The Tiger II, which the Germans called the King Tiger, first saw action on the Eastern Front in May 1944, its first action on the Western Front was in August 1944. Weighing in at a staggering 68 tons with a 690 bhp engine, the Tiger II was a formidable weapon. It also used a vast amount of fuel which the Germans were finding very difficult to produce due to Allied bombing of fuel plants.
Following on from the formidable Tiger I, the Tiger II featured even thicker armour, as well as the powerful 88mm gun. Making its debut on the Normandy battlefield, the King Tiger proved to be a formidable opponent, however, it was mechanically fragile and very cumbersome.
This early version features the Krupp turret, of which just 50 were produced.
- Armament: 1 x 88mm gun, 2 x 7.92mm machine guns
- Armour: 25-180mm
- Weight: 68 tonnes
- Speed: Road 25.8mph
- Cross-country 9-12mph