Forces of Valor FOV801068C German Initial Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank - "323", schwere Panzerabteilung 503, Eastern Front, Early 1943 [Bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 Engine] (1:32 Scale)
"The peril of the hour moved the British to tremendous exertions, just as always in a moment of extreme danger things can be done which had previously been thought impossible. Mortal danger is an effective antidote for fixed ideas."
- Generalfeldmarschal Erwin Rommel
The German Waffenamt issued an order to design the VK4501(H) (as the PzKpfw VI Ausf. E was then known) in May 1941, just one month prior to the commencement of Operation Barbarossa. Interestingly, Henschel und Sohn of Kassel was charged with building the heavily armored chassis while Krupp, by far the largest munitionwerks in Germany, was given the task of developing the turret. The PzKpfw VI Ausfuhrung E (type E) was one of the first German tanks to feature a torsion bar with eight interleaved wheels, which was designed to support the weight of the mammoth 57-ton tank. The Ausf. E mounted a huge 8.8cm KwK36 L/56 cannon and featured two MG34 machine guns for close support against enemy infantry. By war's end, 1,354 vehicles had been produced, some rolling off the Wegmann assembly line.
Pictured here is a 1:32 scale replica of an initial production German Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E heavy tank that was attached to schwere Panzerabteilung 503, then deployed to the Eastern Front during early 1943. Comes with bonus Maybach HL 210 TRM P45 engine.
Pre-order! Price and ship date to be determined.
Dimensions:
Length: 10-1/4-inches
Width: 4-1/2-inches
Release Date: ?
Historical Account: "Heavy Lifting" - Formed in late 1942, schwere Panzerabteilung 503 fought until the bitter end on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. It saw action in the attempted relief of Stalingrad, the tremendous tank engagements at Kursk, and the savage fighting to relieve German units encircled at the Tscherkassy Pocket. It was then employed at Normandy in 1944, finishing the war in the final, desperate fighting in Hungary and Austria in an effort to buy time for other German units to escape to the west. This independent heavy tank battalion was issued with both the Tiger I and the King Tiger heavy tanks, the latter equipped with both the Henschel and Porsche turrets.
Length: 10-1/4-inches Width: 4-1/2-inches
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