Germany's Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf B, King Tiger, Königstiger, SdKfz 182 heavy tank

Photos
Design
Prototype
Production
Variants
Usage
Specifications

Photos

Design

The allied troops nicknamed the PzKpfw VI Ausf B the Royal Tiger or King Tiger.⁵

The hull was welded together and used a similar layout as the Panther.

Turret was built from bent plates and were more rounded and could carry 22 rounds for ready use. The gun went all the way back to the rear of the turret, thus dividing the turret in half. The cupola for the commander did provide excellent viewing, but most often they chose to have their head outside the turret

Armor

The armor on the King Tiger was so thick that it was almost completely indestructible against Allied guns.⁵ However, this created a tank that was extremely heavy and slow to manouver.⁵ The hull was 5.9" / 150 mm thick and the turret had 3.9" / 100 mm thick armor.⁵

Suspension

The front sprocket provided the drive. The wheels were 9 sets of double bogie wheels overlapping which was an improvement of the interleaved design of the Ausf E. These helped with the problems of the wheels freezing up like the Tiger and Panther had.⁸

Main Armament

There was much wear on the barrel, so in later models a two piece barrel was installed to allow for easier maintenance.⁹

The 88 mm KwK43 L/71 was 21' long.⁸ It could penetrate 7"/182mm of armor at 547 yards/500 m⁹, and 9.4"@0° at 100 yards¹⁰. The AP round weighed 22.4 lbs. and had a muzzle velocity of 3,281'/sec.¹⁰

The Crew

The driver and hull gunner were in the front with the driver on the left.⁸ The radio equipment was above the gearbox, to the left of the hull machine gunner.⁸ The turret contained the commander, gunner, and loader.⁸

Prototype

Just before the invasion of Russia, at the Führer conference on May 26, 1941, the Germany Army Weapons Department decided that the program to develop a 35-45 ton heavy tank should be sped up.⁷ Krupp was instructed to develop and produce a tank version of the 88 mm FlaK 41 anti-aircraft gun.⁷

After encountering the T-34s and KVs the program was sped up even further.⁷ In August 1942 contracts were issued to Porsche and Henschel to produce designs for the heavy tank.^7,8

Porsche

Porsche had been working on three prototypes by late 1942 that mounted the Krupp 88 mm KwK 43 L/56.⁷ These were designated the Panzer Tiger P2.⁷ The vehicles were never finished as the transmission required large amounts of copper, which was in short supply.⁷

The Porsche model was cancelled in November 1942, and Henschel's contract was changed to build 526 tanks.⁷

The first 50 vehicles had the Porsche turret from the cancelled Tiger P2 project.^6,7,8 The turret was more rounded in front and the commander's cupola was offset on the left.⁷ After these turrets were installed, it was decided to discontinue them as it was thought the rounded front could deflect enemy rounds down into the top of the chassis.^7,8

Henschel

The Henschel prototypes were called the Tiger H3.⁷ These were later designated the VK4503(H).⁵ It was plagued by frequent changes in the design specifications.⁷ In January 1943, Hitler, ordered the prototypes to have 185 mm/7.3" armor on the front and 80 mm /3.2" on the sides.⁷ Other modifications were made to standardize the parts with the Panther II project.⁷

In October 1942, Henschel was contracted to produce 176 vehicles mounting the 88 mm PaK 43/3 L/71.⁷

Pre-Production

Three pre-production vehicles were completed in December 1943⁸, and the first three production vehicles were delivered in January 1944.⁷ At first, production at the Kassel production line had Tigers and King Tigers being produced side by side.⁷ By June 1944, only King Tigers were being produced.⁷ Five bombing raids against the factory between September 22 and November 7, 1944, almost completely destroyed it.⁷

Henschel always had 60 vehicles in construction in it's manufacturing facility. At peak production it took 14 days to construct the Tiger II.

