Tiger II or ‘Konigstiger’ (King Tiger) was first used during the Normandy campaign in 1944 and was the most powerful tank on the battlefield at that time.
Known variously as the Tiger Ausf. B, Tiger II, King Tiger or Königstiger (the British also referred to it as the ‘Royal Tiger’), 489 Tiger IIs, were produced at the Henschel assembly plant, between January 1944 and March 1945. However, despite lacking in numbers, and being prone to mechanical and mobility issues based on its size and weight, the Tiger IIs combination of devastating firepower and thick sloped armour plate, made it a formidable adversary for Allied forces on the rare occasions it was encountered on the battlefield.
The Tank Museum’s Tiger II (Production)
The Museum’s Tiger II was built in July 1944 by Henschel and given Fahrgestell Nummer (chassis number) 280093.
At the beginning of August it was one of 14 Tiger IIs issued to the 1st Company of SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101. Its turret number, 104, tells us it was one of two assigned to Company Headquarters, rather than being in one of the three Platoons of 4 tanks. It was commanded by Oberscharfuhrer Sepp Franzl, the Kompanietruppfuhrer (Company Headquarters Section Leader).
It was abandoned on the 29th or 30th August, most likely at Aux Marais, a community on the outskirts of Beauvais around 40 miles north of Paris. It has also long been believed that this tank was fired on, possibly after it was abandoned, by the Sherman commanded by Sergeant Roberts of 4 Troop, A Squadron, 23rd Hussars.
It came to The Tank Museum from the Royal Military College at Shrivenham in 2006.
