An interesting propaganda photograph showing the well-known Tiger I named ‘Tiki’ of 8.Kompanie SS-Panzer Regiment 2 of the Das Reich Division on the Eastern Front.
As the Wehrmacht moved from one position to another in early 1942, Hitler examined his options after his first defeat of the war. He boldly revealed to his Generals that he would yet defeat the Russian Army, and announced that his forces would be refitted with the utmost speed. This included up-gunning the lighter panzers into anti-tank machines and modifying the StuG.III and Pz.Kpfw.IV.
As the German spring offensive, Operation Blau, was launched in southern Russia, Wehrmacht forces had stagnated around Leningrad, and the German central front had also ground to a halt sifting off its resources for the drive in the south.
Elsewhere, there was fighting in North Africa. Operating in the desert in 1941/42 the Deutsches Afrikakorps, or DAK, had made good use of its armoured vehicles under master-tactician General Erwin Rommel. His forces had smashed through British lines and by the end of June 1942 had broken through the Tobruk perimeter capturing some 35,000 prisoners. The British Eighth Army were forced to withdraw and victory for Rommel seemed certain. His force had taken a severe battering and by early July could only field forty-four tanks. Most of the transport vehicles had been captured or destroyed. In spite of this, the German push forward continued.
Meanwhile, on 23 July 1942, earlier than planned, Hitler ordered that the first Tiger tanks be transported to the Leningrad front. The first unit to receive the Tigers was the 1.Kompanie of Schwere Heeres Panzer Abteilung 502. Four Tigers accompanied by four Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N panzers were loaded onto special flatbed trains, chocked and sent to the Leningrad front. They arrived on 19/20 August and went into combat on the 29th. The terrain was swampy and forested and so their movement was restricted to roads and tracks. However there were few roads, and those that there were were boggy and the vehicles were pushed to their limits, which resulted in transmission problems and overheating engines. On the first day two of the Tigers broke down, but were recovered and repaired.
On 21 September, the Tigers, Pz.Kpfw.IIIs, and support and reconnaissance vehicles began operating as a unit. A few days later the rest of 1.Kompanie of the 502nd arrived at the front comprising of five Tigers and fourteen Pz.Kpfw.IIIs.
Further south, more Tiger tanks were dispatched to the front. This time to Schwere Panzerabteilung 503. This unit had been created on 4 May 1942 and was an independent battalion-sized unit equipped with the Tiger and Pz.Kpfw.III. The battalion was deployed in late 1942 to the Don front. By this period of the war the last throes of the battle of Stalingrad were being played out, and it was too late for it to participate in the relief operation, known as Winter Storm.
They arrived on 5/6 January 1943 and saw action on the 7th, participating in heavy defensive action in the Rostov-on-Don theatre. Fighting was fierce and again the Tiger developed mechanical problems with the transmission and overheating.
Back in North Africa, the tank corps were facing similar problems to those of the German army on the Eastern Front. Tons of supplies were shipped across the Mediterranean to reinforce the Axis forces in North Africa. Among the troops, artillery, flak and other weaponry were sixteen Pz.Kpfw.IIIs and three Tiger Is of the 501 Schwere Panzerabteilung 501, along with four Pz.Kpfw.IIIs that were organised with other units into Kampfgruppe Lueder.
Within a few weeks the strength of the 501 was eleven operational Tigers and sixteen Pz.Kpfw.IIIs. This was soon increased with another eight Tigers and eight Pz.Kpfw.IIIs which were assigned to the 756th Gebirgsjäger Infantry Regiment and Kampfgruppe Lueder, which was re-established with five Tigers and ten Pz.Kpfw.IIIs, and an additional battalion comprising the 1st Battalion of the 69th Mechanised Infantry Regiment.
The Tiger would be used extensively in prominent offensive and defensive operations in Tunisia. Although in small numbers, it was the most powerful tank in North Africa, and would become a revered machine among the Allies. By now Axis forces were undertaking a fighting withdrawal from Libya into Tunisia, and Rommel would owe much to the Tiger tank for its valued rearguard support.
The 21st Panzer Division saw extensive action trying to reach Tunis and was later supported by six Tigers and nine Pz.Kpfw.IIs from the 1st Company of the 501 which were attached to the 10th Panzer Division for Operation Frühlingswind.
On 14 February 1943 panzers managed to break through the Faïd Pass and became embroiled in heavy fighting at Sidi Bou Zid. It was here that Tigers knocked out twenty M4 Sherman tanks of the US 1st Armoured Division. On 26 February, the 501 was redesignated III/Panzer-Regiment 7 of 10 Panzer-Division. Each company received an additional fifteen Pz.Kpfw.IVs.
Despite the extra armoured support the Axis had sustained thousands of casualties in North Africa. Armoured vehicle losses were immense and replacements were too few to make up for them. Lack of fuel and spare parts, coupled with the need for trained crews, played their parts in weakenng the panzer units in Tunisia. Yet the Afrika Korps still continued to commit everything it had to the task in hand and called for more reinforcements.
