使用者:Y4t7sds12/test6
Development
Development of a heavy tank design had been initiated in 1937; the initial design contract was awarded to Henschel. Another contract followed in 1939, and was given to Porsche.[1] Both prototype series used the same turret design from Krupp; the main differences were in the hull, transmission, suspension and automotive features.[1]
The Henschel version used a conventional hull design with sloped armor resembling the layout of the Panther tank. It had a rear mounted engine and used nine steel-tired overlapping road wheels with internal springing per side, mounted on transverse torsion bars, in a similar manner to the original Tiger. To simplify maintenance, however, the wheels were overlapping rather than interleaved as in the Tiger I.[2]
The Porsche hull designs included a rear-mounted turret and a mid-mounted engine. The suspension was the same as on the Jagdpanzer Elefant. This had six road wheels per side mounted in paired bogies sprung with short longitudinal torsion bars that were integral to the wheel pair; this saved internal space and facilitated repairs. One Porsche version had a gasoline-electric hybrid power system; two separate drive trains in series, one per side of the tank, each consisting of a hybrid drive train; gasoline engine – electric generator – electric motor – drive sprocket. This method of propulsion had been attempted before on the Tiger (P) (later Elefant prototypes) and in some U.S. designs, but had never been put into production. The Porsche suspension were later used on a few of the later Jagdtiger tank hunters. Another proposal was to use hydraulic drives. Dr. Porsche's unorthodox designs gathered little favor.[3]
Design
![A tank turret with a front face which curves up and down. The sides are slanted vertically and curved laterally.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Munster_Koenigstiger_Porscheturm_Modell_detail.jpg/220px-Munster_Koenigstiger_Porscheturm_Modell_detail.jpg)
![A tank turret with an almost square, flat, vertical face, the sides are almost vertical, and curve laterally only slightly.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-680-8282A-09%2C_Budapest%2C_Panzersoldaten_in_Panzer_VI_%28Tiger_II%29.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-680-8282A-09%2C_Budapest%2C_Panzersoldaten_in_Panzer_VI_%28Tiger_II%29.jpg)
Henschel won the contract, and all Tiger IIs were produced by the firm.[4] Two turret designs were used in production vehicles. The initial design is sometimes misleadingly called the "Porsche" turret due to the belief that it was designed by Porsche for their prototype; in fact it was the initial Krupp design for both prototypes. This turret had a rounded front and steeply sloped sides, with a difficult-to-manufacture curved bulge on the turret's left side to accommodate the commander's cupola. Fifty early turrets were mounted to Henschel's hull and used in action. The more common "production" turret, sometimes called the "Henschel" turret, was simplified with a significantly thicker flat face, no shot trap (created by the curved face of the initial-type turret), less-steeply sloped sides, and no bulge for the commander's cupola.[5]
The turrets were designed to mount the 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. Combined with the Turmzielfernrohr 9d (TZF 9d—turret telescopic sight) monocular sight (which all but a few early Tiger II's used), it was a very accurate and deadly weapon. During practice, the estimated probability of a first round hit on a 2米(6英尺7英寸) high, 2.5米(8英尺2英寸) wide target only dropped below 100 percent beyond 1,000米(0.62 mi), to 95–97 percent at 1,500公尺(0.93英里) and 85–87 percent at 2,000米(1.2 mi), depending on ammunition type. Recorded combat performance was lower, but still over 80 percent at 1,000 m, in the 60s at 1,500 m and the 40s at 2,000 m. Penetration of armored plate inclined at 30 degrees was 202、132 mm(8.0、5.2英寸) at 100、2,000米(0.062、1.243 mi) respectively for the Panzergranate 39/43 projectile (PzGr—armor-piercing shot and shell), and 238、153 mm(9.4、6.0英寸) for the PzGr. 40/44 projectile between the same ranges. The Sprenggranate 43 (SpGr) high-explosive round was available for soft targets, or the Hohlgranate or Hohlgeschoss 39 (HlGr—HEAT or High explosive anti-tank warhead) round, which had 90 mm(3.5英寸) penetration at any range, could be used as a dual-purpose munition versus soft or armored targets.[6]
High speed turret traverse was provided by a hydraulic motor linked to the main engine; a full rotation could be achieved in nineteen seconds at engine idle, and inside ten seconds at the maximum allowable engine speed. Motor traverse was used to quickly get the target within the field of view of the gun sights, but fine adjustments of traverse and elevation were achieved with the gunner's hand wheels. If power was lost, the turret could be slowly traversed by hand, assisted by the loader who had an additional wheel.[7]
