Rye Field Models Tiger I 100# Initial Production Early 1943 5075 1/35

Description

The Tiger I was a World War II German heavy tank that served in Africa and the Soviet Union beginning in 1942, primarily in autonomous heavy tank battalions.

It was the first armoured fighting vehicle to be equipped with the 8.8 cm KwK 36 cannon for the German Army (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36).

Between August 1942 and August 1944, 1,347 were built.

The Tiger I was phased out of manufacturing after August 1944 in favour of the Tiger II.

While the Tiger I has been praised as a remarkable design for its time, it has also been criticised for being over-engineered, with costly materials and labor-intensive manufacturing techniques.

The Tiger was prone to specific types of track failures and breakdowns, and its high fuel consumption limited its range.

It was costly to maintain, but it was mechanically sound.

Mud, ice, and snow formed between its overlapping and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk-pattern road wheels, immobilising them frequently.

During the muddy rasputitsa season and periods of intense cold, this was an issue on the Eastern Front.

Ferdinand Porsche gave the tank the nickname “Tiger,” and the Roman numeral was added after the Tiger II went into production.

The initial designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H (roughly “armoured combat vehicle VI version H,” abbreviated PzKpfw VI Ausf. H), with the ‘H’ indicating Henschel as the designer/manufacturer.

It was assigned the designation Sd.Kfz. 182 in the ordnance inventory.

In March 1943, the tank was renamed PzKpfw VI Ausf. E, with the ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 181.