, and their bogies were mounted on torsion bars. To save space inside the car, torsion bars were placed outside and also placed along the body. The drive wheels were placed in the front of the chassis with a noticeable excess over the road wheels. There were guide wheels in the stern. The upper branch of the caterpillar lay on the support rollers, without the need for support rollers. For the VK 4501(Z) tank, two track options were developed. The 500 mm wide product was intended for transporting equipment on roads and railways, and for operation in the field a 600 mm caterpillar should be used.

The main armament of the tank was supposed to be placed in a rotating turret. Initially, it was planned to use a promising 88-mm gun as the “main caliber”. Calculations showed that for such a tank gun it is necessary to increase the size of the fighting compartment, as well as increase the diameter of the shoulder strap to 2 m. Due to the specific coordination of the work of different enterprises and the customer, an order appeared for the development of a turret for a shoulder strap of a smaller diameter, which could only carry 75 mm gun. Subsequently, the problems with the fighting compartment were resolved, and the customer and developer chose the required type.

The main armament of the Type 101 heavy tank was decided to be an 8.8 cm KwK 36 tank gun with a 56-caliber barrel. This gun met the customer’s requirements regarding combat qualities, and also had acceptable dimensions and could be installed on a promising tank. It was proposed to equip the gun with a binocular telescopic sight and install it on a swinging system. With the help of turret rotation drives, circular horizontal guidance was provided. Elevation angles varied from -9° to +18°.

Checking the chassis on rough terrain. Photo: Aviarmor.net

It was proposed to mount a coaxial MG 34 machine gun of 7.92 mm caliber on the same installation with the gun. It was initially decided to abandon the second machine gun in the installation of the front hull plate. Subsequently, the installation of the housing was nevertheless included in the project. The gunner had to control the coaxial machine gun, and the gunner-radio operator had to control the course gun. The crew could also have had several submachine guns at their disposal, used as self-defense weapons.

By increasing the size of the hull and fighting compartment, it was possible to place fairly large and voluminous racks for ammunition in the tank. The ammunition load of the 88-mm gun could consist of 64 shells. For use with a machine gun, it was proposed to transport over 4,300 rounds of ammunition. There was also space to carry six magazines for submachine guns with 192 rounds of ammunition.

The crew of the VK 4501(P) / Typ 101 tank was supposed to consist of five people. The driver and radio operator were located in the front of the hull. They could observe the situation using hatches in the frontal and zygomatic sheets of the hull. At their workplaces there was a set of all necessary controls. So, the driver had the means to control the car, and the radio operator had two types of radio stations.

Studying technology. Photo by Chamberlain P., Doyle H. "A Complete Guide to German Tanks and Self-Propelled Guns of the Second World War"

The turret had seats for the gunner, commander and loader. The commander could conduct observation through a set of observation devices on his own turret. The loader had similar systems, but with smaller viewing angles. The gunner had to use the sight available in his place. There were two hatches in the turret roof and on the turret for access to the inside of the vehicle.

An interesting feature of the new project was the ergonomics of the fighting compartment and the unusual way of landing the crew in their seats. For a number of technical reasons, the tank's turret was moved forward as much as possible, which is why its frontal part overlapped the roof of the control compartment, preventing it from being equipped with hatches. As a result, the entire tank crew had to get inside the vehicle only through two hatches in the turret roof. First, the driver and radio operator had to get into the tank, then the gunner, commander and loader had to climb into it. It was proposed to disembark in the reverse order.

Increased protection and firepower led to an increase in size and combat weight. The length of the Type 101 tank along the hull was 6.6 m, including the gun - 9.34 m. The width reached 3.4 m, height - 2.8 m. The combat weight significantly exceeded the required 45 tons and reached 57 tons. With such an increase in weight, the tank, according to calculations, was supposed to reach speeds of up to 35 km/h. The power reserve did not exceed 105-110 km.

Tank with a turret on the highway. Photo: Aviarmor.net

The preliminary version of the VK 4501(P) project was ready by the end of June 1941. Soon a document appeared that stipulated the schedule for subsequent work. Also during this period, the project was given the additional name Tiger. Subsequently, in order to avoid confusion with a competing project from Henschel, the Porsche tank began to be called Tiger (P). The existing designations were also retained. The signed documents, among other things, stipulated the participation in the project of various subcontractor firms, from which the supply of certain components was required.

According to available data, by the end of July 41, several agreements were signed for the supply of a significant number of components for new tanks. Thus, during a given period, Krupp had to assemble and send for assembly 100 hulls and the same number of turrets for the Tiger (P) tank. In accordance with these contracts and the approved plan, one hundred new armored vehicles were to be delivered to the customer from spring to autumn 1942. There is also a widespread opinion that the assembly of the first large batch of tanks was launched by the unauthorized decision of Ferdinand Porsche, but this contradicts other information.