![The overhanging rear face of a large tank, two laterally spaced exhaust pipes protrude from mountings, pointing upwards, curving away from the vehicle at their ends.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Tiger_II_mg_7802.jpg/220px-Tiger_II_mg_7802.jpg)
Like all German tanks, it had a gasoline engine; in this case the same 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW) V-12 Maybach HL 230 P30 which powered the much lighter Panther and Tiger I tanks. The Tiger II was under-powered, like many other heavy tanks of World War II, and consumed a lot of fuel, which was in short supply for the Germans. The transmission was the Maybach OLVAR EG 40 12 16 Model B, giving eight forward gears and four reverse, which drove the steering gear. This was the Henschel L 801, a double radius design which proved susceptible to failure. Transverse torsion bar suspension supported the hull, and nine overlapped 800 mm(31英寸) diameter road wheels with rubber cushions and steel tyres rode inside the tracks on each side.[8]
Like the Tiger I, each tank was issued with two sets of tracks: a normal "battle track" and a narrower "transport" version used during rail transport. The transport tracks reduced the overall width of the load and could be used to drive the tank short distances on firm ground. The crew were expected to change to normal battle tracks as soon as the tank was unloaded. Ground pressure was 0.76 kg/cm2 (10.8 psi).[9]
Panzerbefehlswagen variants
Two command versions of the Tiger II, Panzerbefehlswagen (Pz.Bef.Wg. Tiger Ausf. B) were planned to be manufactured. These carried only 63 rounds of 8.8 cm ammunition to provide room to accommodate the extra radios and equipment.[10] The Sd.Kfz. 267 was to have used FuG 8 and FuG 5 radio sets, with the most notable external changes being a 2 metre long rod antenna mounted on the turret roof and a Sternantenna D ("Star antenna D"), mounted on an insulated base (the 104mm Antennenfuss Nr. 1) which was protected by a large armoured cylinder. This equipment was located on the rear decking in a position originally used for deep-wading equipment.[10] The Sd.Kfz. 268 used FuG 7 and FuG 5 radios with a 2 metre rod antenna mounted on the turret roof and a 1.4 metre rod antenna mounted on the rear deck.[11]
Production
The Tiger II was developed late in the war and made in relatively small numbers - 1,500 Tiger IIs were ordered, but the production was severely disrupted by Allied bombing.[12] Among others, five raids between 22 September and 7 October 1944 destroyed 95 percent of the floor area of the Henschel plant. It is estimated that this caused the loss in production of some 657 Tiger IIs.[13] Only 492 units were produced: 1 in 1943, 379 in 1944, and 112 in 1945. Full production ran from mid-1944 to the end of the war.[14]
The Tiger II served as a basis for one production variant, the Jagdtiger,[15] and a proposed Grille 17/21/30/42 self-propelled mount for heavy guns that never reached production.[16]
Proposed upgrades
A version of the Maybach HL230 engine with fuel injection and uprated drive train was designed that would have increased the power to about 1,000 PS (986 hp, 736 kW). Henschel proposed using it for future production and retrofitting existing Tiger IIs, but the deteriorating situation meant the upgrade never left the drawing board.[17] Other suggested improvements included a new main weapon (10.5 cm KwK L/68), stabilized sights, stabilized main gun, automatic ammunition feed, a Zeiss stereoscopic range finder, heated crew compartment, stowage for an additional 12 rounds, and an anti-poison gas overpressure and air filtration system, but these either never got beyond the proposal stage or did not enter production before the war ended.[17]
Specifications
- Gearbox: Maybach OLVAR EG 40 12 16 B (8 forward and 4 reverse)[8]
- Radio: FuG 5, Befehlswagen (command tank) version: FuG 8 (Sd. Kfz. 267), FuG 7 (Sd. Kfz. 268)[10]
- Ammunition:
- Gun Sight: Turmzielfernrohr 9b/1 (TZF 9b/1) binocular to May 1944, then the 9d (TZF 9d) monocular.[21]
Hull front | (lower) | 100 mm(3.9英寸) at 40° | (upper) | 150 mm(5.9英寸) at 40° | |
Hull side | (lower) | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 90° | (upper) | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 65° | |
Hull rear | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 60° | ||||
Hull top | 40 mm(1.6英寸) at 90° | ||||
Hull bottom | (front) | 40 mm(1.6英寸) at 90° | (rear) | 25 mm(0.98英寸) at 90° | |
