A look at the German Tiger 1 Tank, known as Tiger 131, at The Tank Museum, Bovington, UK during their 11th Tiger Day. This machine is currently the only working original and complete Tiger 1 tank in the World. Others that you see are either originals that do not work or replicas. The film includes a couple of close up walk arounds of Tiger 131 inside the museum, before and after its run around the arena.
Known to the Allies as a Tiger I, the German model designation was a Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger I (H1), Sd.Kfz. 181. It was built in Kassel, Germany with the hull being constructed by Henschel while the turret was made by Wegmann A. The tank was completed in January or February 1943 with the chassis number 250122. It was shipped to Tunisia between 12 March and 16 April 1943. The tank was assigned to the 504th Schwere Heerespanzerabteilung (German heavy tank battalion) in Tunisia during the North African Campaign. It was placed in No. 1 Company, No. 3 Platoon, commanders tank, giving it tactical number 131 shown on the turret, by which it has come to be known.
After a sharp engagement by the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters on 24th April 1943 in the advance towards Tunis, the Foresters gained an important ridge. This was Gueriat el Atach (generally referred to as Point 174) in the area of Medjez El Bab, South West of Tunis, Tunisia.
The Germans immediately counter-attacked with tank, including Tigers. They emerged from Montarnaud, 2,000 yards down the reverse slope from Point 174. The Tigers took up hull-down positions three hundred yards away from the Foresters and began harassing them with high explosive rounds and machine gun fire. During the afternoon, the Foresters beat off a number of fierce infantry counterattacks. The commander of Tiger 131 moved his vehicle from its hull down position and advanced up the slope. Meanwhile, the tanks of 48 RTR and 142 RAC on Point 151 had been watching the crest of Point 174 some 500 yards away and saw the turret of Tiger 131 gradually emerge into view. At the same time, a group of resourceful Foresters began turning a captured French 75 anti-tank gun around. As Tiger 131 continued forward, its hull finally became visible to the tanks on Point 151 which opened fire only to inadvertently hit one of the Foresters’ infantry carriers directly to its front. Alerted, Tiger 131 reversed out of sight but reappeared in a slightly different location a few moments later from where it fired at one of 142 RAC’s tanks which immediately burst into flames. At this point, a Forester fired at Tiger 131 with a PIAT. Although he hit the turret, it was a glancing blow and the bomb bounced off without detonating. 11 Seconds later, two things happened simultaneously. The tanks on Point 151 opened fire once more and the Foresters succeeded in firing their captured anti-tank gun. Tiger 131 was hit – its turret jammed. The crew shocked and possibly wounded, bailed out to be taken prisoner. Tiger 131’s advance had been brought to a halt only five yards from the Foresters’ positions. Tiger 131 was the first intact Tiger tank captured by British forces.
Tiger 131 was repaired with parts from other destroyed Tigers and inspected to judge its performance. It was displayed in Tunis and formally inspected there by King George VI and Winston Churchill. The tank was sent to England in October 1943 where it was displayed as a trophy at various locations to raise wartime morale before it was subjected to extensive testing and evaluation by the School of Tank Technology who produced detailed reports on its construction. The captured tank was transferred to The Tank Museum by the British Ministry of Supply on 25 September 1951 where it was given the accession number 2351 (later E1951.23).
In 1990, the tank was removed from display at the museum for restoration by the museum and the Army Base Repair Organisation. The restoration involved an almost complete disassembly of the tank. The Maybach HL230 engine from the museum's Tiger II was installed as the Tiger's original Maybach HL210 had been cut into cross sections for display. A modern fire-suppressant system was added to the engine compartment, the only other significant alteration. The wear and performance of the refitted Tiger engine was studied by metallurgists to explore the alloys and performance of WWII German manufacturing.
In December 2003, Tiger 131 returned to the museum with a working engine, making it the only working Tiger tank in the world and the most popular exhibit at the museum. Further work and repainting in period colours completed the restoration in 2012, for a total cost quoted at £80,000.
This tank was used in the 2014 film Fury, the first time a real Tiger has appeared in a feature film since They Were Not Divided (1950).
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