During the Second World War, there were many manufacturers who came up with different designs of armour tanks. The Tiger series is one of the most famous armour tanks, and without a doubt, Tiger 1 is the best. Tiger 1 is a German armour tank with many facilities and features that helped in World War II. Here is how it all goes…
The creation history of Tiger 1 German armour tank!
The factory of Hanschel und Sohn in Kessel was the first home of Tiger 1. That was the factory that created the production of Tiger 1 in 1942. They initially started manufacturing 25 tanks a month, and by April 1944, they produced 104 tanks a month. By August 1944, there were 1,355 armour tanks manufactured. Afterwards, Tiger 1 was deployed to war zones, and by 1st July 1944, they peaked up to 671. Compared to other German Armor tanks of this time, it took almost twice as much time to build a Tiger 1. Tiger 1’s production phased out when its succeeding generation was in place, which is Tiger 2.
Japan bought many German armour tank designs for a study in 1943. They had apparently bought one piece of Tiger one and two pieces of Panzer 3. The intention of this was to compare Tiger tank Vs Panzer.
When it comes to performance and facilities, Tiger tanks went under numerous modifications. These modifications included improving performance and automotive firepower and protection. Later, the exterior design was more simplified because there was a shortage of raw materials. There were about six modifications done in 1942 when the production started.
Why is Tiger 1 the most famous armour tank of the Second World War?
Tiger 1 was famous for many reasons. Its humongous size, powerful gun, and excellent armour made it one of the best tanks of its time. In 1942, when it first appeared, it caused fear in front of similar tank crews. The front armour was 100mm thick which made it a fearful armour compared to other guns. A shot from the 88mm gun could range the 100mm armour up to a thousand meters. Tiger 1 had its own problems because it caught fire quickly.
The armoured tank first went into play on the Eastern Front against the war with Russia. Afterwards, it went into the battlefields of North Africa and significant European borders. No history has made a mark with armies and weapons as Germany’s. But only history would know how effective these weapons were.
Reasons why WWII Beast tank Tiger 1 German Armor was feared and revered
During the Second World War, Tiger 1 became one of the most prominent armour tanks. In fact, it was, in the entirety of the armour tank history. Today if we look at it, we might question the effectiveness of certain tanks. But as military history denotes, Tiger 1 was the more revered tank of all. While other tanks were paired with different battalions, Tiger tanks were mainly assigned to heavy tank battalions of forty-five tanks independently. If you count the combat power vs how many units were destroyed, Tiger tanks killed approximately 11.5 tanks for every lost Tiger.
Another compelling feature of the Tiger 1 was how much of a threat it was for its counterparts. The allied tanks looked upon Tiger tanks quite seriously. They monitored and tracked their movements devotedly. During the Second World War, Tiger tanks could penetrate through almost any armour on the battlefield. There wasn’t an allied tank that Tiger could not penetrate. Hence, the British and the USA military forces teamed together to increase their weaponry and air force to decrease their chances of getting defeated by Tiger tanks.
With all said and done, there was a significant problem with Tiger tanks. It was super expensive. When it comes to money and the resources to build it, it costs a lot.
How many tiger tanks were built? – It was constrained because of the high price
When the production of Tiger tanks started, it appeared that it cost Germany hundreds of thousands of dollars to build one. Therefore, there were only 1,347 Tiger 1 tanks were made, after which the factory produced 490 pieces of Tiger 2. When the Second World War seemed never to end at that time, Germany had less and less money and resources. That is why it was prudent to make the most of their war production. For the cost of one Tiger tank, Germans could build many other tanks and tank destroyers. History has let us know that a single Tiger tank utilized enough steel and raw material to produce 21 105mm howitzers.
King Tiger Tank – All you need to know
In 1941, it cost Germans approximately $100,000 to buy one Tiger tank. With inflation of the currency, if you buy a Tiger 1 today, it would have cost you roughly $1,282,000. You can buy a Tiger tank for sale on many online platforms that sell identical models. Today, the Swiss Museum has restored eight King Tiger tanks. Those who have made massive donations in repairing and renovating them can have a ride on these 700 horsepower V12 machines in the field.
Tiger 1 vs Tiger 2 – How were they different?