As a result of Rommel’s calls for help, a second unit, Schwere Heeres Panzer Abteilung 504, was transported to North Africa. It consisted of eighteen Tigers, twenty-five Pz.Kpfw.IIIs, and two Befehl-Tigers. The first three Tigers arrived in Tunisia on 12 March 1943, followed by another five over the coming weeks. The 1.Kompanie had eleven Tigers and nineteen Pz.Kpfw.IIIs, while the 2.Kompanie was held in Sicily with nine Tigers and six Pz.Kpfw.IIIs.
Nevertheless, the Panzergrenadier divisions were too exhausted to rectify the situation decisively. The Allies continued pushing forward while German forces were either forced to retreat or destroyed. Along the whole front the Afrika Korps were now reduced to skeletal formations on a stricken field. Now they were outnumbered and desperately short of fuel, lubricants and ammunition. As parts of the front caved in, armoured formations destroyed their equipment so that nothing was left for the conquering enemy. The Germans no longer had the resources to accomplish their objectives in Tunisia.
On 13 May 1943, the Axis forces in Tunisia finally surrendered, sealing the fate of the once seemingly invincible Afrika Korps. Any Tiger tank units that could be salvaged were immediately pulled out of the line and shipped to Sicily to help the deteriorating situation there.
An interesting propaganda photograph showing the well-known Tiger I named ‘Tiki’ of 8.Kompanie SS-Panzer Regiment 2 of the Das Reich Division on the Eastern Front.
An early production Tiger I in 1942. By April 1942 Henschel GmbH had been given the task of large-scale production of the Tiger I. There were numerous modifications made during the production run to improve automotive performance, firepower and protection. In 1942 alone, there were at least six revisions made, starting with the removal of the frontal armour shield. In May, mudguards were bolted onto the side of the preproduction run, and smoke candle dischargers were added on the turret sides in August 1942.
An early production Tiger I belonging to the Totenkopf Division. The Waffen-SS were allocated their own Tigers during the winter of 1942/3 and received a single heavy panzer company of fourteen Tigers.
An early production Tiger I has been loaded onto a special flat car and chocked in preparation for transportation to the Eastern Front in 1942. Rail was the quickest way to transport a heavy battalion to the front lines.
A Tiger I belonging to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 during field trials. This battalion had been created on 4 May 1942 and was an independent battalion-sized unit equipped with the Tiger and Pz.Kpfw.IIIs. In late 1942 it was deployed to the Don Front in Russia.
An early production Tiger I belonging to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 502 seen undergoing maintenance on the Eastern Front in 1942. An engineer can be seen in the engine compartment. This vehicle belongs to the 3.Kompanie Schwere Panzer and features smoke candle dischargers on the turret and S-Mine dischargers on the edge of the hull roof at the front and rear corners. Note that the side fenders have been removed along with the folding segment of the rear mud flap.
A rear view of an almost brand new standard early production Tiger tank. The turret has five spare track lines mounted on the turret side. The tank also has a full array of triple smoke candle dischargers on the turret as well as S-mine dischargers on the corners of the superstructure. It has a complete set of fenders as well as mud flaps. Note that the vehicle is covered in a base colour of dark yellow. It belongs to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 502.
A Tiger I halted near a village on the Eastern Front. Although difficult to see in the photograph, note the Tiger tank battalion marking on the front left of the tank painted in white which appears to be an elephant. The elephant was the mark of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 502.
A Waffen-SS Tiger awaiting transportation to the Eastern Front on a special railway flat car. One of the crew members can be seen perched on top of the vehicle.
A heavy prime mover wading along a typical Russian road following a downpour. The vehicle is towing a trailer, which would often be loaded with lighter vehicles that developed mechanical defects, and were being towed to a maintenance field workshop for repair.
A prime mover has halted in a field and is assisting a support vehicle which has become bogged down in marshy ground during operations on the Eastern Front. One of the crew members is attaching a cable to the halftrack to tow it out of the mud.
A column of Tigers on the advance along a road in Russia. Heavy Tiger tank battalions were used to threaten certain sectors of the front lines where they could often produce dramatic improvements in the local situation. Although its weight often made it difficult to move around areas which suffered from poor roads and weak bridges, the Tiger enjoyed a great advantage in firepower and survivability.
A battery of Sd.Kz.7/1 halftracks mounting the quadruple 2cm Flak 38. The weapons have been directed skyward and are more than likely being used to protect ground units.
Tiger during operations in Tunisia in early 1943.
Infantry can be seen hitching a lift on board an Sd.Kfz.10/4 halftrack which is manned by Luftwaffe personnel during operations on the Eastern Front in late 1942. Note that a number of infantry are sitting on the Sd.Ah.51 ammunition trailer.
A Tiger tank recovery vehicle can be seen with a chocked early production Tiger I secured on the trailer.
A winter camouflaged Mittlerer Zugkraftwagen 8-ton halftrack advances through a shallow river during operations in Russia in late 1942. These halftracks were used to tow ordnance to the battlefront but were also capable of serving as infantry transport. They were used in heavy Tiger tank battalions as a main support vehicle.