The assembly of armored hulls for the VK 4501(P) tanks started at the very end of 1941. The production of such products continued until mid-1942. The first turrets, for various reasons, were released only in mid-spring 1942, after which it was possible to begin assembling prototypes. According to available data, as part of the first order, a total of no more than 65 chassis and only 15 towers were built, of which only 10 prototypes were assembled.

Transportation of VK 4501(P) by rail. Photo: Wiki.warthunder.ru

The first prototype of the promising heavy tank entered testing at the end of the winter of 1942. Due to the lack of the required fighting compartment, it was decided not to equip the existing chassis with a turret, instead of which a weight simulator should be used. The chassis did not demonstrate very high mobility characteristics. There were also problems with the operation of individual units. The first prototype performed poorly during factory tests, which is why it was sent for revision. Instead, the customer was presented with the next experimental batch vehicle with a similar configuration for testing.

By this time, shortcomings of individual elements of the armored vehicle had been identified. Thus, the new type of engines had insufficient reliability and could not withstand prolonged operation at maximum power, which could lead to the destruction of their parts. Also, the developers and the customer were not satisfied with the design of the tower, which should have been improved. During May 1942, a comprehensive list of necessary changes was compiled that should have been made to certain components and assemblies of the vehicle.

Initially, the customer considered a heavy tank from Porsche as the favorite of the existing program. However, as testing progressed, the opinion of army specialists changed. Over time, the VK 4501(H) tank began to be considered a more promising development. At the beginning of July 1942, a report was drawn up on joint testing of two armored vehicles, which noted the advantages of the Tiger (H) tank. According to experts, it took at least a year to finalize the competing car. Because of this, it was considered unsuitable for adoption and mass production.

Tank with a turret in a field. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

By the time the tests were completed, the leadership of Nazi Germany came to the conclusion that the parallel construction of two heavy tanks of different types was impossible. The industry was loaded with a mass of other orders, because of which a choice had to be made. After the test report appeared, the decision became obvious, but the further fate of the two heavy tanks had to be determined through additional tests. In mid-November, comparative tests of the two tanks took place, during which both vehicles presented showed not only advantages, but also disadvantages. However, the Henschel tank performed better than its competitor.

They decided to put the development of the Henschel company into series, while the further development of the Typ 101 project was considered unpromising. Soon the VK 4501(H) tank was put into service under the name Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger. The Tiger(P) project was closed due to lack of prospects on November 22, 1942. The official document on this completion of the project was signed a little later, in December. By this time, eight experimental vehicles had been built, differing from each other in configuration, equipment, purpose, etc. In addition, two buildings were built for testing, not equipped with internal units.

On December 10, the army demanded the development of two options for modernizing the existing tank using new engines and transmission units. The Typ 130 tank was supposed to receive one Maybach HL 120TRM engine instead of two separate engines, and the Typ 131 project meant replacing the electric transmission with hydraulic systems. After completing the development of the updated projects, it was planned to rebuild a number of available VK 4501(P) chassis based on them. Subsequently, almost all armored vehicles built received new engines.

Self-propelled guns Elefant / Ferdinand. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The constructed equipment was used for various purposes. Thus, prototypes of the “Type 101” were used in various new projects as a platform for testing new ideas and solutions. One of the fully equipped tanks, which received a turret and weapons, according to some sources, was sent to the Eastern Front in the spring of 1944 for testing in real combat conditions. This vehicle was used until mid-summer, when it was destroyed during one of the battles.

After the project was closed, it was decided to complete the laid down chassis of the VK 4501(P) type, and also use them as the basis for new equipment. A total of 90 chassis were assembled, which during completion and modernization were equipped with new types of engines. Subsequently, these chassis were used in the construction of the Sturmgeschütz mit 8.8 cm StuK 43 or 8.8 cm StuK 43 Sfl L/71 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) self-propelled artillery mount with an 88-mm PaK 43 anti-tank gun. Subsequently, these vehicles received a wide known as Elefant/Ferdinand.

The Porsche VK 4501(P) / Typ 101 heavy tank project did not produce real results. Several prototype vehicles were built, as well as a significant number of pre-production chassis. At the same time, only one fully equipped tank entered the army, which managed to participate in the war on the Eastern Front for some time. Other pre-production samples stood idle for a certain time, after which it was decided to use them in the construction of new self-propelled guns. After such a conversion of the existing chassis, production of the VK 4501(P) did not continue as unnecessary. Henschel managed to create a more successful version of the heavy tank, which, after fine-tuning, was put into service and sent into mass production. Later, Porsche made an attempt to improve the existing project, but it was too late to correct the existing situation.

Based on materials:
http://achtungpanzer.com/
http://aviarmor.net/
http://panther-panzer.de/
http://vn-parabellum.narod.ru/
Chamberlain P., Doyle H. Complete reference book of German tanks and self-propelled guns of the Second World War. – M.: AST: Astrel, 2008.
Baryatinsky M.B. Heavy tank "Tiger" // Armor collection. 1998. No. 6.