Turret front | (production) | 180 mm(7.1英寸) at 80° | ("Porsche") | 60至110 mm(2.4至4.3英寸), rounded | |
Turret side | (production) | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 69° | ("Porsche") | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 60° | |
Turret rear | (production) | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 70° | ("Porsche") | 80 mm(3.1英寸) at 60° | |
Turret top | (production) | 44 mm(1.7英寸) at 0–10° | ("Porsche") | 40 mm(1.6英寸) at 0–12° | |
Operational history
Gun and armor performance
The heavy armor and powerful long-range gun gave the Tiger II an advantage against all opposing Western Allied and Soviet tanks attempting to engage it from head on. This was especially true on the Western Front, where neither the British nor U.S. forces had brought heavy tanks into service. Only the British 17 pdr anti-tank gun using APDS shot was theoretically capable of penetrating the front of the Tiger II's turret and nose (lower front hull) at 1,100、1,200 yd(1,000、1,100米) respectively.[23] Flanking maneuvers were used against the Tiger II to attempt a shot at the thinner side and rear armor, giving a tactical advantage to the Tiger II in most engagements.[24] Moreover, the main armament of the Tiger II was capable of knocking out any Allied tank frontally at ranges exceeding 2.5公里(1.6英里), beyond the effective range of Allied tank guns.[25]
Soviet wartime testing
During August 1944, a number of Tiger II tanks were captured by the Soviets near Sandomierz and were soon moved to their testing grounds at Kubinka. The Soviet team gave the opinion that the tests revealed the tanks to be severely defective; the transmission and suspension broke down very frequently and the engine was prone to overheating and consequential failure. Additionally, the Soviets opinion was of deficiencies in the armor after firing many anti-tank rounds at the same target. Not only did they report that the metal was of shoddy quality (a problem not particular to the Tiger II—as the war progressed, the Germans found it harder and harder to obtain the alloys needed for high-quality steel), but the welding was also, despite "careful workmanship", extremely poor. As a result, even when shells did not penetrate the armor, there was a large amount of spalling, and the armor plating cracked at the welds when struck by multiple heavy shells, rendering the tank inoperable.[26][27]
Reliability and mobility
![A three quarters view of a large tank with a flat-faced turret, dull yellow, green and brown wavy camouflage, on display inside a museum. The frontal armor is sloped. The long gun overhangs the bow by several meters. Two waist-high cartridges sit on their bases infront of it.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/SdKfz182.jpg/220px-SdKfz182.jpg)
There were two main mechanical reasons for the initial unreliability of the Tiger II, leaking seals and gaskets, and the overburdened drivetrain which was originally intended for a lighter vehicle.[28] The double radius steering gear was particularly prone to failure.[29] Lack of crew training could amplify this problem; drivers originally given only limited training on other tanks were often sent directly to operational units already on their way to the front.[28]
The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion arrived on the Eastern Front with only 8 out of 45 tanks operational, mostly with drivetrain failures. The first five Tiger II's delivered to the Panzer-Lehr-Division broke down and were destroyed to prevent capture, without seeing combat.[30]
Reliability was improved over time with the continuous introduction of modified seals, gaskets and drive train components, driver training, and sufficient maintenance. Statistics from 15 March 1945 compare the availability of Tiger IIs with respect to other tanks: 62 percent of Panzer IVs, 59 percent of Tiger IIs and 48 percent of Panthers were operational by this period of the war.[31]
Overall, the Tiger II was a formidable tank in spite of its problems. Its 88 mm armament could destroy most Allied armor far outside their effective ranges.[25] Also, notwithstanding its reliability problems, the Tiger II was remarkably agile for such a heavy vehicle. Contemporary German records indicate that its mobility was as good as or better than most German or Allied tanks.[32]
Organization
Apart from research, training, and a five tank attachment to the Panzer Lehr, Tiger II's were only issued to heavy tank battalions (schwere Panzer Abteilung) of the German Army (Heer), or Waffen-SS.[23]
![A row of seven large tanks lined up with their long guns pointing up at an angle, as if saluting.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1975-102-14A%2C_Panzer_VI_%28Tiger_II%2C_K%C3%B6nigstiger%29.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1975-102-14A%2C_Panzer_VI_%28Tiger_II%2C_K%C3%B6nigstiger%29.jpg)
