Editing Tiger II

{{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.

==Development==

Development started in 1937 with a design contract awarded to [[Henschel & Son|Henschel]]. Another design contract followed in 1939, given to [[Ferdinand Porsche|Porsche]].<ref name="Jentz & Doyle 1993, p. 3">Jentz & Doyle 1993, p. 3.</ref> Both prototypes used the same turret design from [[Krupp]]. The main differences were in the hull, transmission, suspension and automotive features.<ref name="Jentz & Doyle 1993, p. 3"/>

[[File:Chambois1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force|Supreme commander of the allied forces in Europe]] General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower]] walks by an overturned Tiger II destroyed in [[Falaise pocket]] August 1944]]
The Henschel version used a conventional hull design with sloped armour resembling the layout of the Panther tank. It had a rear-mounted engine and used nine steel-tired, eighty-centimetre-diameter overlapping road wheels per side with internal springing, mounted on [[Torsion bar suspension|transverse torsion bars]], in a similar manner to the original Henschel-designed Tiger I. To simplify maintenance, however, the wheels were only overlapping ''without'' being interleaved—the full ''Schachtellaufwerk'' rubber-rimmed road-wheel system that had been in use on nearly all German [[half-track]]s used the interleaved design, later inherited by the Tiger I<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 10–12.</ref> and Panther.

The Porsche hull designs included a rear-mounted turret and a mid-mounted engine. The suspension was the same as on the ''[[Elefant]]'' tank destroyer. This had six road wheels per side mounted in paired [[bogies]] sprung with short longitudinal torsion bars that were integral to the wheel pair; this saved internal space and facilitated repairs. One Porsche version had a gasoline-electric drive (fundamentally identical to a [[diesel-electric transmission]], only using a gasoline-fueled engine as the [[Prime mover (locomotive)|prime mover]]), similar to a [[gasoline-electric hybrid]] but without a storage battery; two separate [[drivetrain]]s in parallel, one per side of the tank, each consisting of a hybrid drive train; gasoline engine–[[electric generator]]–electric motor–drive [[sprocket]]. This method of propulsion had been used on the rejected [[VK 45.01 (P)|Tiger (P)]] design, which had been rebuilt as ''Elefant'', and in some US designs and was put into production in the French World War I era [[Saint-Chamond (tank)|Saint-Chamond]] tank and post-World War I [[Char 2C]]. The Porsche suspension components were later used on a few of the later ''[[Jagdtiger]]'' tank destroyers. Another proposal was to use hydraulic drives; Dr. Porsche's unorthodox designs gathered little favour.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 8–10.</ref>

==Design==
[[File:Munster Koenigstiger Porscheturm Modell detail.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A tank turret with a front face which curves up and down. The sides are slanted vertically and curved laterally.|A model depicting the curved front of the first version of the Krupp turret (erroneously called "Porsche turret")<ref name=":0">{{Citation|title=Tank Chats#47 King Tiger |date= 2 March 2018|publisher=The Tank Museum|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuDuBwAhRa4&t=337| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/QuDuBwAhRa4| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|access-date=24 January 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>]]

Henschel won the design contract, and all Tiger IIs were produced by the firm.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 17</ref> Two turret designs were used in production vehicles. The initial design is often misleadingly called  the "Porsche" turret due to the misbelief that it was designed by Porsche for their [[VK 4502 (P)|Tiger II]] prototype; in fact it was the initial Krupp design for both prototypes.<ref name=":0" /> This turret had a rounded front and steeply sloped sides, with a difficult-to-manufacture curved bulge on the turret's left side to accommodate the commander's cupola. Fifty early turrets were mounted to Henschel hulls and used in action. In December 1943 the more common "production" turret, sometimes erroneously called the "Henschel" turret, was simplified with a significantly thicker flat face (which eliminated the [[shot trap]] caused by the curved face of the earlier turret), and less-steeply sloped sides, which avoided the need for a bulge for the commander's cupola, and added additional room for ammunition storage.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 13–16.</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-680-8282A-09, Budapest, Panzersoldaten in Panzer VI (Tiger II).jpg|thumb|right|alt=A tank turret with an almost square, flat, vertical face, the sides are almost vertical, and curve laterally only slightly.|The angular front of the "production turret" designed by Krupp (erroneously called "Henschel turret")<ref name=":0" /> taken during [[Operation Panzerfaust]] in [[Budapest]], 15 October 1944. The rough [[Zimmerit]] coating is evident, used to prevent magnetic mines from adhering to the tank's armour.]]
The turrets were designed to mount the 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. Combined with the ''Turmzielfernrohr'' 9d (German "turret telescopic sight") monocular sight by Leitz, which all but a few early Tiger IIs used, it was a very accurate and deadly weapon. During practice, the estimated probability of a first-round hit on a {{convert|2|m|abbr=on}} high, {{convert|2.5|m|abbr=on}} wide target was 100 percent at {{convert|1000|m|yd|abbr=on}}, 95–97 percent at {{convert|1500|m|yd|abbr=on}} and 85–87 percent at {{convert|2000|m|yd|abbr=on}}, depending on ammunition type.{{Cn|date=January 2024}} Recorded combat performance was lower, but still over 80 percent at 1,000&nbsp;m, in the 60s at 1,500&nbsp;m and the 40s at 2,000&nbsp;m. Penetration of armoured plate inclined at 30 degrees was {{convert|202|and|132|mm|abbr=on}} at {{convert|100|m|yd|abbr=on}} and {{convert|2000|m|yd|abbr=on}} respectively for the [[Panzergranate 39|''Panzergranate'' 39/43]] projectile (PzGr – [[armor-piercing shot and shell|armour-piercing shell]]), and {{convert|238|and|153|mm|abbr=on}} for the [[Panzergranate 40|PzGr. 40/43]] projectile between the same ranges.{{Cn|date=January 2024}} The ''Sprenggranate'' 43 (SpGr) high-explosive round was available for soft targets, or the ''Hohlgranate'' or ''Hohlgeschoss'' 39 (HlGr – HEAT or [[High-explosive anti-tank warhead]]) round, which had {{convert|90|mm|abbr=on}} penetration at any range, could be used as a dual-purpose munition against soft or armoured targets.<ref name="J&D23-24">Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 23–24</ref>

