SdKfz 182 Panzerkampfwagen VIB Tiger II (PzKpfw VIB)

Even with the formidable Tiger I heavy tank series already hitting the production lines, it was envisioned that the system could be made into a more powerful class of tank. This decision leaned heavily on counteracting any new heavy tanks as developed by the Soviet Union and would be the ultimate in the Panzer evolution. The resulting system - christened the "Tiger II" (or known in some circles as the "King Tiger", "Royal Tiger" and or the German "Konigstiger") - would be feature the awesome tank-killing 88mm main gun and armor as much as 4 inches at its thickest. Fortunately for the Allies, production of the complicated system was slow and petrol for the retreating Germans was at a premium. Additionally, the heavy tank proved somewhat unwieldy, slow and unreliable despite the sheer power inherent in the design.

The Tiger II design centered around the powerful 88mm main gun of which some 84 projectiles were carried aboard. The system was crewed by five personnel and an additional 2 x 7.92mm machine guns were added for self-defense. Power was derived from a single Maybach HL 230 P 30 12-cylinder petrol engine developing in the area of 700 horsepower. The sheer weight of the vehicle did not lend itself favorably to the design at some 153,660 pounds, most attributed to the added armor and heavy main gun. Road speed was limited to 24 miles per hour and much less than that off road. Range amounted to a mere 68 miles.

Production of the mammoth tank began in December of 1943 with the system seeing first action in May of 1944. Tiger II's would also be present at Normandy to which the invading Allies would see first hand the power of the "King Tiger". In essence, the Tiger II was more similar to the Panther tank than the Tiger I as the Tiger Ii utilized similar engines, cupola and wheels. If anything, the Tiger II could be considered more of an up-gunned Panther tank than an improved Tiger I model.

The Tiger II appeared with a variety of turrets by various manufacturers throughout its production run. The initial 50 production models were fitted with a Wegmann turret while later models were seen with Krupps, Porsche and Henschel designed turrets. The similarity between the Panther and Tiger II lines helped keep these two tanks in production up into 1945, though two Panthers could be constructed for every one Tiger II.

In the end, fuel shortages did most of the Tiger II systems in as their armor was able to withstand most any direct shot from Allied tanks. Many a Tiger II crew simply abandoned their systems on the battlefield when out of gas. The Tiger II chassis went on to become the basis for the equally formidable Jagdtiger B tank destroyers while Tiger II production totaled some 485 examples. Top production equaled 84 in the month of August (1944) alone, never meeting the ambitious expectation of 145 per month.

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Last Updated: 7/22/2008