Leopard’s Guide The Tiger I Tank.pdf

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Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Marcus Durden
All pictures courtesy of the US Army
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical
means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing
from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a
review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing: July 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9838082-3-7
Preface
The Tiger tank was not just another tank; it was the end result of decades of
tank doctrine development, manufacturing process refinement, and fortunately
for the free world; a prime example of the deficiencies of the socialist
economy as compared to capitalism.
This book sets out to document not just the Tiger I as a weapons platform, but the
Tiger I as an expression of German tank doctrine and industrial base (as hobbled as it was
by the dual anchors of Socialism and Hitler’s madness). Though the Tiger was impressive
in many ways, it was not the right weapon for a total war; unlike the Sherman (or to a
lesser extent, the T-34 though it had severe flaws of it’s own that the Soviets hid by simply
accepting huge losses). While the individual Sherman may have been inferior to the Tiger;
they could be made by the dozen for each Tiger which is what you need when fighting a
total war across the world.
So with that goal in mind; this book will chart the development of German tank
doctrine from World War I till the end of World War II. The doctrines of other nations;
particularly the Soviets, will also be touched upon to illustrate the differences between the
opponents as they influenced each other’s doctrinal growth during the course of the war.
To a lesser extent, the German manufacturing process will also be examined to show
how the Tiger I tank could have been a better weapons platform if it was simply made in a
more efficient manner. While the process that the Germans used resulted in well made
tanks, they simply could not be made in large enough numbers to change the outcome of
the war.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, the Tiger I tank will be examined as weapons
platform. It’s effect on the strategic and tactical level will be examined over the course of
the war with key case studies elaborated upon; such as the battle at Villers-Bocage or the
numerous pockets that Tiger units were trapped in on the Eastern Front. A number of the
more notable Tiger battalions and Tiger aces will also be illustrated to give more concrete
examples of the capabilities of the Tiger.
Though no work can completely encompass all that went into the Tiger I tank; it is the
hope that this book will touch upon the most important points and prove this author’s
point that the Tiger was the wrong weapon for World War II. Given Germany’s position;
investment in more air superiority fighters or even other ground platforms like the Panther
or Stug III would have been much more efficient. Though at the most basic level,
Germany would have been best served by not having an insane megalomanic in charge or
going to war with the world…
1: Tiger I Stats
A Tiger I somewhere in Sicily, 1943, with replacement treads mounted on the
glacis to bolster the armor (as well as serving as replacement treads); Useful
against high tech armor piercing rounds deployed later in the war by the Allies
(though even those had a hard time piercing the front glacis). The commander
and the loader are standing out of their respective hatches, probably to help
guide the large tank through narrow Italian streets. The barrel is shrouded to
keep dust from clogging the breech of the 88 mm cannon; or from drifting
further into the fighting compartment. Dust and mud were a constant threat to
the Tiger’s mechanicals in every theater of the war as they only worsened the
Tiger’s infamous unreliability in the field, though it was undeserved in some
respects.
General Info
•Official Name: Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E
•Unofficial Name: Tiger
•Type of Vehicle: German Heavy Tank

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