Powered turret traverse was provided by the variable speed Boehringer-Sturm L4S hydraulic motor, which was driven from the main engine by a secondary drive shaft. A high and a low speed setting was available to the gunner via a lever on his right. The turret could be rotated 360 degrees at 6º/second in low gear independent of engine rpm, at 19º/second – the same as with the Tiger I – with the high speed setting and engine at 2000 rpm, and over 36º/second at the maximum allowable engine speed of 3,000 rpm. The direction and speed of traverse was controlled by the gunner through foot pedals, whilst a high torque low speed (useful when on slopes) or low torque high speed final gearing could be selected via a control lever near his left arm. This system allowed for very precise control of powered traverse, a light touch on the pedal resulting in a minimum traverse speed of 0.1 deg/sec (360 degrees in 60 min), unlike in most other tanks of the time (e.g. US [[M4 Sherman]] or Soviet [[T-34]] medium tanks) this allowed for fine laying of the gun without the gunner needing to use his traverse handwheel.<ref>Tigers in the Mud: The Combat Career of German Panzer Commander Otto Carius, by Otto Carious, Stackpole Books, 2003, {{ISBN|9780811729116}}, p. 23</ref> If power was lost, such as when the tank ran out of fuel, the turret could be slowly traversed by hand, assisted by the loader who had an additional wheel, which could manually rotate the turret at a rate of one-half a degree per each revolution of the hand crank; a 20° turret rotation required 40 full cranks of the handwheel, and to turn the turret a full 360° the gunner would be required to crank the handwheel 720 full revolutions.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

[[File:Tiger II mg 7802.jpg|thumb|alt=The overhanging rear face of a large tank, two laterally spaced exhaust pipes protrude from mountings, pointing upwards, curving away from the vehicle at their ends.|Rear view showing dual exhausts]]
Like all German tanks, the Tiger II had a [[petrol engine]]; in this case the same 700 [[Horsepower#PS|PS]] (690&nbsp;hp, 515&nbsp;kW) V-12 [[Maybach HL230|Maybach HL 230 P30]] which powered the much lighter Panther and Tiger I tanks. The Tiger II was under-powered, like many other heavy tanks of World War II{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}, and consumed a lot of fuel, which was in short supply for the Germans. The transmission was the Maybach OLVAR OG 40 12 16 Model B, giving eight forward gears and four reverse, which drove the steering gear. This was the Henschel L 801, a double radius design which proved susceptible to failure. Transverse torsion bar suspension supported the hull on nine axles per side. Overlapped {{convert|800|mm|abbr=on}} diameter road wheels with rubber cushions and steel tyres rode inside the tracks.<ref name="J&D11-12">Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 11–12.</ref> Late production Tiger Is received the same wheels, which were one of the few interchangeable parts between the two tanks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tiger Wheels |date=30 November 2017 |url=https://tankmuseum.org/article/tiger-wheels |access-date=2023-10-03 |archive-date=2023-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923051522/https://tankmuseum.org/article/tiger-wheels |url-status=live }}</ref>

Like the Tiger I, each tank was issued with two sets of tracks: a normal "battle track" and a narrower "transport" version used during rail movement. The transport tracks reduced the overall width of the load and could be used to drive the tank short distances on firm ground. The crew were expected to change to normal battle tracks as soon as the tank was unloaded. Ground pressure was 0.76&nbsp;kg/cm<sup>2</sup> (10.8 psi).<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 13.</ref>