F. Porsche began designing the tank in May 1941. The prototype, designated VK45.01(P), began testing on April 20, 1942 (Hitler's birthday). The prototype outperformed its competitor VK36.01(H). But due to the expensive electronic transmission, it was not adopted for service. As a result, about 5 cars were built.

Introduction

Booking

With armor sides And stern the same situation. There is also 80mm, which is not very good, because... the tiger's ammo rack is located under the turret (there are situations when a level 5 artillery piece coming into your side or stern can cause a lot of “harm”).

Ride quality

Weaponry (penetration and damage are indicated on bb)

Combat tactics

Which modules are better to install?

Crew Perks

Conclusion

Prepared by: DenzelVasington1

13-12-2016, 11:23

Good day and welcome to the site! Friends, now we will talk about real German quality, which is seriously tested in our game. We will talk about a German heavy tank of the seventh level and this Tiger (P) guide.

This vehicle is pumped along a branch that ends with the legendary, super-heavy German Maus tank, and therefore, Tiger (P) performance characteristics should also be famous for their armor. This statement is partly true, but is it really so serious?

TTX Tiger (P)

To begin with, everyone who decided to roll out this heavy weapon into battle should know that on our side there is an increased margin of safety characteristic of German technology and, importantly, a good basic visibility of 380 meters.

If we consider Tiger (P) characteristics armor, according to the plan, we should really have a strong tank in our hands, and it really is much stronger than an ordinary tiger. However, everything is relative and the declared 210 mm thickness of the armor plates is only in two planes, marked in red. If we tighten the hull, we can really confidently hold off our classmates, but many tanks of the eighth level, and even more so of the nine, penetrate us quite easily. Moreover, the cheeks Tiger (P) World of Tanks, marked in orange, are generally only 80 mm thick and stick out very strongly.

If we talk about the security of the tower, there is again some confusion. The gun mantlet is a solid screen, but it is also quite often sewn, and sometimes even by machines of a lower level. But the biggest problem of the tower is deservedly considered to be the huge commander’s cupola. In other words, heavy tank Tiger (P) it seems to have armor in its forehead, but it seems not.

There is also something to be said about lateral projection. Our sides are 80 millimeters thick, which allows this vehicle to confidently tank when the hull is positioned in a diamond shape. But be careful, if you tighten it too much, the reduction will go down, and there is a vulnerable ammunition rack in the left front part of the hull.

It is also worth noting that Tiger (P) tank big, tall and long, hiding such a barn can sometimes be very difficult, and artillery likes to target us.

The mobility of our cord receives special attention. It would be wrong to call it super-slow, however, its top speed is mediocre, due to its heavy weight, the dynamics sags greatly, and its maneuverability is Tiger (P) WoT weak, so let’s remember about the art again.

gun

Well, if the car is not very good in terms of general characteristics, most likely it will have a decent gun. This is partly true; German weapons are always famous for their accuracy and more.

Tiger (P) gun Compared to the trunks of its classmates, it does not stand out as a large alpha strike, but our rate of fire is normal, so the reward is approximately 2000 units of damage per minute without a rammer and perks.

Our gun really stands out for its penetration parameters, in fact, heavy tank Tiger (P) World of Tanks can fight with dignity even against nines, without using gold. But if you want more comfort, it is better to carry 10-20 sub-calibers with you.

Among the parameters of shooting comfort, I would especially like to note the pleasant dispersion and excellent final accuracy. It just comes down to Tiger (P) WoT not as fast as we would like, and the gun bends down only 6 degrees, which is also not the ultimate dream.

Advantages and disadvantages

In order for you to play with a tank more confidently, you know what qualities you can count on, and what aspects it is better not to show to the enemy, you need to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages Tiger (P) WoT, which is what we will do now.
Pros:
Large margin of safety;
Good frontal armor in combat is at the top of the list;
Not a bad review;
High accuracy of the gun;
Not bad damage per minute;
Excellent penetration parameters.
Minuses:
Barn dimensions;
Armor is weak when fighting at the bottom of the list;
Poor mobility;
Little Alphastrike;
Mediocre comfortable UVN.

Equipment for Tiger (P)

Of course, it is very important to equip your combat vehicle with additional modules before going into battle; in a sense, this can even affect the outcome of the battle. Thus, on heavy tank Tiger (P) It is better to install the following equipment:
1. – will make us an even more formidable enemy, because thanks to this module the rate of fire and DPM will increase quite well.
2. – as mentioned earlier, this tank does not have the best aiming speed; by improving it, you will be able to deal damage more effectively.
3. – we already have a good overview, and by making it even better, we will gain an advantage over our classmates and will be able to keep up with higher-level technology.

As often happens, there is a good alternative to the third point -. Yes, we will lose vision range, but we will gain even more firepower, which also makes sense.

Crew training

The correct choice of skills for tankers sitting inside the vehicle is an even more important and responsible point. For Tiger (P) perks it is worth choosing in such a way as to increase the survivability of our tank, after all, it is heavy, to increase its general parameters, and it would also not be superfluous to make the weapon even more comfortable:
Commander - , , , .
Gunner – , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Radio operator - , , , .
Loader – , , , .

