Tiger Tank Mk.VI

On the southern outskirts of the Normandy village of Vimoutiers is World War 2 German Tiger tank. It was abandoned by the crew during the Allied breakout from the D-day beaches and the following encirclement of the German forces in what is known as the Falaise Gap.

 

TigerPanzerkampfwagen VI Heavy Tank (SdKfz 181.)

Maximum Speed: 37 km/hr

Main Gun: 88 mm

Armor: 25 to 100 mm

When it was introduced, the Tiger was the most heavily armoured and armed of the tanks of German army. Although is was slow, had very high fuel consumption, and was prone to breakdown it was a far superior to the American Sherman tank of the period . Under the command of such tank legends as Lieutenant Michael Wittman* it caused much damage and delay to the Allies in Normandy. It was only with the introduction of the American M36 tank destroyer with its high-velocity 90-millimeter gun and the 17-pounder-armed Sherman Firefly that the Tiger finally met it's match.

 

*Lieutenant Michael Wittman.

On the 13th June 1944 Wittman attacked the leading brigade of the 7th Armoured Division at Villiers Bocage. On the outskirts of the village he destroyed many of the tanks and armoured cars of the 4th County of London Yeomanry. He then entered the village and attacked and destroyed several more Shermans and Cromwells. He had effectively single handed stopped the British advance. He was killed in action on August 8th.

 

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