===Command variant===
The command variant of the Tiger II was designated ''Panzerbefehlswagen'' Tiger ''Ausf. B''. It had two versions, ''Sd.Kfz''. 267 and ''Sd.Kfz''. 268. These had reduced ammunition capacity (only 63 rounds of 8.8&nbsp;cm ammunition) to provide room for the extra radios and equipment,<ref name="J&D16"/> and had additional armour on the engine compartment. The ''Sd.Kfz''. 267 was to have used ''FuG'' 8 and ''FuG'' 5 radio sets, with the most notable external changes being a {{convert|2|m|ft|adj=mid|-long|spell=in}} rod antenna mounted on the turret roof and a ''Sternantenne D'' ("Star antenna D"), mounted on an insulated base (the 105&nbsp;mm ''Antennenfuß Nr. 1''), which was protected by a large armoured cylinder. This equipment was located on the rear decking in a position originally used for deep-wading equipment.<ref name="J&D16"/> The ''Sd.Kfz''. 268 used ''FuG'' 7 and ''FuG'' 5 radios with a two-metre rod antenna mounted on the turret roof and a 1.4 metre rod antenna mounted on the rear deck.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 16–17.</ref>

==Production==
The Tiger II was developed late in the war and built in relatively small numbers. Orders were placed for 1,500 Tiger IIs—slightly more than the 1,347 Tiger I tanks produced—but production was heavily disrupted by Allied bombing raids.<ref name="Manchester68-498">Manchester 1968, p. 498.</ref> Among others, five raids between 22 September and 7 October 1944 destroyed 95 percent of the floor area of the Henschel plant. It is estimated that this caused the loss in production of  657 Tiger IIs.<ref name="J&D17">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 17.</ref> Only 492 units were produced: one in 1943, 379 in 1944, and 112 in 1945. Full production ran from mid-1944 to the end of the war.<ref name="Jentz96-288">Jentz 1996, p. 288.</ref> Each Tiger II cost 321 500 Reichsmark.<ref>PAWLAS, Karl R. Waffen-Revue W 127 - Datenblätter für Heeres-Waffen, -Fahrzeuge und Gerät. Nurnberg : Publizistisches Archiv für Militär- und Waffenwessen, 1976. 248 p.</ref> The vehicle was the costliest German tank to produce at the time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-VI_Konigstiger.php|title=Panzer VI Ausf.B Königstiger (1944)|website=www.tanks-encyclopedia.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-12|archive-date=2019-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816123544/http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-VI_Konigstiger.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Tiger II served as the basis for one production variant, the ''[[Jagdtiger]]'' [[casemate]]d tank destroyer,<ref name="Schneider19"/> and a proposed [[Grille&nbsp;(artillery)|''Grille'']] 17/21/30/42 self-propelled mount for heavy guns which never reached production.{{cn|date=January 2024}}
==Proposed upgrades==
The Maybach [[List of WWII Maybach engines#HL234|HL234]], an engine born from attempting to convert the Maybach HL230 to [[fuel injection]], would have increased the power from 700 to at least 800 PS (hp). In January 1945 the ''Entwicklungskommission Panzer'' unanimously decided that HL234 be immediately included in the engine design and procurement program. The ZF AK-7-200 gearbox was also explored as an alternative to the Maybach Olvar-B semi-automatic gearbox, but ''[[Waffenamt]]'' research and development department ''Wa Prüf 6'' found that it offered inferior driving characteristics and so the Maybach Olvar-B was retained.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1997|p=144-154}} There was also a program using the Simmering-Graz-Pauker Sla.16-cylinder diesel engine,{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1997|p=144-154}} but the war's constraint on supplies and Germany's capitulation resulted in the cancellation of this program.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} Krupp proposed mounting a new main weapon, the [[105 mm calibre|10.5 cm]] KwK L/68. ''Wa Prüf 6'' did not support this as the ''Heer'' had not accepted the cannon. Other suggested improvements included stabilised sights, a stabilised main gun, an [[Autoloader|automatic ammunition feed]], a [[Carl Zeiss AG]] [[stereoscopic rangefinder]], heated crew compartment, stowage <!-- stowage is the correct term, storage is wrong --> for an additional 12 rounds, and an [[Overpressure (CBRN protection)|overpressure]] and air filtration system to protect against [[Chemical weapon|poison gas]]. However, these also never got beyond the proposal stage or did not enter production before the war ended.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1997|p=144-154}}

