Forces of Valor FOV801061C German Late Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E Heavy Tank - "1", schwere Panzerabteilung 506, Eastern Front, Spring 1944 [Bonus Maybach HL 230 TRM P45 Engine] (1:32 Scale)
"The gun and armor of the Tiger were superb, making it in many ways the most formidable tank in service. Even so, it was poor in maneuver, it was slow, and its turret was a slow traverser in action. It was a tank which was, at its best, immobile in ambush, when its killing power was very frightening."
- Douglas Orgill, "German Armor"
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 a late production German Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E heavy tank that was attached to schwere Panzerabteilung 506, then deployed to the Eastern Front during the spring of 1944. Comes with bonus Maybach HL 230 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: "Tiger Terror" - The 506th Heavy Panzer Battalion (German: schwere Panzerabteilung 506; abbreviated: "s.Pz.Abt. 506") was a german heavy Panzer Abteilung (independent battalion-sized unit) equipped with Tiger I tanks until July 28th, 1944. During the period from August 20th to September 12th, 1944, it was re-equipped with a full complement of 45 Tiger Ausf. B tanks. Some of the first Tiger IIs delivered to the 506th were examples fitted with the early production turret. The battalion saw action on the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.
As with other German heavy tank battalions, it was attached as needed to larger formations. The 506th was unique in being the only Tiger battalion to include a fourth company. Schwere Panzerkompanie Hummel, equipped with Tiger I tanks, was consolidated with the 506th in 1944. It was also unique in that it regularly received new vehicles and replacements from other units to maintain a full complement. Serving until the collapse of the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945, it performed well overall, particularly when employed in scenarios where the tactical advantages of the Tigers could be maximized.