A standard battalion (abteilung) comprised 45 tanks:[23]
Battalion command 3 x Tiger I | ||||||||
1st company command 2 x Tiger I |
2nd company command 2 x Tiger I |
3rd company command 2 x Tiger I | ||||||
1st platoon 4 x Tiger I |
2nd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
3rd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
1st platoon 4 x Tiger I |
2nd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
3rd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
1st platoon 4 x Tiger I |
2nd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
3rd platoon 4 x Tiger I |
Units which used the Tiger II were as follows:[33]
- Heer: (s.H.Pz.Abt) 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511
- SS: (s.SS.Pz.Abt) 501, 502, 503
Combat history
The first combat use of the Tiger II was by the 1st company of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion opposing Operation Atlantic between Troarn and Demouville on 18 July 1944; losses were two from combat, plus the company commander's tank which became irrecoverably trapped after falling into a bomb crater made during Operation Goodwood.[34]
On the Eastern Front, it was first used on 12 August 1944 by the 501st Heavy Tank Battalion resisting the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive. It attacked the Soviet bridgehead over the Vistula River near Baranów Sandomierski. On the road to Oględów, three Tiger IIs were destroyed in an ambush by a few T-34-85s.[35] Because these tanks suffered ammunition explosions which caused many crew fatalities, main gun rounds were no longer allowed to be stowed within the turret, reducing capacity to 68.[36] Up to fourteen Tiger IIs of the 501st were lost in the area between 12 and 13 August when confronted by the Soviet T-34-85 and IS-2 in inconvenient sandy terrain.[27]
![A large tank with sloped frontal armor and a flat faced turret, by a column of marching soldiers wearing overcoats and helmets, in a wide city street. A large building to the rear shows the scars of battle.](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-680-8283A-12A%2C_Budapest%2C_marschierende_Pfeilkreuzler_und_Panzer_VI.jpg/220px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-680-8283A-12A%2C_Budapest%2C_marschierende_Pfeilkreuzler_und_Panzer_VI.jpg)
On 15 October 1944 Tiger IIs of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion played a crucial role during Operation Panzerfaust, supporting Otto Skorzeny's troops in taking the Hungarian capital of Budapest, which ensured that the country remained with the Axis until the end of the war. The 503rd then took part in the Battle of Debrecen. The 503rd remained in the Hungarian theater of operations for 166 days, during which it accounted for at least 121 Soviet tanks, 244 anti-tank guns and artillery pieces, five aircraft and a train. This was at the loss of 25 Tiger IIs; ten were knocked out by Soviet troops and burned out, two were sent back to Vienna for a factory overhaul, while thirteen were blown up by their crews for various reasons, usually to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Kurt Knispel, the highest scoring tank ace of all time (162 enemy AFVs destroyed), also served with the 503rd, and was killed in action on 29 April 1945 in his Tiger II.[37]
The Tiger II was also present at the Ardennes Offensive of December 1944,[38] the Soviet Vistula–Oder[39] and East Prussian Offensives in January 1945,[40] the German Lake Balaton Offensive in Hungary in March 1945,[41] the Battle of the Seelow Heights in April 1945, and finally the Battle of Berlin at the end of the war.[42]
The 503rd SS Heavy Tank Battalion scored approximately 500 kills in the period from January to April 1945 on the Eastern Front for the loss of 45 King Tigers (most of which were abandoned and destroyed by their own crews after mechanical breakdowns or for lack of fuel).[43]
References
- ^ 1.0 1.1 Jentz & Doyle 1993, p. 3.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 10–12.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 8–10.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 17
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 13–16.
- ^ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 23–24
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 24
- ^ 8.0 8.1 Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 11–12.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 13.
- ^ 10.0 10.1 10.2 引用錯誤:沒有為名為
J&D16
的參考文獻提供內容 - ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 16-17.
- ^ Manchester 1968, p. 498.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 17.
- ^ Jentz 1996, p. 288.