==Specifications==
{{multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width=300
| image1 = Tiger II 332 U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection.jpg
| image2 = Tiger II gun U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection.jpg 
| image3 = Tiger II hatch U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection.jpg
| image4 = Tiger II cutaway U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection-3.jpg
| image5 = Tiger II cutaway U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection-2.jpg
| footer = Tiger II 332 cutaway model at the [[U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection]]
}}
* Gearbox: Maybach OLVAR OG 40 12 16 B (eight forward and four reverse)<ref name="J&D11-12"/>
* Radio: FuG 5, ''Befehlswagen'' (command tank) version: ''FuG'' 8 (''Sd.Kfz''. 267), ''FuG'' 7 (''Sd.Kfz''. 268)<ref name="J&D16"/>
* Ammunition:
** 8.8&nbsp;cm – 80 rounds (early turret),<ref name="J&D23"/> 86 rounds (main production turret), usually 50% ''PzGr'' 39/43 and 50% SprGr 43, sometimes with a limited number of ''PzGr'' 40/43, or with the ''SprGr'' replaced by HlGr<ref name="J&D23"/>{{efn|the rounds were:
*''PzGr'' 39/43 Armour-piercing, hardened steel (APCBC)) giving longer range, lower penetration, explosive filler<ref name="J&D28"/><ref name="J&D23-24"/>
*''PzGr'' 40/43 Armour-piercing, [[tungsten carbide]] core (APCR)) with shorter range, higher penetration, inert<ref name="J&D28"/><ref name="J&D23-24"/>
*''SprGr'' 43 High explosive (HE))<ref name="J&D28"/>
*''HlGr'' 39 [[Hollow charge]] (HEAT))<ref name="J&D28"/>}}
** 7.92mm – up to 5,850 rounds<ref name="J&D1997.162-165"/>
* Gun Sight: ''Turmzielfernrohr'' 9b/1 (TZF 9b/1) binocular to May 1944, then the 9d (TZF 9d) monocular.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 19.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Armour layout (all angles from horizontal)<ref name="J&Darmor">Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 12, 15.</ref>
|-
! colspan =2 | Location
! Thickness 
!  Aspect
|-

|-
| rowspan=8 | Hull || Front (lower)|| {{convert|100|mm|abbr=on}} || 40°
|-
|Front  (upper) || {{convert|150|mm|abbr=on}} || 40°
|-
|Side (lower) || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 90°
|-
|Side (upper) || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 65°
|-
|Rear  || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 60° 
|-
|Top  || {{convert|40|mm|abbr=on}} || 0° 
|-
|Bottom (front)|| {{convert|40|mm|abbr=on}} || 90°
|-
|Bottom  (rear) || {{convert|25|mm|abbr=on}} || 90°
|-
| rowspan=8 |Turret || Front (production)||{{convert|180|mm|abbr=on}} || 80°
|-
|Front ("Porsche") || {{convert|60|-|100|mm|abbr=on}} || rounded
|-
|Side (production) || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 69°
|-
|Side  ("Porsche") || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 60°
|-
|Rear (production) || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 70°
|-
|Rear  ("Porsche") || {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} || 60°
|-
|Top (production) || {{convert|44|mm|abbr=on}} || 0–10°
|-
|Top ("Porsche") || {{convert|40|mm|abbr=on}} || 0–12°
|}

==Operational history==

===Organisation===
{{See also|German heavy tank battalion}}
Apart from research, training, and a five-tank attachment to the [[Panzer Lehr]], the Tiger II was only issued to heavy tank battalions (''schwere Panzer-Abteilungen'') of the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] (''Heer''), or ''[[Waffen-SS]]''.<ref name="J&D36">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 36.</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1975-102-14A, Panzer VI (Tiger II, Königstiger).jpg|thumb|alt=A row of seven large tanks lined up with their long guns pointing up at an angle, as if saluting.|Tiger II tanks fitted with the narrower "vehicle-transport tracks" of the [[503rd Heavy Tank Battalion (Germany)|''Schwere Heeres Panzer Abteilung'' 503 (s.H.Pz.Abt. 503) 'Feldherrnhalle']] posing in formation for the [[Die Deutsche Wochenschau|Nazi German wartime-propaganda newsreel]] at the armour-training ground in Sennelager, Germany, prior to the unit's departure for Hungary]]

A standard battalion (''Abteilung'') comprised 45 tanks:<ref name="J&D36"/>
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 style="line-height:normal; text-align:center; border-top:3px double #999; border-collapse:collapse;"
|- style="vertical-align:bottom; border-bottom:1px solid #999;"
|colspan=9 |Battalion command<br /> 3 × Tiger II
|- style="vertical-align:top; border-bottom:1px solid #999;"
|colspan=3 | 1st company command<br /> 2 × Tiger II ||colspan=3 | 2nd company command<br />2 × Tiger II ||colspan=3 | 3rd company command<br />2 × Tiger II
|- style="vertical-align:top; border-bottom:3px double #999;"
|1st platoon<br />4 × Tiger II ||2nd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II ||3rd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II
|1st platoon<br />4 × Tiger II ||2nd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II ||3rd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II
|1st platoon<br />4 × Tiger II ||2nd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II ||3rd platoon<br /> 4 × Tiger II
|-
|}

Units that used the Tiger II were as follows:<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 37–42.</ref>
:''Heer: (s.H.Pz.Abt)'' [[501st heavy tank battalion (Germany)|501]], [[502nd heavy tank battalion (Germany)|502]], [[503rd heavy tank battalion (Germany)|503]], [[504th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|504]], [[505th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|505]], [[506th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|506]], [[507th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|507]], [[508th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|508]], [[509th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|509]], [[510th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|510]], [[511th heavy tank battalion (Germany)|511]]
:''SS: (s.SS.Pz.Abt)'' [[SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101|501]], [[SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 102|502]], [[SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 103|503]]

===Reliability and mobility===
[[File:Bovington Tiger II grey bg b.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A large, turreted tank with dull yellow, green and brown wavy camouflage, on display inside Bovington museum. The tracks are wide, and the frontal armour is sloped. The long gun overhangs the bow by several meters.|A camouflaged Tiger II on display at Bovington Tank museum. The long gun overhangs the bow by several meters.]]