Equipment for Tiger (P)

Of course, it’s also impossible to go into battle without consumables, especially considering the fact that we have a heavy tank in our hands, designed to hold back the enemy’s onslaught, so at a minimum, we definitely need to buy one. But even more confidence, and, if necessary, reliability, can only be obtained if you carry Tiger (P) equipment from , , . By the way, the latter can be replaced with , it won’t be any worse.

Tactics for playing Tiger (P)

Considering everything said above, the strengths and weaknesses of our German, the style of playing him is fundamentally different depending on what kind of battle we find ourselves in.

When it comes to the fight at the top of the list, on Tiger (P) tactics Combat is all about dominance. We, as befits a heavy tank, can safely crawl to the front line and hold back the enemy with our armor, making sure to turn the hull, dance and go into cover while reloading.

If we talk about the battle at the bottom of the list, German heavy tank Tiger (P) WoT becomes much less formidable. Here a lot of people will easily penetrate us and for this reason it is better to stay behind the backs of stronger allies, playing the role of support.

You can fight no less effectively at long distances, the gun has Tiger (P) World of Tanks Accurate, thanks to good penetration, it is capable of defeating the enemy if you target vulnerable points or infect gold.

But in any case, you should always monitor the situation around you. You cannot engage in battle with superior enemy forces in a position that is unfavorable for you; the enemies can simply spin you around. Remember also that Tiger (P) tank has poor mobility, so you need to choose the direction carefully, but you should especially be afraid of artillery.

The program for creating German heavy tanks started back in 1937, but the work was greatly delayed. Changes were constantly made to the design of tanks that had not yet been built. In this regard, work began in December 1939Porsche K. G. to create a new heavy tankType100, also known asVK 30.01 (P) . The development of this project led to the creation of another tank, the VK 45.01(P), or Pz.Kpfw.Tiger (P), which is the subject of today’s article. This vehicle, which is also often called “Porsche’s Tiger,” was adopted by the Wehrmacht and could even well become the main heavy tank of the German army - if circumstances had turned out a little differently.

Increase in mass in the same dimensions

The VK 30.01 (P) was the first German heavy tank, the design of which combined thick armor with powerful weapons, which made it possible to fight combat vehicles of the same class without any problems. But already in March 1941, when the weapons for the first-born Porsche K.G. It was just being confirmed, and the question of more powerful weapons for this tank was raised. Germany was preparing with all its might for war with the Soviet Union, and German intelligence did not have reliable information about the tanks that were in service with the Red Army. The information received was fragmentary and contradictory; it even included combat vehicles weighing more than 100 tons.

It is not surprising that the creators of the German heavy tank also considered more powerful guns than the tank version of the 8.8 cm Flak 18. Among them were the 10.5 cm Kw.K. L/47 and 8.8 cm Kw.K. L/56 with increased muzzle velocity. In May, a third candidate appeared - 8.8 cm Kw.K. L/71, which was based on the ballistics of the 88-mm Flak 41 anti-aircraft gun.

Scheme of Typ 101 from the English reference book on German tanks, prepared in 1947

The directions for the further development of German heavy tanks were approved at a meeting with Hitler on May 26, 1941. Then the question was once again raised that the Wehrmacht needed a tank gun capable of penetrating 100 mm thick armor at a distance of 1.5 kilometers. In addition, the requirements for the protection of heavy tanks were tightened. The thickness of the sides remained at 60 mm, but the front of the hull and turret was strengthened to 100 mm. These changes affected both the VK 30.01 (P) and vehicles developed by Henschel.

Since neither the VK 30.01 (H) nor the VK 36.01 in its original form met the new requirements, Henschel designers began to design a new tank. This vehicle, designated VK 45.01(H), was based on developments from VK 36.01, and the turret for it was taken from VK 30.01(P). The development of VK 30.01(H) and VK 36.01 did not stop, meaning Henschel was now working on three heavy tanks at once.

As for Porsche, at first it was about modifying the Typ 100 to take into account new requirements. At the same time, they quickly abandoned the need to strengthen weapons. It is sometimes claimed that for the Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E the designers were considering the possibility of installing a 71-caliber 8.8 cm Kwk 43 gun as one of the modernization options. In fact, it was intended to be used from the very beginning. But the gun Hitler requested turned out to be a “hostage” to the tower. It was impossible to fit such a gun into the turret developed by the Krupp concern. By the way, Porsche himself wrote about this. So the idea of ​​using 8.8 cm Kw.K. L/71 in the VK 45.01 turret is nothing more than a wish that turned out to be impossible to fulfill.

Specification for VK 45.01(P) as of March 1942. As the further course of events showed, the estimate of the combat weight at 52.5 tons turned out to be too optimistic

Designing the Typ 100 with reinforced armor led to a disappointing conclusion. It turned out that the combat weight of the vehicle exceeded the 50-ton mark. With such an increase in mass, the previous power plant was not suitable. Other, more powerful engines were needed, and this entailed the need to remodel the engine compartment. The increased mass also dictated the need to strengthen the chassis. Instead of modernization, the designers ended up with a new tank, the development of which began in July 1941.