An Sd.Kfz.10/4 mounting a flak gun on the Eastern Front during winter operations in December 1942. These mounted flak guns were used in heavy Tiger tank battalions to support advancing armour against both ground and aerial attacks.
A Tiger from 13.Schwere Panzer Kompanie of Panzer Regiment ‘Großdeutschland’, which was formed from 3.Panzer Regiment 203 on 13 January 1943. They were originally equipped with nine Tigers and ten Pz.Kpfw.IIIs Ausf.L. 13.Kompanie fought at Kursk in July 1943.
A Tiger from Schwere Panzer abteilung 501 during operations in North Africa.
One of the new Tiger tanks sent to reinforce Axis forces in North Africa. Among the additional troops, artillery, flak and other weaponry there was a heavy Tiger tank battalion comprising sixteen Pz.Kpfw.IIIs and three Tiger Is of the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion. These were the first elements of the battalion, along with four Pz.Kpfw.IIIs that were organised with other units into Kampfgruppe Lueder.
The crew of a Tiger I can be seen resting in the desert watching a Tunisian man with his camel passing by. This vehicle belongs to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501. The tactical number 111 is painted in red with a white outline on the turret side.
Two photographs which are part of a series of images showing the initial deployment of the Tiger I to Tunisia in 1942. Both of these Tigers belong to the 1 Kompanie of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501, represented by the large tactical sign 122 painted in red with a white outline. Of interest in the second photo are the crew’s belongings attached to the turret bustle stowage bin and saplings applied to the vehicle for camouflage.
A series of four photographs showing a maintenance team changing the engine of an early production Tiger I during Abteilung 501 operations in Tunisia. The photograph shows a rotating 6-ton crane on a Bussing NAG 4500-Series 4.5 ton chassis either removing or installing the tank’s Maybach HL210 P45 power plant. The final photo shows the maintenance crew taking a rest.Note the captured US Army Dodge WC-series truck parked next to the Tiger.
The crew of a Tiger I has halted near some vegetation during operations in Tunisia. This Tiger belongs to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501. When it was shipped to North Africa at the end of December 1942 it was initially numbered 132. It was then renumbered 732 after the Beja Mission.
A Tiger from Abteilung 501 during operations in Tunisia in January 1943. These were formidable fighting machines whose arrival at the front was a welcome relief to the hard-pressed Afrika Korps. However, too few were delivered, and they were too thinly stretched to make any considerable dent against the growing tank might of the Allies.
A Tiger I rolls alongside a stationary staff car on a Tunisian road in January 1943. Note the canvas sheeting protecting the 8.8cm cannon’s muzzle brake from dust and sand particles. This early production vehicle is also fitted with smoke candle dischargers which were mounted on the turret sides as a factory standard during this mid-war period.
Tiger tank 142 of 1 Kompanie Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501 on the advance in Tunisia. This tank was unloaded in Tunis and began operations in January. The first three Tigers of the 1.Kompanie were unloaded on 23 November in Bizerte in 1942 by the ship Aspromante. The remaining Tigers were shipped separately with the next one arriving on 27 November in Tunis. The remainder were shipped to Bizerte: two tigers on 1 December, one on 6 and 13 December, four on 25 December, five on 8 January, one on 16 January and the last two on 24 January 1943.
A column of Tiger I tanks of Abteilung 501 passes other stationary armour of the battalion on a desert road. Among the stationary vehicles appear to be an Sd.Kz.251 halftrack, a reconnaissance vehicle and another halftrack.
A Tiger tank has halted on a road and local Tunisians can be seen next to the vehicle. By early January 1943 the strength of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501 was eleven operational Tigers.
A Tiger tank belonging to Abteilung 501 has halted on a road, and behind it a column of vehicles can be seen. The crew are sitting on the vehicle, a respite from the hot sweaty environment of their tank. Locals can be seen around the Tiger along with an Italian officer standing left of the tank.
A Tiger from Abteilung 501 rolls along a Tunisian road watched by an Afrika-Korps infantryman. The vehicle clearly shows the candle smoke dischargers attached to the turret sides.
A Tiger tank can be seen negotiating terrain during intensive operations in Tunisia in 1943. Over the coming weeks and months operational levels of the Tiger tank were reduced due to the overwhelming strength of the Allied forces. By mid-March, only eleven Tigers remained of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 501. These were then attached to Schwere Panzer Abteilung 504, which was the second Tiger unit to be sent to Tunisia. This heavy battalion was issued with twenty-five Pz.Kpfw.III and eighteen Tigers. It arrived in Tunisia with its battalion staff, workshop company, and 1 Panzer-Kompanie in Tunisia on 12 March 1943. The 2 Panzer- Kompanie remained in Sicily. The tank company had four platoons, each with two Tiger I tanks and two Pz.kpfw.III support tanks. By 12 May 1943 all of Schwere Panzer Abteilung 504 Tigers were destroyed or captured.