Early Tiger IIs proved unreliable, owing principally to leaking seals and gaskets, an overburdened drive train originally intended for a lighter vehicle, and teething problems with the final drive and steering unit, both of which had been newly designed for the Tiger II.<ref name="Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 34">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 34</ref><ref>Jentz and Doyle 1997, p. 20</ref> The final drive unit and the double radius steering gear were initially particularly prone to failures.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 11</ref><ref>sPzAbt 506, “Erfahrungen Mit Dem Panzerkampfwagen ‘Tiger’ B.”</ref>

The new double-link track proved to be vulnerable to sideways stresses when the tank was driving on uneven terrain, as well as causing only every other sprocket tooth to engage with the track, leading to their rapid wear and potentially damaging the final drive. The inspector general of panzer troops, [[Wolfgang Thomale]], said in a briefing on November 4, 1944, "These complaints could be traced back to the new track, which, although a considerable production simplification, on the other hand entails a greater susceptibility of the Tiger." The engagement of only every second sprocket tooth was causing "sudden jerks in the final drive, which cannot withstand these blows".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://panzerplace.eu/tiger-ii-v2-extra-off-the-beaten-track/ | title=Tiger II V2 Extra: Off the Beaten Track &#124; PanzerPlace | newspaper=Panzerplace | date=14 July 2021 | access-date=13 July 2023 | archive-date=13 July 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230713120520/https://panzerplace.eu/tiger-ii-v2-extra-off-the-beaten-track/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Tiger II 332 arrives at the Training Support Facility.webm|thumb|right|Tiger II 332 arrives at the [[U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection]], [[Fort Benning]], Georgia]]
Henschel's chief designer, [[Erwin Aders]], wrote, "The failure occurred because the Tiger II went into production without considering the test results."<ref>Aders, Erwin (1961). 'Die Tigertypen E Und B: Entstehung Und Entwicklung', Panzer Kampftruppen Infanterie.</ref> Lack of crew training could amplify this problem; drivers originally given only limited training on other tanks were often sent directly to operational units already on their way to the front.<ref name="Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 34"/>

The [[501st heavy tank battalion (Germany)|''Schwere Heeres Panzer Abteilung'' 501]] arrived on the Eastern Front with only eight out of 45 tanks operational; these faults were mostly due to final drive failures. The first five Tiger IIs delivered to the [[Panzer Lehr Division]] broke down before they could be used in combat, and were destroyed to prevent capture.<ref name="J&D35">Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 35.</ref>

Henschel worked closely with crews to solve the problems, and with the introduction of modified seals, gaskets, drive train components and a new track and sprocket wheel design, as well as improved driver training and sufficient maintenance, the Tiger II could be maintained in a satisfactory operational condition.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 18.</ref> Statistics from 15 March 1945 show reliability rates of 59 percent for the Tiger, almost equal to the 62 percent of the [[Panzer IV]] and better than the 48 percent of the Panther that were operational by this period.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, p. 36.</ref>

The s.H.Pz.Abt 503 noted in an after-action report during operations in Hungary, November 1944:

{{quote|...The battalion went into action in two battle groups with two different divisions on two different days. Provided the assault was successful in penetrating into the enemy rear, the battalion would then reunite. Both groups were extraordinarily successful. From 19-23 October 1944, 120 anti-tank guns and 19 guns were destroyed. The extremely tough and steadfast enemy (penal battalions) was shaken to the core by the energetic assault and his communications to the rear thrown into total confusion by the destruction of various columns and a transport train which, in the final analysis, forced the Russian Sixth Army from the Debrecen area. The total distance of about 250 kilometers covered during the operation was accomplished essentially without mechanical failure. The Tiger II proved itself extremely well, both in its armor and from a mechanical perspective. Vehicles which received up to twenty hits without becoming disabled were not uncommon ... In summary, the Tiger II has proven itself in every way and is a weapon that the enemy fears. When the formation is used as a single, unified entity and is employed in accordance with proper tactics, it always brings decisive success... <ref>The Combat History of Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503, p. 335</ref> }}

Notwithstanding its initial reliability problems, the Tiger II was remarkably agile for such a heavy vehicle. Contemporary German records and testing results indicate that its tactical mobility was as good as or better than most German or Allied tanks.<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1993, pp. 33–34.</ref>{{efn|The authors paid a visit to the Tiger II (Fgst.Nr. 280273, produced in October 1944) now located in the Ardenness in the village of La Gleize. Driving a modern car to the village on the narrow, steep and sharply curved roads, had required frequent use of low gears. That Tiger IIs had managed to make this same trip in the winter was indeed an impressive testimony to both their maneuverability and mobility.<ref>Kingtiger Heavy Tank 1942–45 by Tom Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle Peter Sarson page 36.</ref>}}