The car was designated Typ 101, and the Porsche design bureau assigned the project the Sonderfahrzeug II index. Also, in relation to this project, the index VK 45.01(P) began to be used, which at the end of development was also applied to VK 30.01(P). True, from the very beginning it was obvious that the 45-ton weight category indicated in the index was nothing more than a convention.

Diagram of the engine-transmission group Typ 101. Electric motors and drive wheels moved to the rear

Unlike Henschel, Porsche engineers K.G. they did not radically remake the original Typ 101 project. The overall dimensions of the vehicle, as well as its turret, remained the same. At the same time, the layout of the machine has changed a lot. The idea with the front drive wheels was considered not the most successful. The disadvantages of such a scheme were that it greatly complicated the maintenance of electric motors. To remove them, a hatch was required in the frontal part of the hull, which did not at all enhance the resistance of the armor. Therefore, the electric motors and drive wheels moved to the rear of the tank.

Electric motors Siemens-Schuckertwerke D1495a in the transmission compartment

The increased weight forced Porsche K.G. design a new gasoline engine. It was made according to the V-10 design and was air cooled. The engine received the same index as the tank - Typ 101. Its volume increased to 15 liters, and its power increased to 310 horsepower at 2500 rpm. In total, the two engines installed on the tank were supposed to produce 620 horsepower. Each engine was coupled with a Siemens-Schuckertwerke aGV 275/24 generator. The generators were attached to the front of the engine. The modified fenders housed cooling system fans that drove air into the engine and transmission compartments. From the generators, current was supplied to two Siemens-Schuckertwerke D1495a electric motors.

The design of the aft hull of VK 45.01(P), the second one built

Due to the rearrangement, the body had to be redone. Its length and general shape have remained almost unchanged, but the stern has undergone a number of metamorphoses. The shape of the frontal part has also changed slightly. The thickness of the front sheet increased to 100 mm, and the sides and stern to 80 mm. The engine compartment was redesigned accordingly and became a motor-transmission compartment. In addition, the fenders have increased quite significantly in height. To improve visibility, viewing devices appeared in the bevels of the front sheet.

The same body from the front

According to the original design, evacuation hatches were provided on the sides of the hull. They appeared here clearly thanks to the 6th Department of the Armaments Department. Suffice it to remember that similar hatches were available on the Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.F, Pz.Kpfw.II Ausf.J and VK 36.01, the creation of which was directly related to the 6th Department. The fact that the presence of a hatch weakens the side, as well as the fact that using these hatches was inconvenient, was not taken into account. The VK 45.01(P) hulls were made with cutouts for escape hatches, but this idea was quickly abandoned; not a single tank with such hatches was built. The holes had to be welded right at the factory.

But we couldn’t get rid of the other rudiment. The fact is that from the Typ 101 the new heavy tank inherited the frontal part of the hull with a characteristic stepped design. Taking into account the bevels, it consisted of 6 parts. The weakened areas of the driver's viewing device and the machine gun mount were supplemented by an upper frontal plate located at an angle to the normal of only 9 degrees.

Modified design of suspension and road wheels Typ 101

Unlike the hull, the design of the chassis has changed quite a lot. The designers abandoned the support rollers, and the support rollers received internal shock absorption. The design of the drive wheels and idlers has completely changed. Only the tracks remained unchanged, and even then, as it turned out later, only for a while.

Metamorphoses

Hitler ordered the production of 6 samples of VK 45.01(H) and VK 45.01(P) with identical turrets. However, quite quickly it was decided to immediately build 100 VK 45.01(P) of the first series without any prototypes. At that time, the brainchild of Porsche K.G. had higher priority. And the point here is not at all the friendship of Ferdinand Porsche with Hitler, Todt and other industrialists. Unlike Henschel, which by that time had been designing a heavy tank for the fifth year, Porsche K.G. completed the assigned tasks faster. And most importantly, the Porsche car looked more successful. As for potential contractors, for example, Krupp, they did not care whose car won. One way or another, contracts for the manufacture of hulls went to them.

Results of shelling the frontal part of the hull with 7.5 cm FK 16 n.A. armor-piercing shells. As you can see, the inclined surfaces were not pierced, unlike the upper frontal sheet

On July 22, 1941, contract SS-2105803/41 was signed with Krupp for the production of 100 sets of armor. The next day, contract SS-210–5905/41 was signed for the production of 100 turrets along with weapons. The guns were supplied by Wolf Buchau. The motor supplier was Simmering-Graz-Pauker AG from Vienna, and Siemens-Schuckertwerke was responsible for the electrical equipment, including generators and electric motors. The chassis was manufactured by Škoda. Final assembly was carried out by Nibelungenwerk in St. Valentin, Austria.