The Henschel design was called the V.K. 4503.⁶ The Porsche design was called the Type 180 internally, and the V.K. 4502 officially.⁶

Porsche produced 50 turrets in anticipation of receiving an order.⁶

Production

PzKpfw VI Ausf B: 484⁸, 485^5,6,9,11, 487, 489^3,7
- Production: December 1943 - March 1945^5,6, January 1944 - March 1945³
- Manufacturer: Henschel (as Kassel⁵)^3,5,10

Variants

PzKpfw VI Ausf B, Porsche turret: Fifty of these were manufactured.⁵ Here are some of the visual differences.
PzKpfw VI Ausf B, Henschel turret: These were the main production model.⁵ Here are some of the visual differences.
Befehlspanzer: Were converted from November 1944. Installed extra radios and had only 63 rounds.⁷ Only 20 were constructed.⁷ One type had the Fu 8 transmitter and the other a Fu 7 transmitter.⁷
Jagdtiger B: Mounted 128 mm gun in fixed superstructure on the Ausf B's chassis.⁵

Usage

First Units

First issued to training units in February and May 1944.

First encountered on the Eastern Front in May 1944⁸ and the Western Front in August 1944.⁵ Saw action on both NW Europe and Russia. 150 were available in the Ardennes.

The thick armor was almost impregnable to any Allied tank or anti-tank gun.^5,7 There is no evidence that any Allied shell penetrated the frontal armor during the war.⁷ Many were lost due to mechanical failure or no fuel.⁷ The 88 mm gun could penetrate a Sherman or Cromwell at over 3,200 m/10,498'.⁷

It was issued to a few Army and Waffen SS heavy tank battalions.⁷ Only 13 units received the King Tigers: Panzer Lehr Division; 500th Training, 501st, 503rd, 505th, 506th, 507th, 509th, 510th, 511th, 101st SS, 102nd SS, and 103rd SS Heavy Tank Battalions.⁷

It was formed into independent battalions or formed into regiments for privileged Panzer divisions.

Panzer Lehr

The first five vehicles were given to the 319th Heavy Tank Company of the Panzer Lehr Division, but they had to be destroyed before they entered combat because of mechanical failures in Normandy.⁷ The Company had remote controlled tankettes that had demolition charges and were to work with the King Tigers and 2 Tiger Is.⁷

503rd Heavy Tank Battalion

In Germany in June 1944, after it had lost most of its Tiger Is, it received 12 King Tigers.⁷ It was sent to France in late June 1944, where it received another 12 King Tigers.⁷ Most of these were lost in August and September 1944.⁷

1st Company, 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion
501st SS Heavy Tank Battalion

In late July and early August, 14 King Tigers were assigned to the unit after its loses of Tiger Is.⁷ All were lost in the retreats from Normandy.⁷

In September 1944, it was recalled to Germany and redesignated the 501st SS and issued new vehicles.⁷ The unit was to be used in the Ardennes offensive, but it only had 28 King Tigers.⁷ Eleven King Tigers were taken from the 509th Heavy Tank Battalion.⁷ Only 30 were used in the attack as nine had mechanical failure while being deployed to the front.⁷ It lost 13 of its King Tigers.⁷

506th Heavy Tank Battalion

It was reequipped with 45 King Tigers when it was brought back to Germany.⁷ It was sent to Holland in September 1944 and fought against the 1st British Airborne Division at Arnhem.⁷

It was the only unit that received replacement vehicles regularly.⁷ Typically the King Tigers that came off the production lines when to units stationed in Germany instead of as replacements to units at the front.⁷

Ardennes Offensive

There were three units that had King Tigers, the 506th Battalion, 306th Company, and 501st SS Battalion had a total of 52.⁷

The spearhead of the 1st SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hither Panzer Division was the 501st SS.⁷ This unit was lead by Oberstrumbannführer Joachim Peiper.⁷ He was supposed to exploit any successes as quickly as possible, but the terrain through the Ardennes typically consisted of narrow roads through the woods.⁷ The massive King Tigers weren't suited for the terrain or the quick nature of the requirements of the Offensive.⁷ Peiper choose to have the more nimble PzKpfw IVs and Panthers lead the way.⁷

