Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B – Tiger II – Sd.Kfz. 182 in The Tank Museum, Bovington – England. This Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B – Tiger II is also known as the Tiger II, Königstiger or King Tiger and has a Henschel Turm / Turret. Both turret-types are inaccurately named. The Henschel turret and the Porche turret are made by Krupp. Photographed in The Tank Museum, Bovington – England in 2017.
The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B, commonly known as the Tiger II or King Tiger, was a German heavy tank deployed during World War II. It was one of the most powerful and heavily armored tanks ever built. The Tiger II was equipped with the 88mm KwK 43 L/71 gun, a high-velocity weapon capable of defeating most Allied tanks at long range. It also had a secondary 7.92mm MG34 machine gun for close defense.
One of the key features of the Tiger II was its exceptional armor protection, with up to 150mm of sloped frontal armor, making it highly resistant to enemy fire. Its hull was similarly reinforced, providing excellent defense against small arms and anti-tank weapons. Powered by a Maybach HL230 P30 engine producing 700 horsepower, the Tiger II had a top speed of around 38 km/h (24 mph) on roads, though its weight of approximately 69 tons severely limited its mobility and maneuverability.
The Tiger II had a crew of five and was primarily used in a defensive role due to its heavy weight, slow speed, and mechanical issues. Despite its overwhelming firepower and protection, its limited mobility and maintenance problems meant it had less impact than expected. Around 489 units were produced between 1944 and 1945.
