Technique that participated in World War II on both sides of the front is sometimes more recognizable and "canonical" than even its participants. A vivid confirmation of this is our PPSh submachine gun and German Tiger tanks. Their “popularity” on the Eastern Front was such that our soldiers saw the T-6 in almost every second tank of the enemy.
How did it all start?
By 1942, the German headquarters finally realized that the "blitzkrieg" did not work, but the trend of positional delay is clearly visible. In addition, Russian T-34 tanks made it possible to effectively deal with German units equipped with T-3 and T-4. Knowing full well what a tank attack is and what its role in the war is, the Germans decided to develop a completely new heavy tank.
In fairness, we note that the work on the project has been going on since 1937, butonly in the 1940s did the demands of the military take on a more concrete shape. Employees of two companies at once worked on the project of a heavy tank: Henschel and Porsche. Ferdinand Porsche was Hitler's favorite, and therefore made one unfortunate mistake, in a hurry … However, we'll talk about that later.
First prototypes
Already in 1941, Wehrmacht enterprises offered two prototypes "to the public": VK 3001 (H) and VK 3001 (P). But in May of the same year, the military proposed updated requirements for heavy tanks, as a result of which the projects had to be seriously revised.
It was then that the first documents appeared on the product VK 4501, from which the German heavy tank "Tiger" traces its ancestry. Competitors were required to provide the first samples by May-June 1942. The number of works was disastrously large, since the Germans had to construct both platforms virtually from scratch. In the spring of 1942, both prototypes, equipped with Friedrich Krupp AG turrets, were brought to the Wolf's Lair in order to demonstrate the new technology to the Fuhrer on his birthday.
Competition Winner
It turned out that both machines have significant shortcomings. So, Porsche was so “carried away” by the idea of creating an “electric” tank that its prototype, being very heavy, could hardly turn 90 °. Not everything was going well for Henschel either: his tank, with great difficulty, was able to accelerate to the required 45 km / h, but at the same time his engine warmed up so that there was a real threat of fire. But still, it was this tank that won.
The reasons are simple: classic design and a lighter chassis. The Porsche tank, on the other hand, was so complex and required so much scarce copper for production that even Hitler was inclined to turn down his favorite engineer. The admissions committee agreed with him. It was the German tanks "Tiger" from the company "Henschel" that became the recognized "canon".
About haste and its consequences
It should be noted here that Porsche himself, even before the start of the tests, was so confident in his success that he ordered production to begin without waiting for the acceptance results. By the spring of 1942, exactly 90 finished chassis already stood in the workshops of the plant. After the failure in the tests, it was necessary to decide what to do with them. A solution was found - a powerful chassis was used to create the Ferdinand self-propelled guns.
This self-propelled gun has become no less famous than if you compare it with the T-6. The "forehead" of this monster did not break through almost anything, even direct fire and from a distance of only 400-500 meters. It is not surprising that the crews of the Soviet Fedya tanks were frankly afraid and respected. However, the infantry did not agree with them: the Ferdinand did not have a course machine gun, and therefore many of the 90 vehicles were destroyed by magnetic mines and anti-tank charges, “carefully” placed directly under the tracks.
Serial production and refinement
At the end of August of the same year, the tank went into production. Oddly enough, but in the same period, intensive testing of new technology continued. The sample shown to Hitler for the first time by that time had alreadywalk along the roads of the polygons 960 km. It turned out that on rough terrain the car could accelerate to 18 km / h, and the fuel was burned up to 430 liters per 100 km. So the German tank "Tiger", the characteristics of which are given in the article, because of its voracity caused a lot of problems for the supply services.
Production and design improvement went in a single bundle. Many external elements were changed, including spare parts boxes. At the same time, small mortars were placed along the perimeter of the tower, specially designed for smoke bombs and mines of the "S" type. The latter was intended to destroy enemy infantry and was very insidious: when fired from the barrel, it exploded at a low altitude, densely filling the space around the tank with small metal balls. In addition, separate NbK 39 smoke grenade launchers (caliber 90 mm) were provided specifically to disguise the vehicle on the battlefield.
Transport problems
It is important to note that the German Tiger tanks were the first vehicles in the history of tank building to be serially equipped with underwater driving equipment. This was due to the large mass of the T-6, which did not allow it to be transported over most bridges. But in practice, this equipment was practically not used.
Its quality was at its best, since during the tests the tank spent more than two hours in a deep pool without any problems (with the engine running), but the complexity of installation and the need for engineering preparation of the terrain madeuse of the system is unprofitable. The tankers themselves believed that the German heavy tank T-VI "Tiger" would simply get stuck in a more or less muddy bottom, so they tried not to risk using more "standard" methods of crossing rivers.
It is also interesting in that two types of tracks were developed for this machine at once: narrow 520 mm and wide 725 mm. The first were used to transport tanks on standard railway platforms and, if possible, to move on their own on paved roads. The second type of tracks was combat, it was used in all other cases. What was the device of the German tank "Tiger"?
