Author Topic: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration  (Read 41653 times)

Offline elmayerle

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #50 on: February 09, 2015, 06:42:26 AM »
Does anyone else look at this and think "Land Monitor"? ;D





Yes, indeed.  John Ericcson would be jealous; would also probably claim patent infringement if he had one.

Offline Volkodav

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #51 on: August 01, 2015, 09:52:46 PM »
Just an idea but how about a simplified, easier and cheaper to produce, as well as more reliable Tiger that becomes as robust and reliable as the Panzer IV? 

The Germans are able to develop a vehicle that they are able to produce in sufficient numbers to replace the PzKpfw IV in the heavy companies of each panzer battalion, with the Panther (hopefully similarly simplified) replacing the PzKpfw III in the medium companies.  We can sort out the where's how's and why's of the back story later, as well as other details such as assault guns and tank destroyers etc. but the basic thought is an earlier iteration of the Tiger makes the Germans painfully aware of the issues that needed to be fixed in 41 and they actually fix them through 42 and 43 getting them into mass production by mid 43.  Anyway the allies encounter the early vehicle in 42 / 43, make the same assumptions they did in reality, then when they land at Normandy run head long into a couple of thousand improved Tigers that have effectively replaced the PzKpfw IV in many Panzer Divisions.

What would this Tiger look like?  Pretty much the same except for the road wheels, instead of interleaved dish type there would be a more conventional dual medium or large wheel type seen on many other nations tanks.  Most the other changes would be out of sight but their effect would be even more important as they facilitated the improved performance and ease of production.

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #52 on: August 02, 2015, 04:45:05 AM »
run head long into a couple of thousand improved Tigers

Not so sure about "a couple of thousand" given that in total, there were only 1300 odd Tigers and 8800 odd PzKpfw IVs produced in total.  Even allowing for a simpler construction and reduced maintenance, I still doubt there would be that many in Normandy.  Even if there were many, many more available to the Heer, the majority would have been sent East I suspect.

That aside, the idea of a modified Tiger (especially with visually different features such as the road wheels) is intriguing.  Maybe something far simpler with large road wheels like the T-34?

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Offline Volkodav

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #53 on: August 02, 2015, 10:08:39 PM »
T34, Centurion and Pattern type large road wheels is exactly what I was thinking.

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #54 on: August 31, 2016, 04:07:08 AM »
I was looking at this picture of ICM's new Tiger II kit and started thinking about a Tiger II without turret and just a open main gun.  This could perhaps be a rush job just to get a fighting vehicle out there or perhaps a design to allow a larger main gun.  Maybe even a lower cost tank destroyer somewhere between a Tiger II and a JagdTiger.

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Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #55 on: August 31, 2016, 04:32:38 AM »
Maybe as a quick solution to address perceived weight issues stemming from strain on the drivetrain. The Tiger II's mechanical reliability (or lack their of) was a particular complaint of Peiper in the Ardennes Offensive. This could be a reaction to that feedback in the field. You could do an open-topped, thinly armored turret like the Heuschrecke 10 or Waffenträger series or an open-topped superstructure like the Marder series.

Alternatively, you could do it as a response to a shortage in the supply of turrets from Krupp due to some bombing raid, for example.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline dy031101

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #56 on: October 04, 2019, 10:22:35 AM »
Dragon 1:35

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Offline Old Wombat

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #57 on: October 04, 2019, 04:20:26 PM »
Interesting. Modified Panther turret on a Tiger I?
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Offline Rickshaw

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #58 on: October 04, 2019, 05:45:12 PM »
Interesting. Modified Panther turret on a Tiger I?

'tis rather strange.  I've always understood that the large hatch(es) at the rear of German turrets were for the removal/mounting of the gun.  Can't quite see that working with it mounted on the side of the turret... 

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #59 on: October 04, 2019, 06:16:50 PM »
Interesting. Modified Panther turret on a Tiger I?

'tis rather strange.  I've always understood that the large hatch(es) at the rear of German turrets were for the removal/mounting of the gun.  Can't quite see that working with it mounted on the side of the turret...

Yup. That & ammunition handling (means you don't have to load through the top of the turret).


The biggest problem for the Tiger is that it was almost never used for purpose - it was designed as an assault or break-through tank - & was never meant to travel long distances or go for extended periods between services. The Pz.Kpfw.VI (Tiger) it was meant to roll up en-masse, punch a hole in the enemy's defences & pull aside for the Pz.Kpfw. IV's & V's (Panther) to exploit the break-through.