The Krupp concern completed its work the fastest. The first 4 VK 45.01(P) hulls were ready in December 1941, 3 more in January 1942, 12 in February and 9 in March. A total of 64 buildings were built before July 1942.

Transmission diagram Typ 102

In the spring of 1942, an extremely unpleasant embarrassment occurred with the corps. At the training ground in Kummersdorf, shelling was carried out from a distance of 100 meters with armor-piercing shells from a 7.5 cm FK 16 n.A. field gun. It was not possible to penetrate the lower frontal plate, but the upper one was covered with holes. At a meeting on May 7, a decision was made to surface harden the front sheets. Partially such parts began to be introduced into the hulls starting with number 150050, and completely - from 150060. In July, shelling tests were carried out, which showed that the situation had improved. However, all tanks built by Nibelungenwerk had older hulls.

Voith hydromechanical transmission assembly

The changes were not limited to just hardening. Back in March 1942, it was decided to build half of the Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.P (this designation was used) in the Typ 102 variant, factory designation Sonderfahrzeug II HA. Typ 101, in turn, became designated as Sonderfahrzeug II EA. The letter E stood for electric transmission, and H for hydromechanical transmission, from Voith. The total mass of all elements of the electric transmission reached 4.6 tons. At the same time, the hydromechanical transmission, although it was more than 2 times lighter than the electric one, also turned out to be very bulky, and in addition it had only a 2-speed gearbox.

On March 23, Krupp received instructions to prepare 50 hulls to be equipped with Voith transmissions. By May, 10 cases were ready, Voith received an order for the manufacture of transmissions. According to CIOS, 20 sets of hydromechanical transmissions were manufactured. True, they never hit the tanks. The order was received to leave only one body to be equipped with a hydromechanical transmission, and to remake the rest. The transmission was later tested on the Ferdinand tank destroyer. The vehicle traveled 2,000 kilometers, and the results showed that the Voith design performed worse than the Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E transmission.

Project for installing a 10.5 cm Kw.K gun. 16/775

Another alternative development, which also did not go into production, was another weapon. On October 30, 1941, the Škoda factory design bureau prepared a project for a 105 mm 10.5 cm Kw.K gun. 16/775. The gun with a barrel length of 40.6 calibers fit into the Krupp turret, subject to some alteration of the gun mantlet and the appearance of a different commander's turret. This development did not go beyond the preliminary design. The characteristics of this gun did not look particularly impressive compared to the 8.8 cm Kw.K. 36 L/56.

The first sample of VK 45.01(P), April 1942. This was no longer an experimental car, but the first production car.

The main problem with the VK 45.01(P) was the haste with which this tank was put into production. At the same time, the reason why the German leadership decided to begin mass production of this tank, bypassing the production of prototypes, can be easily understood. Very soon after the attack on the USSR, the Germans realized that they had underestimated the potential of the Red Army. This was also associated with the T-34 and KV-1 tanks. The Wehrmacht needed a heavy tank like air.

The number 1 is visible on the turret, this means that the tank has the first turret

The bottleneck of the tank, which was hastily sent to the production line, was the engine produced by Simmering-Graz-Pauker. The first test model was built in December 1941, and it broke down a few minutes after launch. Porsche and Simmering worked for several months to eliminate the shortcomings. On March 9, 1942, the second engine was delivered to the assembly plant, which worked like clockwork. 2 days later the third motor arrived, also without any problems. On April 10, both engines went to Nibelungenwerk. On the same day, Krupp shipped the first tower.

The same car behind. It turned out to be the only one on which tracks 500 mm wide were installed

On April 18, the tank was ready and went to Hitler's headquarters. This car received developed wings that protruded beyond the dimensions of the body. The demonstration, which took place on April 20, the Fuhrer’s birthday, was generally successful, but not everything went smoothly. It turned out that the problems with the engine had not gone away, and this especially concerned the cooling system. In addition, for such a heavy vehicle, the 500 mm wide tracks turned out to be rather weak. The design of the machine required urgent changes. And all this against the backdrop of the fact that in May 1942, Nibelungenwerk was supposed to produce the first 10 tanks.

And by this time, Henschel, which had been marking time for years, was able to catch up with its competitor. On April 20, along with the first sample of the VK 45.01(P), the first prototype of the VK 45.01(H) also showed off in front of Hitler. Henschel's brainchild was lighter and equipped with almost the same turret as a Porsche tank.

Combating defects and administrative resources

The discovery of defects during testing derailed the plan to produce 10 tanks in May 1942. Meanwhile, Krupp delivered 2 ordered turrets in April 1942, and 8 more in May. No towers were delivered in June. Changes were made to the original design of the towers, especially noticeable in the shape of the roof. If earlier there was a protrusion in the roof for a cannon, now this protrusion took up the entire width of the tower. This made it possible to slightly increase the volume of the fighting compartment. These changes were introduced into the design of the turrets, starting with No. 11 (for Porsche tanks this was the ninth turret). At the same time, the gun mantlet was altered. The first two modified towers were built in July 1942.

Ferdinand Porsche inspects the second production model of the Pz.Kpfw.VI(P1), early June 1942

The second tank, at that time called Pz.Kpfw.VI(P1), was completed in early June 1942. It was somewhat different from the first production car. The fenders protruding along the entire length of the body were replaced with separate front and rear mudguards. The width of the tracks has increased to 600 mm. This change was necessary because the actual combat weight of the tank significantly exceeded the design weight and amounted to almost 60 tons. The tank now has a turret box from a Pz.Kpfw.IV. Finally, the car received a set of tools, mainly located on the sides of the hull, as well as the rear mudguards.

The second car was quite different from the first

The tank went to the Kummersdorf training ground, where it was tested. Here again problems with the engine and cooling system made themselves felt. These problems, however, were known before. In June 1942, one of the production engines was tested. The engine produced 311 horsepower, but then problems began. Karl Rabe, the right hand of Ferdinand Porsche, identified the main cause of the problems that arose. Due to insufficient cooling area and bubbling of the oil, which acted as a coolant, the camshaft overheated. As a result, after 50 hours of operation, the engine began to sharply lose power and break down.

Upgraded Typ 101/2 engine. Some domestic historians mistook the drives to the cooling system fans for a belt drive of the engine

The problem with the engine was supposed to be solved by modernizing it. The motor with two additional fans installed above the generator was designated Typ 101/2. It was similar in size to the Typ 101, but to install the improved engine, it was still necessary to slightly alter the engine compartment. On July 23, the contract was changed again. Now 30 vehicles were to be built in the Typ 101 version, 10 in the Typ 102 version, and the remaining 60 tanks, which received the Typ 101/2 engine, were designated as Typ 103. Since all these modifications were not particularly different from the Typ 101, their factory designation remained the same - Sonderfahrzeug II EA.

Due to the need to redesign the hulls, Krupp stopped shipping them. It was assumed that deliveries of hulls for the Typ 103 would begin on October 5, 1942, and 45 chassis would be ready between February and March 1943.

There was also a backup option, first mentioned on March 23, 1942. We are talking about tanks Typ 130 and Typ 131, which bore the factory designations Sonderfahrzeug 101 WE and Sonderfahrzeug 101 WH, respectively. Their feature was to be liquid-cooled engines. At the same time, Typ 131 (Sonderfahrzeug 101 WH) was rather a safety net. In practice, they were going to make only a car with an electric transmission, the Sonderfahrzeug 101 WE.

Assembly of Pz.Kpfw.VI P at the Nibelungenwerk plant. In the upper corner is a full-size layout of VK 30.01(P)

Some historians claim that after the April 20 demonstration, the Nazi leadership chose the Pz.Kpfw.VI(H1), abandoning the problematic vehicle. Actually this is not true. Yes, the brainchild of Ferdinand Porsche had enough problems. But this is normal for fundamentally new tanks, especially those launched into series without a prototype. Moreover, the often ridiculed electric transmission worked reliably - unlike the transmission of the Henchel tank.

Do not think that everything was fine with the production of Henschel machines. The first tanks were delivered in August 1942; a total of 8 of them were made that month. During the same period, Nibelungenwerk completed 4 tanks. In September, 3 and 4 tanks were manufactured, respectively.

On August 15, 1942, the Porsche tank received the designation Pz.Kpfw.VI P and the end-to-end designation Sd.Kfz.181. The competitor Pz.Kpfw.VI H also received the same end-to-end index. In other words, both tanks were adopted by the Wehrmacht.

A clear demonstration that the Pz.Kpfw.VI P was accepted for service. Please note the publication date

The fact that the Henschel-developed Tiger already had a higher priority by this time is no secret. This machine was created under the direct control of the 6th Department of the Armaments Department and Heinrich Kniepkamp personally. In April 1942, even before the demonstration to Hitler, Henschel received a contract for the production of another 200 tanks; 124 vehicles were delivered to the company in August 1942. On February 8, 1942, Fritz Todt, who was one of the patrons of Porsche and the Tank Commission, died in a plane crash. However, the Weapons Department was still waiting. 5 of the released Pz.Kpfw.VI P went to Döllersheim, where they became available to the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion. This clearly hints that in the fall of 1942, tanks developed by Porsche K.G. were still considered as an alternative.

One of the tanks used as testing laboratories. Vehicle produced in August-September 1942 with “wide” wings

Starting from the sixth vehicle produced, the appearance of the Pz.Kpfw.VI P has changed slightly. After testing, it became clear that the idea with cut “wings” was not the most successful; the tanks were given back wings that stretched across the entire hull. Changes were made to the design and the reliability of the power plant was improved. It was not possible to solve all the engine problems, but it should be remembered that in the future it was planned to produce improved Typ 103, in which the problems with the cooling system were cured. In addition, there remained an alternative in the form of the Typ 130 with a liquid-cooled engine.

Of the 9 tanks produced from April to September, 4 were used as prototypes on which various units were tested. In October 1942, the last, tenth tank was produced. The vehicle was manufactured in a command version and received serial number 150013.

During testing in the 503rd heavy tank battalion

Then, in October 1942, the Armaments Department found itself in a delicate situation. In serial production there were 2 tanks with the same armament, almost equivalent in armor, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. It was decided to conduct joint tests of different tanks, and on October 14 the production of the Pz.Kpfw.VI P was suspended. On November 8, tanks, including 2 Pz.Kpfw.VI P and 2 Pz.Kpfw.VI H, arrived in Berke. During the lifting tests, both Porsche tanks overcame an obstacle, which neither the Pz.Kpfw.VI H nor the VK 36.01 could do.

Already in the process of comparative tests, it was clear that they were conceived precisely as an excuse to stop production of the Pz.Kpfw.VI P. By that time, it was decided what to do with the 91 chassis produced. On their basis, it was decided to build tank destroyers 8.8 cm StuK 43 Sfl L/71 Panzerjäger Tiger (P), better known as Ferdinand. 90 turrets were converted by Wegmann for installation on the Pz.Kpfw.VI H (from December 1942 designated as Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E). Just since November, Henschel increased the pace of production of its tanks, delivering 17 vehicles, and in December 38 were already built.

Yes, there was unscrupulous competition. But, in the end, there was a war going on, and the German leadership had to decide which of two similar tanks would remain in the series.

One Pz.Kpfw.VI(P) still managed to get to the front. We are talking about Pz.Bef.Wg.VI (P), the last vehicle built. It took part in tests in November 1942, and then the tank ended up at the Kummersdorf training ground. In 1943, the car was also used in various tests. At the beginning of 1944, the tank returned to Nibelungenwerk, where it was rebuilt. Instead of the Typ 101 engines, two Maybach HL 120TRM engines were installed, and the thickness of the front hull sheet was increased to 200 mm. Similar metamorphoses were carried out with Ferdinand self-propelled guns, which were then renamed Elefant. As the combat weight of the Pz.Bef.Wg.VI (P) increased, the tank received 640 mm wide tracks, the same as on the Ferdinand/Elefant. The car was covered with Zimmerit.

Pz.Bef.Wg.VI (P), the only tank of Ferdinand Porsche that actually fought

The command tank, converted in this way, was sent to the front in April 1944. There he ended up as part of the 653rd tank destroyer battalion. The vehicle ended up in the company of “close relatives” - the battalion was armed with Elefant tank destroyers. In the same unit there were three more vehicles based on the Pz.Kpfw.VI(P) - the Bergepanzer VI ARV. The fate of all these cars turned out to be approximately the same. On July 13, the Lviv-Sandomierz operation began. No details of the first and at the same time the last case of combat use of Pz.Bef.Wg.VI (P) have been preserved. One can only say that the tank was crushed by the roller of the Soviet offensive: as early as July 18, it was listed as part of the battalion, and on July 22, it, like the two Bergepanzer VIs, was no longer there.

New tracks and reinforced armor on the front of the hull are clearly visible

The real story of the Tiger, developed by Ferdinand Porsche, is slightly different from what some historians tell. There was no complex constantly breaking down electric transmission, no production of 100 chassis before the decision was made to discontinue production of the tank, no clear victory over the Henschel Tiger competitor. But there was haste and dirty competition.

After the war, there was no 6th Department, no Armaments Department, no Hitler, no Third Reich. But a significant part of German companies remains. When work began on creating a 30-ton class tank known as the Standardpanzer in the second half of the 50s, the Group A vehicle won the competition. The main developer of its chassis was Porsche, and the turret was created by Wegmann. In 1965 the tank was accepted into service as the Leopard. More than two decades earlier, the first tank Porsche K.G bore the same name.

Sources and literature:

1. Materials BAMA (Bundesarchiv)
2. NARA Materials
3. Materials VHU Prahan (Vojenský historický archive)
4. Archive of Yuri Tintera (Jiri Tintera)
5. Panzerkampfwagen VI P (Sd.Kfz.181): The history of the Porsche Typ 100 and 101 also known as the Leopard and Tiger (P), Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle, 1997, Darlington Productions, Inc, 1– 892848–03–1
6. Panzer Tracts No. 6 - Schwere-Panzerkampfwagen D.W to E-100, Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle, Panzer Tracts, 2001, ISBN 0–9708407–1–3
7. Germany's Tiger tanks, D.W. to Tiger I: design, production & modifications, Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle, Schiffer Publishing, 2000, ISBN 0–7643–1038–0
8. Der Panzer-Kampfwagen Tiger und seine Abarten, Walter J. Spielberger Motorbuch verlag, 1987, ISBN 3–87943–456–5
9. Professor Porsche's Wars: The Secret Life of Legendary Engineer Ferdinand Porsche Who Armed Two Belligerents Through Four Decades, Karl Ludvigsen, Pen and Sword, 2015, ISBN 978–1783030194