Design Features
The very design of the new machine was classic, with a rear MTO. The entire front part was occupied by the department of management. It was there that the jobs of the driver and radio operator were located, who along the way performed the duties of a gunner, operating a course machine gun.
The middle part of the tank was given over to the fighting compartment. A tower with a cannon and a machine gun was installed on top, there were also jobs for the commander, gunner and loader. Also in the fighting compartment was placed the entire ammunition of the tank.
Armaments
The main weapon was a KwK 36 88mm cannon. It was developed on the basis of the infamous "akht-akht" anti-aircraft gun of the same caliber, which, back in 1941, confidently knocked out all the Allied tanks from almost all distances. The length of the gun barrel is 4928 mm, taking into account the muzzle brake - 5316 mm. It was the latter that was a valuable find of German engineers, as it allowedreduce the recoil energy to an acceptable level. Auxiliary armament was a 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun.
The course machine gun, which, as we have already said, was controlled by a radio operator, was placed in the front sheet. Note that on the commander's cupola, subject to the use of a special mount, it was possible to place another MG-34/42, which in this case was used as anti-aircraft weapons. It should be noted here that this measure was forced and often used by the Germans in Europe.
In general, not a single German heavy tank could resist the aircraft. T-IV, "Tiger" - they were all easy prey for Allied aviation. In our country, the situation was completely different, since until 1944 the USSR simply did not have enough attack aircraft to attack heavy German equipment.
Turning of the tower was carried out by a hydraulic rotary device, the power of which was 4 kW. Power was taken from the gearbox, for which a separate transmission mechanism was used. The mechanism was extremely efficient: at maximum speed, the turret rotated 360 degrees in just a minute.
If for some reason the engine was turned off, but it was necessary to turn the turret, the tankers could use a manual turning device. Its disadvantage, in addition to the high load on the crew, was the fact that with the slightest inclination of the trunk, rotation was impossible.
Power plant
MTO contained both a power plant and a full supply of fuel. This German tanks "Tiger" compared favorably with our machines,which the fuel supply was located directly in the fighting compartment. In addition, the MTO was separated from other compartments by a solid partition, which minimized the risk to the crew in case of a direct hit in the engine compartment.
It should be noted that the German tanks of the Second World War ("Tiger" is no exception), despite their "gasoline", the glory of "lighters" did not receive. This was due precisely to the reasonable arrangement of gas tanks.
The car was powered by two Maybach HL 210P30 engines with 650 hp. or Maybach HL 230P45 with 700 hp (which were installed starting from the 251st "Tiger"). Engines are V-shaped, four-stroke, 12-cylinder. Note that the Panther tank had exactly the same engine, but one. The motor was cooled by two liquid radiators. In addition, separate fans were installed on both sides of the engine to improve the cooling process. In addition, a separate airflow was provided for the generator and exhaust manifolds.
Unlike domestic tanks, only high-grade gasoline with an octane rating of at least 74 could be used for refueling. Four gas tanks placed in the MTO could hold 534 liters of fuel. When driving on hard dirt roads, 270 liters of gasoline were consumed per hundred kilometers, and when crossing off-road, the consumption immediately increased to 480 liters.
Thus, the technical characteristics of the tank "Tiger" (German) did not imply its long "independent" marches. If only there was a minimal opportunity, the Germans tried to bring him closer to the battlefield onrailway trains. It turned out much cheaper.
Chassis specifications
There were 24 track rollers on each side, which were not only staggered, but also stood in four rows at once! Rubber tires were used on the road wheels, on the others they were steel, but an additional internal shock absorption system was used. Note that the German tank T-6 "Tiger" had a very significant drawback, which could not be eliminated: due to the extremely high load, the tires of the road wheels wore out very quickly.
Starting from approximately the 800th machine, steel bands and internal shock absorption were installed on all rollers. To simplify and reduce the cost of construction, external single rollers were also excluded from the project. By the way, how much did the German Tiger tank cost the Wehrmacht? The early 1943 model was estimated, according to various sources, in the range from 600,000 to 950,000 Reichsmarks.
A steering wheel similar to a motorcycle steering wheel was used for control: due to the use of a hydraulic drive, a tank weighing 56 tons was easily controlled with one hand. It was literally possible to switch gears with two fingers. By the way, the gearbox of this tank was the legitimate pride of the designers: robotic (!), Four gears forward, two reverse.
Unlike our tanks, where only a very experienced person could be a driver, on whose professionalism the life of the entire crew often depended, almost anyone could sit at the helm of the Tigeran infantryman who had previously driven at least a motorcycle. Because of this, by the way, the position of the Tiger driver was not considered something special, while the T-34 driver was almost more important than the tank commander.
Armor protection
The body is box-shaped, its elements were assembled “into a spike” and welded. Armor plates are rolled, with chromium and molybdenum additives, cemented. Many historians criticize the "box-like" "Tiger", but, firstly, an already expensive car could have been simplified to some extent. Secondly, and more importantly, until 1944, there was not a single Allied tank on the battlefield that could hit the T-6 in frontal projection. Well, if only not at close range.
