PzKpfw VI Tiger on the Eastern Front

The diorama with a plastic model of the Tiger tank was inspired by a photograph depicting a scene from the Eastern Front of World War II. The photo was taken in 1944. It appeared in the "Tiger in action" book published by Militaria in 2006.

The tank model was built in a 1:35 scale from the Dragon set. The model was enriched with photo-etched parts from Aber and resin parts.

The German PzKpfw VI Tiger heavy tank was being produced in 1942-1944. Later, it was replaced by the Tiger II, the so-called "Bengal Tiger", "Royal Tiger" or "King Tiger".

The main armament of the PzKpfw VI Tiger was the Flak 36 caliber 88 mm (3½ in) anti-aircraft gun, also used as an anti-tank gun. So armed and armored, the Tiger tank was the only one of the then German tanks that could engage in combat with the Soviet T-34 tanks.

One of the two variants of the V-type 12-cylinder gasoline engines was being installed in the Tigers. The first 250 units had engines with a capacity of 21.35 liters (1303 in³) and an output of 478 kW (650 hp), and the following tanks had engines with a capacity of 23.1 liters (1410 in³) and a power of 515 kW (700 hp). A total of 1,355 PzKpfw VI Tiger were produced.

The first combat use of these tanks took place at the turn of August and September 1942 in the Battle of Leningrad.

The model on the diorama represents a tank from the early production series.

Specifications:

• Length: 6,32 m (20¾ ft),
• Length with barrel: 8,45 m (27¾ ft),
• Width: 3,71 m (12 ft 2 in),
• Height: 2,93 m (9 ft 7⅓ in),
• Ground clearance: 0,43 m (1⅖ ft),
• Mass: 56 t (UK 55.1 t, USA 61.73 t),
• Maximum speed: 38 km/h (23.6 mph),
• Range on the road: 100 km (62.14 mi),
• Fuel capacity: 535 l (141.3 gal),
• Armour: 25-120 mm (1-4¾ in),
• Crew: 5.

Sources:

• https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzerkampfwagen_VI_Tiger

23 Mar 2020