Tiger 2 was larger and heavier than Tiger 1. It also had an informal name Königstiger which means ‘Bengal Tiger’ in German. It was verbally translated as the King Tiger and Royal Tiger by soldiers. Tiger 2 is the heaviest tank mass-production in history. Its 8.8cm KwK 43 was able to destroy almost any tank on the battlefield. Tiger 2 could also kill any armour gun apart from hollow charge weapons. Tiger 2 was developed soon after they stopped producing Tiger 1.
Therefore, Tiger 2 production was done in haste, and because of that, there were mechanical problems in Tiger 2. Even though it was named after Tiger 1, its innovations and production strategies were a combination of Tiger and Panther. Out of most of the Second World War tanks such as the Sherman Tank, Panzers, and Panther, the Tiger tanks ranked one of the top places. Today we have a massive online multiplayer game called World of Tanks, taken from the tanks in WWII.
Design and features of tiger 1 German Armor tank
Tiger 1 had a distinct design and a set of features that made it one of the best tanks during WWII. Here is how the scenario goes for Tiger tanks.
Armored Corps and turret
Tiger 1 had a front armour that was 100mm thick. The frontal turret armour was 100mm x 120mm thick with a gun mantlet. The Tiger 1 has hull side plates that were 60mm thick with a superstructure of 80mm. The side and rear turrets were 80mm thick. The turret roof was modified and thickened up to 40mm in 1944. The top and bottom armours were 22mm each. The armour plates were interlocking flat constructed ones. It increased the firing effectiveness. The armour was made of maraging steel welded, which ensured the high quality of the tank.
The Armament of Tiger 1
Tiger 1 had primary and secondary armaments. The main armament was 1 x 8.8cm KwK 36L/ 56. It also had 92 AP and HE rounds. The secondary armament was 2 x 7.92mm MG 34 with 4,500 rounds and 4,800 rounds (Ausf. E)
Tiger 1 engine and transmission
The back of the tank held the engine compartment. It has two rear compartments to keep the fuel tank and radiator. They had not developed a diesel engine at the time and hence used a gasoline powerplant (petrol powerplant). The original engine was a 120cylinder Maybach HL 210 P45. It was a 21.35-litre engine with a developing 485 kW at 3,000 RPM. Even though it has a decent engine, it was not powered enough for the vehicle. Once they had produced the first 250 tanks, they upgraded the engine to HL 230 P45 with a 23.095-litre engine. The upgraded engine had a 521 kW at 3,000 RPM. The primary difference between the engines was the first one used an aluminium engine block while the second used a cast-iron engine block.
The cast-iron engine block was able to hold larger cylinders, thus ensuring more significant displacement. Therefore, the upgrade had a more powerful output.
The chassis set up of Tiger 1
When it was time to design the chassis, Porsche and Henschel presented prototype designs. They both used the Krupp-designed turret. They demonstrated their designs in front of Hitler at Rastenburg. The performance and structure of Henschel were given a chance the designing Tiger 1. The Porsche design required large amounts of copper, and they had a limited supply of it.
Modifications that were done on Tiger 1
Tiger 1 went under numerous modifications from the design to the engine to the armour. Since its production started in 1942, the producers took Tiger 1 through many modifications to improve its automotive performance. With the intention to increase its firepower and protection, it underwent six alterations in 1942. With time, the design became more simplified because there was a shortage of materials as the war extended.
Modifications started in 1942, with the riddance of the Vorpanzer, which was the frontal armour shield. By May 1942, the mudguards were added to the sides. By September of the same year, they incorporated removable mudguards. In August, Tiger 1 was installed with three smoke discharge canisters on each side of the turret. Likewise, there were many alterations and modifications done to Tiger 1 in the following years.
Service History of Tiger 1
The recorded service history of Tiger 1 was from 1942 to 1945 during Second World War.
Final thoughts: Tiger 1 German armour tank was the most revered armour tank of its time.
Tiger 1 was a legend of its time. When Tiger 1 was on the battlefield, the allied tanks took it very seriously. Its features and performance were feared by allied tanks. Other forces accompanied air and increase weaponry to fight Tiger 1. But due to its high cost on production and price, its production was seized in 1944. It then came to the battlefield as Tiger 2, a heavier tank than Tiger 1. But Tiger 2 was built in a short time and hence faced many mechanical problems.
Today we have Tiger tank models for sale on many online stores such as eBay, Amazon, and local platforms. However, there are eight King Tiger Tanks that are recovered, and you can visit them today and the Swiss Museum. With all the allied tanks of the time, Tiger 1 stood a great chance as a massive destroyer on the battlefield.