Six of his King Tigers carried paratroopers of the 3rd Parachute Division and eventually took part in the battle to capture the bridge at Stavelot.⁷

At Stoumont on December 20, 1944, 10 of the King Tigers caught up with Peiper.⁷ On December 21st they were all surrounded at La Gleize by the Americans.⁷ It was decided to break out of the encirclement and on the night of December 23rd-24th leaving behind their tanks due to lack of fuel.⁷ On December 26, 1944, the unit was dissolved and the remaining men were absorbed by the 1st SS.⁷

Specifications

	PzKpfw VI B King Tiger
Crew	Commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator / hull machine gunner⁸ 5^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10}
Radio	FuG5³
Physical Characteristics
Weight	153,000 lb⁹, 153,660 lb⁵ 66.93 tons¹, 68 tons³, 68.6 tons⁶, 69 tons^8,9, 69.7 tons^4,7, 69.8 tons², 75 tons (76.9 with production turret)¹⁰ 68,000 kg¹, 69,400 kg⁹, 69,700 kg⁵ Porsche: 69.4 tons⁷
Length w/gun	33' 8"^5,6,7,8, 33' 8.9"¹ 10.26 m^5,7, 10.29 m², 10.3 m³, 10.286 m¹
Length w/o gun	23.8'^9,10, 23' 9.75"⁵, 23' 10"^6,7, 24.24'⁴ 7.26 m^5,7, 7.3 m⁹
Height	10.1'⁹, 10.2'¹⁰, 10.26'⁴, 10' 2"⁶, 10' 1.5"⁵, 10' 0.9"¹, over 10'⁸ 3.075 m¹, 3.08 m³, 3.09 m^2,5,7, 3.3 m⁹
Width	11' 10.7"¹, 12' 3.5"⁵, 12.2'¹⁰, 12.3'⁹, 12' 4"^6,7,8, 12' 6"⁴ 3.76 m^2,3, 3.75 m^5,7, 3.625 m¹, 4.3 m⁹ Transport: 10' 9"^7,8, 3.27 m⁷
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	19.3"¹⁰, 1' 7" 0.49 m², 0.5 m
Ground contact length	170"¹⁰ 4.13 m
Ground pressure	13.7 psi¹⁰, 15.2 psi⁹ 0.78 kg/cm² ², 1.07 kg/cm², 1.1 kg/cm² ⁹
Turret ring diameter	6' 1"
Armament
Main	88 mm KwK 43 L/71^3,9,10,11 88 mm^1,4,5 88 mm L/71² 88 mm KWK 43 L/71^6,8 88 mm KwK 43/3 L/71⁷
Secondary	Smoke dischargers⁷
MG	2: 7.92 mm MG¹ 2: MG^2,6 2: 7.92 mm MG34³ 3: MG⁴
MG - anti aircraft	7.9 mm MG 34¹⁰ 7.92 mm MG⁸ 7.92 mm MG42⁷
MG - coaxial	7.9 mm MG 34¹⁰ 7.92 mm MG⁸ 7.92 mm MG34^5,7,9
MG - hull	7.92 mm MG⁸ 7.92 mm MG34^5,7,9
Side arms
Quantity
Main	78¹¹, 85 72 Pzgr & Spgr³ 84^2,5,7,10 Porsche: 78
Secondary
MG	4,800^2,10 5,850^5,7 Patr SmK³
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	25 - 150⁴, 40 - 185⁹ Front: 5.9"@50°¹⁰ Side: 3.2"@25°¹⁰
Hull Front, Upper	150⁵, 150@50°³, 150@40°^7,8 100 - 150², 150⁶
Hull Front, Lower	100@55°⁸, 100@50°³, 100@40°⁷
Hull Sides, Upper	80@25°³, 80@65-90°⁷, 80²
Hull Sides, Lower	80@0°³
Hull Rear	80@30°³, 80², 80@60°⁷
Hull Top	40@90°³ 40²
Hull Bottom	25-40@90°³ 25-40²
Turret Front	7"¹⁰, 100⁵, 180@9°³, 180^2,6, 185@80°⁷ Porsche: 60-110@round³
Turret Sides	3.2"@21°¹⁰, 80@21°³, 80², 80@69°⁷ Porsche: 80@30°³
Turret Rear	80@21°³, 80², 80@70°⁷ Porsche: 80@30°³
Turret Top	40@78-90°³, 40², 44@0-10°⁷ Porsche: 40@77-90°³
Engine (Make / Model)	Maybach⁶, Maybach HL 230 P30^{1,2,3,5,7,8,9,10}
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water^9,10
Cylinders	V-12^7,9,10
Capacity
Net HP	600⁸, 700^6,7 600@3,000 rpm⁹, 700@3,000 rpm¹⁰