- ^ 引用錯誤:沒有為名為
Schneider19
的參考文獻提供內容 - ^ Parada, George. Grille series. Achtung Panzer!. [20 October 2009].
- ^ 17.0 17.1 Jentz and Doyle 1997, pp. 144–154
- ^ 18.0 18.1 引用錯誤:沒有為名為
J&D23
的參考文獻提供內容 - ^ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 引用錯誤:沒有為名為
J&D28
的參考文獻提供內容 - ^ 引用錯誤:沒有為名為
J&D1997.162-165
的參考文獻提供內容 - ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 19.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 12, 15.
- ^ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 36. 引用錯誤:帶有name屬性「J&D36」的
<ref>
標籤用不同內容定義了多次 - ^ Jarymowycz 2001, p. 274.
- ^ 25.0 25.1 Jarymowycz 2001, p. 258.
- ^ Was the Tiger really "King?": Testing the King Tiger at Kubinka. The Russian Battlefield. [20 October 2009].
- ^ 27.0 27.1 Pyatakhin, Dmitry; Parada, George. Tiger-Tamers: Battle for Sandomierz Bulge - August of 1944. Achtung Panzer!. [29 October 2009].
- ^ 28.0 28.1 Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 34
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 11
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 35.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 18, 33–36.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 33–34.
- ^ Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 37–42.
- ^ Schneider 2000, p. 133.
- ^ Zaloga 1994, p. 14.
- ^ Schneider 2000, p. 46.
- ^ Számvéber, 2000. p. 147.
- ^ Schneider 2005, pp. 214–216.
- ^ Schneider 2000, p. 47.
- ^ Schneider 2000, pp. 89–91.
- ^ Schneider 2005, p. 217.
- ^ Schneider 2005, pp. 300–303.
- ^ Schneider 2005, pp. 304, 324.
- Notes
Bibliography
- Buckley, John. British Armour in the Normandy Campaign, 1944. London: F. Cass. 2004. ISBN 9780714653235.
- Jarymowycz, Roman. Tank Tactics: from Normandy to Lorraine. Boulder: L. Rienner Publishers. 2001. ISBN 9781555879501.
- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary. Germany's Tiger Tanks - Vk45 to Tiger II: Design, Production & Modifications. West Chester: Schiffer Publishing. 1997. ISBN 9780764302244.
- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary. Kingtiger Heavy Tank, 1942-45. London: Osprey. 1993. ISBN 1-85532-282-X.
- Jentz, Thomas. Panzertruppen 2: The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945. Schiffer. 1996. ISBN 9780764300806.
- Manchester, William. The Arms of Krupp, 1587-1968: The Rise and Fall of the Industrial Dynasty That Armed Germany at War. Boston: Back Bay Books. 2003. ISBN 9780316529402.
- Perrett, Bryan. Sturmartillerie and Panzerjager 1939-45. London: Osprey. 2000. ISBN 9781841760049.
- Schneider, Wolfgang. Elefant Jagdtiger Sturmtiger: Rarities of the Tiger Family. West Chester: Schiffer Publishing. 1990. ISBN 9780887402395.
- Schneider, Wolfgang. Tigers in Combat I. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books. 2000. ISBN 9780811731713.
- Schneider, Wolfgang. Tigers in Combat II. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books. 2005. ISBN 9780811732031.
- Számvéber, Norbert. Nehézpáncélosok. A német 503. nehézpáncélos-osztály magyarországi harcai.. Hadtörténeti Levéltár. 2000. ISBN 9630025264 (Hungarian).
- Wilbeck, Christopher. Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II. The Aberjona Press. 2004. ISBN 9780971765023.
- Zaloga, Steve. IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-1973. London: Osprey Publishing (UK). 1994. ISBN 9781855323964.
External links
- Information about the Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.B "Tiger II" at Panzerworld
- Tiger II Ausf. B at Achtung Panzer!
- AFV Database
- La Gleize Museum's Tiger II
- Tiger survivors — Photos of surviving Tiger tanks (Tiger I, Kingtiger, Jagdtiger and Sturmtiger)
- Pantiger, A Redesigned Tiger (U.S. intelligence report, 1944)
- Saumur Musée des Blindés picture gallery, Tiger II at the bottom
- Tigers in the Ardennes Retrieved: 4 March 2010 - Photos and details of operational and captured Tiger IIs
|