TS031 GERMAN HEAVY TANK SD.KFZ.182 KING TIGER (HENSCHEL TURRET)

PzKpfw VI Ausf. B Tiger II or colloquially Konigstiger (Polish royal tiger) was a German heavy tank from World War II. The first prototypes of the vehicle were built in 1943, and serial production continued in 1944-1945, ending with the production of 487 vehicles. The Tiger II was powered by a single Maybach HL 230 P30 engine producing 700hp. It was armed with 1 88mm PaK 43 L / 71 gun and 2 7.92mm MG34 machine guns. PzKpfw VI Ausf. The B Tiger II was created in connection with the commission by Albert Speer in January 1943 of the Henschel and Porsche plants to design a new heavy tank for the German armed forces. The first prototypes were ready by October this year, and a car designed by the Henschel company entered mass production, with 50 units of the new tank having a tower designed by Porsche (the so-called Porsche tower). The royal tiger had a great anti-tank gun, capable of destroying any armored vehicle of the Red Army or Allies at the time at a distance of 1500-2000 m. It was also very well armored, and its armor was carefully contoured. In fact, the new German tank was unattainable for most enemy vehicles at distances above 1000-1200 m. Undoubtedly, the Tiger II had numerous disadvantages: first of all, the engine was definitely too weak, which was the same as the 11 tons lighter Tiger I. The gearbox was also damaged. and the entire driveline system, which was extremely failing and prone to failure. The Tiger II was also incredibly time-consuming and expensive to produce, which, taking into account the difficult situation of Germany on the fronts in the period 1944-1945, was also a big minus. The Royal Tiger underwent its baptism of fire during the Normandy operation in the summer of 1944 as part of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion and 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion. Later, units equipped with these tanks also fought on the Eastern Front in 1944-1945, and perhaps the largest number of Tiger II tanks in one operation was used in the offensive in the Ardennes at the turn of 1944-1945.