Big Fat Pussy.
Achtung Panzer!
This monster of a tank was developed and produced as a response to the new threat on the Eastern Front. The T-34 and KV-1 was not only equal but superior to the Pz III and IV, inflicting heavy casualties.
"We're gonna need a bigger tank!" (Boat)
Development was quick and contributing designs were from many manufacturers. Finally Porsche and Henschel were the last two manufacturers standing and both designs were presented to Hitler on his birthday. Henschel won, but little effort was made to reduce cost and build time or to further improve the design. It first saw battle around Leningrad just 4 months after the presentation.
No lessons learned
The Tiger was first operational heavy tank of the Wehrmacht, disregarding the 3 prototypes of the Neubaufahrzeug used discretely in the Norwegian campaign. Little knowledge were obtained by these 3 experimental train-wrecks. Only that maybe you shouldn't put 7 Machine guns and 2 turrets on a tank.
Imma firing my KwK 36
At 54 tonnes and 6 meters in length this kitty could never be mistaken for nothing but a Heavy-Tank. The Tiger name was given by the competitions loser, Ferdinand Porsche. The Tiger had a frontal armor of 120 mm and 90 mm on the sides. The KV-1 and T-34 had to be 200 meters in front of the Tiger to be effective, while the Tiger usually could take out both at ranges up to 2.000 meters, with a record (probably myth) of a confirmed kill of 2.700 meters. This is done by mounting a goddamn 88mm FlaK-Anti-Aircraft-Artillery-Cannon on the Tiger.
10 gears forward. More than my bike.
It was crewed by 5. Only the best of the best with experience were given this toy. With a cost of 260.000 RM (...in Todays money about 3 million USD) not any noob recruit were put in front of the wheel. Yes you heard right. This tank came equipped with an ordinary steering-wheel with power-servo control. The driver could steer this beast with just one finger if needed. The V-12 engine had an power output of 515 kW, or 690 Horse power. It had top speeds up to 45 km/h (25 mph) on the open road.
"I can't reach that screw!" -Angry German factory worker, probably.
It was terribly over-engineered. Construction was not cost-efficient at all and it took many more man-hours than other tanks to complete. Only 1.347 were made in 3 years. The revolutionary transmission is a great example of the over-engineering. This transmission allowed the tank to pivot (spinning the wheels at opposite directions at the same time) and keeping its front armor against the enemy without changing position. This technique was widely used and a was hallmark of most Tiger-commanders.
"Faster Ivan! We gotta go faster!" -Russian Goldbloum
It was designed to be the front of the Blitzkrieg. A monstrous metal blob obliterating everything n its path. The first and last thing enemy front line troops would see. It was well suited for this forward-moving strategies despite its flaws, and I will tell you why. Despite its flaws and mechanical failures a Tank disabled on the offensive could easily be recovered when the battleground was won. Fuel running out, ammo short, even transmission or a track disabled, the crew could just sit tight and wait for reinforcements and be back on the offensive some day later.
"Why can't we go around the Germans?" "-Frontal assault for the Motherland!"
When it finally was made readily available on the front the tide had changed. No longer were the German Wehrmacht fighting long deep battles out-maneuvering its opponents. Tigers just waited for the enemy to fall into its sight. They were very hard to fight head on and usually bomber-aircraft did the trick, hitting its very week top-armor of only 30 mm.
"You push, I steer, Hans!"
Most Tigers were lost in the Russian mud. These giants were hard to move and many were destroyed by their own crews on the retreat when fuel was low or the tracks got stuck. The over-complicated intertwining wheels (called Schachtellaufwerk) were very hard to keep clean of mud, frost and frozen mud.
"it belongs in a museum!"
Only a few of Tigers remain at museums and only 1 is fully restored and fully operational .The reputation of the Tiger was impressive with almost a combined 40.000 tank kills. It is one of the most iconic Tank designs ever made and has been the final boss in both Saving Private Ryan and Fury. The aforementioned last fully operational Tiger was used on set in the movie Fury.