Power to weight ratio	8.8 hp/ton⁹
Compression ratio	6.8:1¹⁰
Transmission (Type)	Preselector, Maybach-Olvar 401216 B Olvar preselective¹⁰ 8 forward, 4 reverse.^2,3,10
Steering	Regenerative controlled differential, hydraulic, wheel control by auxiliary levers¹⁰
Steering ratio
Starter	Electric and inertia¹⁰
Electrical system	Starting: 24-volt¹⁰ Normal: 12-volt¹⁰
Ignition	Magneto¹⁰
Fuel (Type)	Gasoline^9,10
Octane
Quantity	175 gallons, 189 gallons⁷, 228 gallons (in 4 tanks)¹⁰ 860 liters^2,7 Fuel used per 100 km of road: 782 liters
Road consumption	0.47 mpg¹⁰
Cross country consumption	0.14 mpg¹⁰
Performance
Traverse	360°, hydraulic.³ Hand and hydralic¹⁰
Speed - Road	21.75 mph¹, 23.5 mph⁴, 24 mph^5,6,7,9, 25.7 mph⁸, 26 mph¹⁰ 35 kph^1,3, 38 kph^5,7,9, 41.5 kph²
Speed - Cross Country	9 - 12 mph^8,10, 10.5 mph⁷, 11 mph⁹ 15-20 kph, 17 kph^7,9
Range - Road	68 miles^5,6,7,9, 100 miles⁸, 105 miles¹, 106 miles¹⁰ 110 km^5,7,9, 170 km^1,2,3
Range - Cross Country	53 miles⁷, 75 miles^8,10 85 km⁷, 120 km²
Turning radius	16' 6", 2.08, 4.8 m
Elevation limits	-8° to +15° -7.4° to +15°³
Fording depth	5' 3"⁵, 64"¹⁰ 1.6 m^2,5
Trench crossing	8.1'⁹, 8' 2"⁵, 9.85'¹⁰ 2.5 m^5,9
Vertical obstacle	2' 10"⁵, 2' 9", 33.5"¹⁰ 0.85 m⁵
Climbing ability	35° (70%) slope¹⁰
Suspension (Type)	Torsion bar^2,8 Two resilient road wheels independently sprung on torsion bars¹⁰
Wheels each side	9 axles overlapped with twin wheels 9x2²
Return rollers each side	0¹⁰
Tracks (Type)	Dry double pin¹⁰
Length
Width	2' 5", 2' 7"⁸, 32"¹⁰ Travel: 2' 2"⁸ 800 mm²
Diameter
Number of links	90 (45 double shoes)¹⁰
Pitch	5.9"¹⁰
Tire tread	Steel²
Track centers/tread	9.25'¹⁰ 2.79 m

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
German Tanks and Armoured Vehicles 1914 - 1945, B. T. White, 1966
German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
New Vanguard 88 mm FlaK 18/36/37/41 and PaK 43 1936-45, John Norris, 2002

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PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank with the Henschel turret that has been destroyed at the Battle of the Bulge:
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PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank during the Battle of the Bulge:	Befehlswagen, King Tiger, heavy tank:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank captured:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank captured:
PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank captured:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank destroyed:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank destroyed:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank destroyed:
PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank during firing practice:	PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank with the 501 sPzAbt during the Battle of the Bulge:
Germany's PzKpfw VI Ausf B, King Tiger, heavy tank: