Tiger 131’s famous Maybach engine is to be removed and stripped this summer as part of a maintenance programme to assess wear-and-tear on the 80-year-old machine.
It’s the first time the engine has been fully disassembled and examined since it was last rebuilt in time for the first ever Tiger Day event in April 2012.
Since then, Tiger 131 has been run sparingly for audiences at the bi-annual event – but has still managed to rack up more operational hours here than it did during the entirety of its service with the German Army.
Head of Marketing, Nik Wyness said; “We all know that Tiger 131 needs delicate handling due to the known frailties in its engine and transmission.
“Due to its significance as the only running example in the world, we have to take great care of these parts with regular inspections to ensure that all is as it should be.”
During one such inspection, an oil leak was traced back to a fissure in the sump – which could only be repaired following careful removal of the engine from the tank.
“This offered us an opportunity to look more carefully at the condition of the entire engine,” added Nik.
With assistance from visiting Maybach engine specialists Armytech, the HL230 V-12 petrol engine was disassembled and examined for the first time in 12 years.
“With their help we were able to identify wear to one of the bearings, but also to diagnose a cooling problem we had previously been unaware of. Unchecked, this would have been highly damaging to the cylinder heads.”
The Museum’s Workshop team will be undertaking repairs on the engine over the next few weeks, before returning the engine for testing ahead of its next public outing at Tiger Day in September.
“Maintaining and preserving vehicles in the Museum’s collection is a complex challenge for which we remain grateful for the support we receive from our partners and the public,” said Nik
