Page 81 - History of War - Issue 18-15

HOW FERDINAND PORSCHE’S WAR MACHINES ARMED THE THIRD REICH

FERDINAND’S FAILED TIGER Above: Though it had genius in its design, the Tiger (P) tank
suffered many fl aws and was considered unreliable for war
THE GERMAN ARMY’S PANZER TANKS 1933) to be mounted on the vehicle, and that in The heavy 45-ton tank also struggled with its
WERE ALREADY SOME OF THE BEST itself required a bigger tank, as to accommodate power-to-weight ratio, particularly on soft ground.
ON THE BATTLEFIELD, YET HITLER it meant a larger turret and a bigger, wider hull. As such, Henschel and his team eventually
WANTED BIGGER AND BETTER – AND Hitler tasked both Porsche and Henschel with won the contract to build the new tanks. Nearly
CHALLENGED PORSCHE TO DELIVER IT developing separate prototypes in a bid to win 100 Tiger (P) tanks were already produced by
the commission for the ‘heavy’ tank. The vehicle then, though the majority of these stillborn Tiger
By 1941, Hitler’s war industry and economy was needed to be ready for the German army to use on Program projects were converted into tank
in full fl ow. The Nazis had just emerged victorious battlefi elds by the summer of 1942. destroyers. Armed with huge 88mm mounted
from the initial battle of Kiev and the Wehrmacht The Henschel tank was designated the Tiger gun, with 31 degrees of horizontal movement,
was only weeks away from declaring war on the (H) and Porsche’s design the Tiger (P). Ferdinand, it could wipe out an enemy tank long before
USA. Pre-empting this, Hitler ordered a meeting calling on his title as head of the German Tank Porsche’s creation itself was within range of fi re.
to discuss development of new weaponry, with Commission, assembled his prototype much more These new long-range anti-tank machines were
Ferdinand Porsche and tank manufacturer quickly than Henschel, basing his design on the named Type 130 ‘Ferdinands’ by Hitler himself, in
Henschel in attendance. previous VK3001 (P) Leopard. The tank had two recognition of Porsche’s work.
The remit for the tank was simple: Hitler air-cooled PorscheType101/1enginesmounted
needed a machine that was a step up from the in the rear of the vehicle powering two generators, Hitler inspects a Panzer
current Panzers. They had to be heavily armoured which in turndrovetwoelectricmotorsthatsent tank in March 1943
to fend off attack from other tanks, capable of fi nal power to the tracks.
speeds of 40 miles per hour and equipped with However,thegeniusofPorsche’sradicaldesigns
a more potent cannon that was dangerous over on paper could not translate onto the battlefield,
greater ranges. Hitler wanted the 88mm cannon and numerousprototypesweredoggedwith
(originally used as an anti-aircraft weapon in problems such as breakdowns and on-board fires. Images: Taken from ‘Professor Porsche’s Wars’, published by Pen and Sword Books; Getty

Making use of its huge 88mm mounted
gun, the carcass of the Tiger (P) tank
was turned into the anti-tank Type 130

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