Like all military and civilian vehicles before and since the First World War, British tanks were given unique registration, or serial, numbers. …
Tiger 131 Restoration: Part IV The Hull
Part IV. The final stages of work on the hull, including interior details and fitting the engine….
Tiger Wheels
One of the most distinctive features of the Tiger family is the interleaved and overlapping road wheels….
Tiger 131 Restoration: Part III The Turret
Part III. The repair of the turret, including removing the gun, removing rust, and painting the interior and exterior. …
The Driver’s Hatch of Tiger 131
The driver’s hatch on Tiger 131 was replaced in May 1943 by the British after capture. The result of this early repair was that Tiger 131 spent several years with an incorrect part fitted….
Tiger 131 Restoration: Part II Hull and Suspension
Part II. After disassembly, restoring and reassembling the hull and suspension was the next step….
T1E1 Heavy Tank
Every effort has been made over the years to identify an Allied tank that was similar to the German Tiger. None have ever really been successful although a few tanks came close, notably the T1E1….
The Mystery of the Tiger Recovery Vehicle
These pictures have invariably been identified as an improvised Tiger recovery vehicle, photographed in Italy in 1944, but is it? Renowned tank historian David Fletcher examines the myth. …
Tiger 131 Restoration: Part I Disassembly
Tiger 131’s restoration was a long and expensive project, but one that would make the vehicle the most infamous tank in the world….
The Battle of Passchendaele – Into Battle
Third Ypres, or Passchendaele, was a controversial battle at the time and has remained so ever since. Disagreement exists over whether it should have been fought at all, over the tactics used and over whether the casualties were worth the gains. …
The Battle of Passchendaele – Operation Hush
One of the reasons for launching the Third Battle of Ypres was a British desire to capture the Belgian coastline from the Germans….
The Battle of Passchendaele – Tanks at Third Ypres
Third Ypres was planned as an infantry and artillery attack, with tanks in a supporting role….
The Battle of Passchendaele – Background & Planning
The German invasion in August 1914 led to the conquest of almost all of Belgium. …
Soviet Tanks at Kursk
The Soviet defenders in the Kursk salient had over 1.3 million men, 3500 tanks and 28,000 pieces of artillery and anti-tank guns plus more in reserve….
German Tanks at Kursk
The attacking German forces at Kursk amassed 777,000 men and around 2500 tanks and assault guns. This was about 70 per cent of all their tanks on the Eastern Front. …
Background to the Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was one of the most decisive battles of the Second World War….
The Tiger Family Part 2 – The Tiger II
In Part 2 we will consider the Tiger II, or King Tiger branch of the family. Despite the names, the two Tigers shared very little in terms of design or compatible parts, although this was not the original intention….
The Tiger Family Part I – To the Tiger I
The German Army’s desire for a heavy tank dates back to before the outbreak of war….
Experimental WWI Tanks – Part III
The third instalment in David Fletcher’s three part series examining the experimental tanks of the First World War describes such oddities as cranes, bridges, and rudimentary amphibious tanks. …
Two Widths of Track
The Tiger I was 3547mm wide and this posed a problem for its strategic mobility….