Lt Col H.A. Shields of the 66th Armored Regiment reported in 1945:

{{quote|Wherever we have seen Tiger or Panther tanks, they have not demonstrated any inferior maneuverability. Near Puttendorf several Royal Tiger tanks were encountered. These Royal Tigers were able to negotiate very soft ground and their tracks did not sink in soft ground as did our own. }}

===Combat history===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-721-0397-34, Frankreich, Panzer VI (Tiger II, Königstiger) crop.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Tiger IIs (with the first version of the Krupp turret) on the move in France, June 1944]]
The first combat use of the Tiger II was by the 1st Company of the [[503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion]] (''s.H.Pz.Abt''. 503) during the [[Operation Overlord|Battle of Normandy]], opposing the Canadian offensive [[Operation Atlantic]] between [[Troarn]] and [[Demouville]] on 18 July 1944. Two were lost in combat, while the company commander's tank became irrecoverably trapped after falling into a bomb crater created during [[Operation Goodwood]].<ref name="Schneider133">Schneider 2000, p. 133.</ref>

On the Eastern Front, it was first used on 12 August 1944 by the [[501st Heavy Panzer Battalion]] (''s.H.Pz.Abt''. 501) resisting the [[Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive]]. It attacked the Soviet bridgehead over the [[Vistula River]] near [[Baranów Sandomierski]]. On the road to [[Oględów]], three Tiger IIs were destroyed in an ambush by a few [[T-34|T-34-85s]].<ref>Zaloga 1994, p. 14.</ref> Because these German tanks suffered ammunition explosions, which caused many crew fatalities, main gun rounds were no longer allowed to be stowed within the turret, reducing capacity to 68.<ref>Schneider 2000, p. 46.</ref> Up to fourteen Tiger IIs of the 501st were destroyed or captured in the area between 11 and 14 August to ambushes and flank attacks by both Soviet T-34-85 and [[IS-2]] tanks, and [[ISU-122]] assault guns in inconvenient sandy terrain. The capture of three operational Tiger IIs allowed the Soviets to conduct tests at [[Kubinka]] and to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses<ref>Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II. Christopher W. Wilbeck. Aberjona, 2004. p. 135</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-680-8283A-12A, Budapest, marschierende Pfeilkreuzler und Panzer VI.jpg|thumb|alt=A large tank with sloped frontal armour and a flat faced turret, by a column of marching soldiers wearing overcoats and helmets, in a wide city street. A large building to the rear shows the scars of battle.|A Tiger II of [[503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion|s.H.Pz.Abt. 503]] and Hungarian troops in a battle-scarred street in [[Buda]]'s Castle district, October 1944]]
On 15 October 1944, Tiger IIs of 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion played a crucial role during [[Operation Panzerfaust]], supporting [[Otto Skorzeny]]'s troops in taking the Hungarian capital of [[Budapest]], which ensured that the country remained with the [[Axis powers|Axis]] until the end of the war. The 503rd then took part in the [[Battle of Debrecen]]. The 503rd remained in the Hungarian theater of operations for 166 days, during which time it accounted for at least 121 Soviet tanks, 244 anti-tank guns and artillery pieces, five aircraft and a train. This was set against the loss of 25 Tiger IIs; ten were knocked out by Soviet troops and burned out, two were sent back to [[Vienna]] for a factory overhaul, while thirteen were blown up by their crews for various reasons, usually to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The Tiger II was also used in significant numbers, distributed into four heavy panzer battalions, during the [[Ardennes Offensive]] (also known as the 'Battle of the Bulge') of December 1944.<ref>Schneider 2005, pp. 214–216.</ref> At least 150 Tiger IIs were present, nearly a third of total production; most were lost over the course of the offensive.<ref>Green, Michael. "German Tanks of World War II". May 14, 2000. p. 73.</ref>

Some Tiger IIs were also present during the Soviet [[Vistula–Oder Offensive|Vistula–Oder]]<ref>Schneider 2000, p. 47.</ref> and [[East Prussian Offensive]]s in January 1945,<ref>Schneider 2000, pp. 89–91.</ref> as well as the German [[Lake Balaton Offensive]] in Hungary in March 1945,<ref>Schneider 2005, p. 217.</ref> the [[Battle of the Seelow Heights]] in April 1945, and the [[Battle of Berlin]] at the end of the war.<ref>Schneider 2005, pp. 300–303.</ref>

The [[103rd SS Heavy Panzer Battalion]] (''s.SS Pz.Abt''. 503) claimed approximately 500 kills in the period from January to April 1945 on the Eastern Front for the loss of 45 Tiger IIs (most of which were abandoned and destroyed by their own crews after mechanical breakdowns or for lack of fuel).<ref>Schneider 2005, pp. 304, 324.</ref>