Unfortunately, for the Tiger, by the time its development finished (begun in 1937/38, I think) & it was battle-ready Germany was on the defensive, so it was used piece-meal as a blocking tank, a role it was ill-suited to.
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Offline dy031101

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #60 on: October 05, 2019, 12:41:12 AM »
Interesting. Modified Panther turret on a Tiger I?

Apparently the turret was illustrated on a "H2" mockup early during Tiger I development.
Forget about his bow and arrows- why wait until that sparrow has done his deed when I can just bury him right now 'cause I'm sick and tired of hearing why he wants to have his way with the cock robin!?

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #61 on: April 27, 2020, 02:56:54 AM »
Training turrets apparently:

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #62 on: May 01, 2020, 02:36:50 AM »
Some interesting looking additional guns on the rear (click on image to zoom):

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Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #63 on: May 01, 2020, 03:01:33 AM »
Interesting. Those are a couple of the relatively rare DS-39 Soviet machine guns, predecessor to the better known SG-43 Goryunov.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DS-39

Offline dy031101

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #64 on: May 01, 2020, 04:54:26 AM »
What if most surviving Tiger I tanks ended up in East Germany......
Forget about his bow and arrows- why wait until that sparrow has done his deed when I can just bury him right now 'cause I'm sick and tired of hearing why he wants to have his way with the cock robin!?

Offline robunos

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #65 on: May 01, 2020, 05:39:54 AM »
Dragon 1:35




Tiger I with a 75mm L70 (Panther) gun, it's referenced in Panzer Tracts 20-1, page 20-15.Basically for a time during it's development, the 88mm KwK wasn't reaching it's performance targets, whereas the 75mm L70 KwK was. Therefore consideration was given to terminating the 88mm KwK in favour of the 75mm L70, and a turret design using this gun for the Tiger was worked out, which got as far as the mockup stage. At this point, the development problems with the 88mm were overcome, and the Tiger design reverted to it, the 75mm turret being cancelled.


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Offline Zaskar24

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #66 on: May 01, 2020, 06:29:08 AM »
What if most surviving Tiger I tanks ended up in East Germany......

Did enough Tiger I survive the war to even make this worthwhile? I think there were only about 1400 built and how many were total losses or lost in France?

Interesting WhIf though!

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #67 on: May 09, 2020, 04:55:34 AM »
Training turrets apparently:



Spooky.  Only a few days ago I posted the above photos and then today I see the following:

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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #68 on: May 09, 2020, 05:18:58 AM »
Someone is watching you?  Stalking you?  Rockwell says it best: https://youtu.be/7YvAYIJSSZY
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Offline finsrin

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #69 on: October 21, 2020, 03:13:21 PM »
The fine 1/35 AFV/IFV & hover tank builds being posted lately (great builds  :smiley:) spurred me to comment here.   On a trip right now so can't get to stash to relay kit particulars.   In stash is large 1/15 1/16 1/25 or so Tiger kit without turret.   Foggy recall is Tamiya Tiger I.   Concept is to build as 1/72 US land cruiser/battle ship giant.   RW impractical but interesting kit-bash build.   For starts replace Tiger running gear with some kind of larger scale non-German parts.   Hull mods that diminish Tiger identity.   Then there is the rest.   Since have kit maybe get it started later on.....
« Last Edit: October 21, 2020, 03:22:21 PM by finsrin »

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #70 on: October 23, 2020, 02:03:21 AM »
I wonder...Self Propelled Howitzer variant anyone?
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Offline Story

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #71 on: November 11, 2020, 04:46:44 AM »

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #72 on: November 11, 2020, 02:28:46 PM »
Pin image: Can't see it - Denied access.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline dy031101

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #73 on: January 21, 2021, 02:49:21 PM »


Question: Is it okay for the L7 to rest on the travel lock at its bore evacuator?
« Last Edit: January 21, 2021, 02:52:08 PM by dy031101 »
Forget about his bow and arrows- why wait until that sparrow has done his deed when I can just bury him right now 'cause I'm sick and tired of hearing why he wants to have his way with the cock robin!?

Offline apophenia

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Re: German Tiger I and Tiger II tank ideas and inspiration
« Reply #74 on: January 22, 2021, 04:08:07 AM »
Question: Is it okay for the L7 to rest on the travel lock at its bore evacuator?

Doubtful. The barrel is going to make up about a third of total gun weight - so ~395 kg out of the L7's total weight of 1,282 kg. Having a 30 kg bore evacuator support 13 times its own weight is a big ask  :o
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