The VK 4503(H) Henschel design was completed in October
1943, somewhat later than anticipated as a decision was taken to incorporate
components of the projected Panther II tank.
Production of the Tiger II, or Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger II
Ausf B (SdKfz 182) to give its correct designation, got under way at Kassel in
December 1943 alongside the Tiger, the first 50 production vehicles being
completed with the Porsche turret. All subsequent tanks had the Henschel
turret, and a total of 489 vehicles was built.
The Tiger II first saw action on the Eastern Front in May
1944 and on the Western Front in Normandy in August of the same year, the
Western Allies calling it the Royal Tiger or King Tiger while the Germans
called it the Königstiger (King Tiger).
In many respects the Tiger II was similar in layout to the
Panther tank, and was powered by the same engine as later production Panthers,
resulting in a much lower power-to-weight ratio, and the tank was therefore
much slower and less mobile than the Panther. While its armour gave almost
complete protection against all of the guns fitted to Allied tanks, the Tiger
II was unreliable and its bulk made it difficult to move about the battlefield
and to conceal. Many were abandoned or destroyed by their crews when they ran
out of fuel and no additional supplies were to hand.
The hull of the Tiger II was of allwelded construction with
a maximum thickness of 150 mm (5.9 in) in the front of the hull. The driver was
seated at the front on the left, with the bow machinegunner/ radio operator to
his right. The turret was of welded construction with a maximum thickness of
100mm (3.9 in) at the front, and accommodated the commander and gunner on the left
with the loader on the right. The engine was at the hull rear. Main armament
comprised a long-barrelled 88- mm (3.46-in) KwK 43 gun that could fire
armour-piercing and HE ammunition, the former having a much higher muzzle
velocity than the equivalent round fired by the Tiger. A 7.92-mm (0.31-in) MG
34 was mounted co-axial with the main armament, and another weapon was mounted
in the hull front. Totals of 84 rounds of 88-mm (3.46-in) and 5,850 rounds of
7.92-mm (0.31-in) machinegun ammunition were carried.
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