===Gun and armour performance===
[[File:Tiger II punctured in front turret.jpg|thumb|alt=A head-on view of a large tank with a flat-faced turret. Its sloped bow armour is scarred with several fist-sized dents, and there is a fist-sized hole in the front of the turret|A Tiger II with several failed penetrations in its front armour and a penetration in its turret.<ref>Pallud 2006, p. 152</ref>]]

The heavy armour and powerful long-range gun gave the Tiger II an advantage against all opposing [[Allies of World War II|Western Allied]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] tanks attempting to engage it from head on. This was especially true on the Western Front where, until the arrival of the few [[M26 Pershing]]s in 1945 and the few [[M4 Sherman#M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Sherman]] "Jumbo" assault tanks with additional armour{{Efn|and after February 1945 some with high velocity 76 mm gun}} that were scattered around Europe after D-Day, as well as a few late [[Churchill tank|Churchill]] models{{Efn|The Churchill Mark VII weighed 40 tons and had 152 mm of armour on hull and turret front but carried the same 75 mm gun as most Allied tanks in Western Europe}}, neither the British nor US forces brought heavy tanks into service. A ''Wa Prüf 1'' report estimated that the Tiger II's frontal aspect was impervious to the Soviet 122&nbsp;mm [[D-25T]], one of the largest calibre tank guns of the war. Soviet testing found that the frontal glacis could be destroyed only by firing 3–4 shots at the weld joints from the ranges of 500–600m.<ref name="Tekhnika molodezhi">{{cite book|last1=Zheltov|first1=Igor|title= TankoMaster Special Issues 02, 2002: Isoif Stalin|publisher= Tekhnika molodezhi|page=33}}</ref> Weld joints were found to be inferior quality to the Tiger I and Panther.<ref name="Tigertest">{{cite web |url=http://english.battlefield.ru/analytics/126-was-the-tiger-really-king.html |title=Was the Tiger really King?: Testing the King Tiger at Kubinka |work=The Russian Battlefield |access-date=2009-10-20 |date=19 September 2011 |quote=source: Tankomaster #6 1999. |archive-date=2019-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813041550/http://english.battlefield.ru/analytics/126-was-the-tiger-really-king.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> An R.A.C 3.d. document of February 1945 estimated that the British (76.2&nbsp;mm) [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder|QF 17-pounder gun]], using [[armour-piercing discarding sabot]] shot was theoretically capable of penetrating the front of the Tiger II's turret and nose (lower front hull) at {{convert|1100|and|1200|yd|m|abbr=on}} respectively although, given the lack of a stated angle, this was presumably at the ideal 90 degrees and in combat the Tiger II was never penetrated frontally by the QF 17-Pounder.<ref name="KTHT34-36">Jentz and Doyle, 1993, pp. 34–36</ref>

As a result of its thick frontal armour, flanking manoeuvres were most often used against the Tiger II to attempt a shot at the thinner side and rear armour, giving a tactical advantage to the Tiger II in most engagements.<ref name="Jary274">Jarymowycz 2001, p. 274.</ref> Moreover, the main armament of the Tiger II was capable of knocking out any Allied tank frontally at ranges exceeding {{convert|2.5|km}}, well beyond the effective range of Allied tank guns.<ref name="Jary258">Jarymowycz 2001, p. 258.</ref>

===Soviet wartime testing===

During August 1944, two Tiger Ausf B tanks were captured by the Soviets near [[Sandomierz]], and were soon moved to the testing grounds at [[Kubinka]]. During the transfer, the two tanks suffered from mechanical breakdowns. The cooling system was insufficient for the excessively hot weather, causing overheated engines and gearbox failure. The right suspension of one of the tanks had to be completely replaced, and its full functionality could not be re-established. The tank broke down again every 10–15&nbsp;km. The 8.8 cm KwK 43 gave positive results in penetration and accuracy, which were on par with the 122&nbsp;mm D-25T. It proved capable of passing completely through its "colleague", a Tiger Ausf B's turret at a range of 400 m. The armour of one vehicle was tested by firing at it with shells between 100 and 152&nbsp;mm calibre. The welding was, despite careful workmanship, significantly worse than on similar designs. As a result, even when shells did not penetrate the armour, there was often a large amount of [[spalling]] from the inside of the plates, which damaged the transmission and rendered the tank inoperable. Further testing showed that the armour plate was inferior quality to earlier German tanks such as the Tiger I and Panther. Lab testing found the plates lacked molybdenum (ascribed to a loss of supply, being replaced by vanadium), resulting in low malleability.<ref name="Tigertest"/><ref>[https://www.welt.de/geschichte/zweiter-weltkrieg/article129869643/Der-riesige-deutsche-Koenigstiger-war-ein-Irrweg.html Der riesige deutsche „Königstiger“ war ein Irrweg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510163110/https://www.welt.de/geschichte/zweiter-weltkrieg/article129869643/Der-riesige-deutsche-Koenigstiger-war-ein-Irrweg.html |date=2020-05-10 }} Von Sven Felix Kellerhoff. Veröffentlicht am 07.07.2014</ref>

