Editing Tiger II (section)

{{Short description|German WWII heavy tank}}
{{For|the aircraft also known as the Tiger II|Northrop F-5}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name = ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf''. B
| image = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-721-0398-21A, Frankreich, Panzer VI (Tiger II, Königstiger).jpg|Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-721-0398-21A, Frankreich, Panzer VI (Tiger II, Königstiger) |frameless|upright=1.35	
]]
| image_size = 300
| caption = Tiger II, France, June 1944
| origin = [[Nazi Germany]]
| type = [[Heavy tank]]
| is_vehicle = yes
| is_UK=yes <!-- for getting ou spelling in infobox -->
| service = 1944–1945
| wars = [[World War II]]
| designer = [[Henschel & Son]] (hull) / [[Krupp]] (turret)
| design_date = 1943
| manufacturer = Henschel & Son / Krupp (turret)
| unit_cost = {{Reichsmark|321,500|link=yes}} ($160,750 USD) in 1944–45<ref>Zaloga 2015 p. 39.</ref>
| production_date = 1944–45
| number = 492<ref name="Jentz96-288"/>
| variants = 
| weight = {{convert|68.5|t|abbr=out|lk=on}} early turret<br /> {{convert|69.8|t|abbr=out}} production turret<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| length = {{convert|7.38|m|ftin|abbr=on}} hull<br /> {{convert|10.286|m|ftin|abbr=on}} with gun forward)<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| width = {{convert|3.755|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| height = {{convert|3.09|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| crew = 5 (commander, gunner, loader, radio operator, driver)
| armour = {{convert|25|–|185|mm|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| primary_armament = 1× [[8.8 cm KwK 43]] <br /> Early Krupp design turret: 80 rounds<ref name="J&D23">{{cite book|last1=Jentz|first1=Thomas|last2=Doyle|first2=Hilary|title=Kingtiger Heavy Tank 1942–45|date=1993|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=185532282X|page=23}}</ref><br /> Production turret: 86 rounds<ref name="J&D23"/>
| secondary_armament = 2× [[7.92 x 57 mm|7.92&nbsp;mm]] [[MG 34]] machine guns<br /> 5,850 rounds<ref name="J&D1997.162-165">Jentz and Doyle 1997, pp. 162–165.</ref>
| engine = V-12 [[Maybach HL230|Maybach HL 230 P30]] [[petrol]] engine
| engine_power = 700 PS (690 hp, 515 kW)<ref name="J&D28">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 28 (figure D)</ref>
| transmission = Maybach OLVAR OG 40 12 16 B (8 forward and 4 reverse)<ref name="J&D28"/>
| fuel_capacity = {{convert|860|L|impgal}}<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| pw_ratio = 10 PS (7.5 kW) /tonne (9.89 hp/tonne)
| suspension = [[Torsion bar]]
| clearance = {{convert|495|to|510|mm|in|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
| vehicle_range = Road: {{convert|190|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D33">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 33.</ref><ref>Panther & its variants by Walter J. Spielberger p. 276.</ref><br /> Cross country: {{convert|120|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D33"/>
| speed = Maximum, road: {{convert|41.5|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D33"/><br /> Sustained, road: {{convert|38|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D33"/><br /> Cross country: {{convert|15|to|20|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}<ref name="J&D33"/>
}}

The '''Tiger II''' was a [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[heavy tank]] of the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The final official German designation was '''''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf''. B''',{{efn|''[[Panzerkampfwagen]]'' – abbr: ''Pz.'' or ''Pz.Kfw.'' (English: "[[armoured fighting vehicle]]"), ''Ausf.'' is abbreviation of ''Ausführung'' (English: variant). The full titles ''Panzerkampfwagen'' Tiger ''Ausf''. B and ''Panzerbefehlswagen'' Tiger ''Ausf''. B (for the command version) were used in training and maintenance manuals and in organisation and equipment tables.<ref>Jentz and Doyle (1997)</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2021}}. Also sometimes referred to as "Pz. VI ''Ausf'' B", not to be confused with "Pz. VI ''Ausf'' E", which was the [[Tiger I]].}} often shortened to '''Tiger B'''.<ref name="J&D16">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 16.</ref> The ordnance inventory designation was ''[[List of Sd.Kfz. designations|Sd.Kfz.]]'' 182.<ref name="J&D16"/> (''Sd.Kfz.'' 267 and 268 for command vehicles). It was also known informally as the '''''Königstiger'''''<ref name="J&D16"/> ([[German language|German]] for [[Bengal tiger]], {{lit|King Tiger}}).<ref>Buckley 2004, p. 119.</ref><ref>Tank Spotter's Guide, Bovington 2011 p. 63</ref> Contemporaneous Allied soldiers often  called it the '''King Tiger''' or '''Royal Tiger'''.{{cn|date=February 2023}}

The Tiger II was the successor to the [[Tiger I]], combining the latter's thick armour with the [[armour sloping]] used on the [[Panther tank|Panther]] medium tank. It was the costliest German tank to produce at the time. The tank weighed almost 70 [[tonne]]s, and was protected by {{convert|100|to|185|mm|abbr=on}} of armour to the front.<ref name="J&Darmor"/> It was armed with the long barrelled (71 calibres) [[8.8 cm KwK 43]] anti-tank cannon.{{efn|''KwK'' is abbreviation of ''Kampfwagenkanone'' – (literally 'fighting vehicle cannon')}} The chassis was also the basis for the ''[[Jagdtiger]]'' turretless ''[[Jagdpanzer]]'' anti-tank vehicle.<ref name="Schneider19">Schneider 1990, p. 18.</ref>

The Tiger II was issued to [[German heavy tank battalion|heavy tank battalions]] of the [[German Army (1935–1945)|Army]] and the ''[[Waffen-SS]]''. It was first used in combat by [[503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion]] during the Allied [[Operation Overlord|invasion of Normandy]] on 11 July 1944;<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 37.</ref> on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]], the first unit to be outfitted with the Tiger II was the [[501st Heavy Panzer Battalion]].<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 40.</ref> Due to heavy Allied bombing, only 492 were produced.