So the German heavy tank T-VI "Tiger" at the time of creation was a very protected vehicle. Actually, for this he was loved by the tankers of the Wehrmacht. By the way, how did Soviet weapons penetrate the German Tiger tank? More specifically, what kind of weapon?
What Soviet gun pierced the Tiger
Frontal armor had a thickness of 100 mm, side and stern - 82 mm. Some military historians believe that our ZIS-3 caliber 76 mm could successfully fight with the Tiger due to the “chopped” hull forms, but there are a few subtleties here:
- Firstly, head-on hitting was more or less guaranteed only from 500 meters, but low-quality armor-piercing shells often did not penetrate the high-quality armor of the first "Tigers" even at close range.
- Secondly, and more importantly, the 45 mm caliber "colonel" was widespread on the battlefield, which in principle did not take T-6 in the forehead. Even if it hit the side, penetration couldguaranteed only from 50 meters, and even that is not a fact.
- The F-34 gun of the T-34-76 also didn't shine, and even the use of sub-caliber "coils" did little to improve the situation. The fact is that even the sub-caliber projectile of this gun reliably took the side of the "Tiger" only from 400-500 meters. And even then - provided that the "coil" was of high quality, which was far from always the case.
Since Soviet weapons did not always penetrate the German Tiger tank, tankers were given a simple order: shoot armor-piercing only when there is a 100% chance of hitting. So it was possible to reduce the consumption of scarce and very expensive tungsten carbide. So the Soviet gun could knock out the T-6 only if several conditions coincided:
- Short distance.
- Good angle.
- Quality projectile.
So, until the more or less massive appearance of the T-34-85 in 1944 and the saturation of the troops with SU-85/100/122 self-propelled guns and SU / ISU 152 “St..
Characteristics of combat use
The fact that the German T-6 "Tiger" tank was highly valued by the Wehrmacht command is evidenced by the fact that a new tactical unit of troops was created specifically for these vehicles - a heavy tank battalion. Moreover, it was a separate, autonomous part, which had the right to independent actions. Tellingly, out of the 14 battalions created, initially one operated in Italy, one in Africa, and the remaining 12 in the USSR. This givesan idea of the fierce fighting on the Eastern Front.
In August 1942, the "Tigers" were "tested" near Mga, where our gunners knocked out from two to three vehicles participating in the test (there were six in total), and in 1943 our soldiers managed to capture the first T-6 almost in perfect condition. Tests were immediately carried out by shelling the German Tiger tank, which gave disappointing conclusions: the T-34 tank with the new Nazi equipment could no longer fight on equal terms, and the power of the standard 45-mm regimental anti-tank gun was generally not enough to break through the armor.
It is believed that the most widespread use of "Tigers" in the USSR took place during the Battle of Kursk. It was planned that 285 machines of this type would be involved, but in reality the Wehrmacht put up 246 T-6s.
As for Europe, by the time the Allies landed there were three heavy tank battalions equipped with 102 Tigers. It is noteworthy that by March 1945 there were about 185 tanks of this type in the world on the move. In total, about 1200 of them were produced. Today all over the world there is one running German tank "Tiger". Photos of this tank, which is located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, regularly appear in the media.
Why did “tiger fear” form?
The high efficiency of using these tanks is largely due to excellent handling and comfortable working conditions for the crew. Until 1944, there was not a single Allied tank on the battlefield that could fight the Tiger on an equal footing. Many of our tankers died when the Germans hit their cars withdistances of 1.5-1.7 km. Cases where T-6s were knocked out in small numbers are very rare.
The death of the German ace Wittmann is an example of this. His tank, breaking through the Shermans, was eventually finished off from pistol range. For one downed "Tiger" there were 6-7 burnt T-34s, and the Americans' statistics with their tanks was even sadder. Of course, the “thirty-four” is a machine of a completely different class, but in most cases it was she who opposed the T-6. This once again confirms the heroism and dedication of our tankers.
The main disadvantages of the machine
The main disadvantage was the high weight and width, which made it impossible to transport the tank on conventional railway platforms without prior preparation. As for comparing the angular armor of the Tiger and Panther with rational viewing angles, in practice the T-6 still turned out to be a more formidable opponent for Soviet and allied tanks due to more rational armor. The T-5 had a very well protected frontal projection, but the sides and stern were almost bare.
Which is much worse, the power of even two engines was not enough to move such a heavy car over rough terrain. On swampy soils, it is simply an elm. The Americans even developed a special tactic against the Tigers: they forced the Germans to transfer heavy battalions from one sector of the front to another, as a result of which, after a couple of weeks, half of the T-6s (at least) were under repair.
Despite everythingshortcomings, the German Tiger tank, the photo of which is in the article, was a very formidable fighting vehicle. Perhaps, from an economic point of view, it was not cheap, but the tankers themselves, including ours, who ran in captured equipment, rated this “cat” very highly.