The expanded firing test states that the [[Armor-piercing shot and shell|АР]] projectiles from the [[100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3)|100 mm BS-3]] and [[122 mm gun M1931 (A-19)|122 mm A-19]] gun penetrated a Tiger Ausf B's turret at ranges of 1000–1500 metres. However, the firing test against the turret front was conducted after removal of the gun and mantlet, and penetrations were close to openings such as vision slits and the gun location. The penetrations to the right gun opening occurred after previous 100&nbsp;mm projectile penetration hits or armour damage.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bird|first1=Lorrin Rexford|last2=Livingston|first2=Robert D.|title=WWII Ballistics – Armour and Gunnery|date=2001|publisher=Overmatch Press|page=90<!-- |access-date=22 January 2015 -->}}</ref> The 100&nbsp;mm BS-3 and 122&nbsp;mm A-19 could also penetrate the weld joints of the front hull at ranges of 500–600 metres after 3–4 shots.<ref name="Tekhnika molodezhi"/>

==Surviving vehicles==
[[File:Koenigstiger Saumur F.jpg|thumb|alt=The side of a large tank with wide, wavy green and grey striped camouflage, as it drives past, the commander sitting in the cupola.|The working Tiger II of the ''Musée des Blindés'' being displayed to the public, 2005]]

The only working example is displayed at the ''[[Musée des Blindés]]'', [[Saumur]], France. It has the production turret and is accessible to the public. This tank belonged to the 1st Company, [[101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion]]. It was believed to have been abandoned by its crew on 23 August 1944, due to engine problems, at [[Brueil-en-Vexin]], near [[Mantes-la-Jolie]]. It was salvaged by the French Army in September 1944 and then stored in a factory in [[Satory]] before being transferred to the museum in 1975. It was believed to have had turret number 123, but Colonel Michel Aubry, the founder of the museum, decided to put 233 on the turret in honour of the Tiger II that destroyed his Sherman tank at the end of the war. Unlike other captured German vehicles, this Tiger II was never used by the French Army.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
Other survivors include:

[[File:Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausfuhrung B (Tiger II pre-production) front-left2 2017 Bovington.jpg|thumb|alt=A frontal view of a large, pale-yellow tank in a white museum gallery.. Its curved-faced turret is pointing forwards, the long gun overhangs the front by several meters.|The Bovington Tank Museum's prototype Tiger II on display at the museum's Tiger Collection Exhibition, 2017]]
* [[The Tank Museum]], Dorset, UK: Tiger II with early production turret is on display. This vehicle was the second soft steel prototype made and did not see active service.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18192275.tank-museums-king-tiger-loaned-museum-netherlands/|title=The Tank Museum's King Tiger is loaned to museum in the Netherlands|date=28 January 2020|newspaper=Daily Echo|access-date=17 October 2023|archive-date=20 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020050849/https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18192275.tank-museums-king-tiger-loaned-museum-netherlands/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom]], [[Shrivenham]], UK: Tiger II (production turret). This vehicle was from ''s.SS Pz.Abt. 501'', with hull number 280093, turret number 104, and has a comprehensive coating of [[Zimmerit]].<ref>Jentz and Doyle 1997, p.108.</ref> It was claimed by Sergeant Roberts of A Squadron, [[23rd Hussars]], [[11th Armoured Division]] in a Sherman tank near [[Beauvais]], although it had already been disabled and abandoned by its crew following damage to its tracks and final drive.<ref>Schneider 2005, p. 212.</ref> This vehicle is currently on display at The Tank Museum, in Dorset, UK.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
* [[The Wheatcroft Collection]], [[Leicestershire]], UK. A private collector, [[Kevin Wheatcroft]], is about{{citation needed|reason=dated information |date=June 2015}} to start a restoration/rebuild of a complete Tiger II. The project will include parts from many individual Tiger IIs, but many parts will be of new manufacture. Wheatcroft has stated that he has 70–80% of the original parts needed for a reconstruction and more parts are sourced continuously. Known and shown parts are a complete front glacis plate, 8.8 cm KwK 43 main armament, engine deck plates, approx. 1/3 hull (rear) in one part, a set of tracks, and approx. 2/3 of the left-side hull plate in two parts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wheatcroftcollection.com/tiger.html|title=Gallery of parts|publisher=Wheatcroft Collection|access-date=2009-10-20|archive-date=2019-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727170904/http://www.wheatcroftcollection.com/tiger.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The aim of the project is a complete Tiger II in running order.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
[[File:SdKfz182.jpg|thumb|alt=A three quarters view of a large tank with a flat-faced turret, dull yellow, green and brown wavy camouflage, on display inside a museum. The frontal armour is sloped. The long gun overhangs the bow by several meters. Two waist-high cartridges sit on their bases in front of it.|Tiger II with the production turret, at the ''[[Deutsches Panzermuseum]]'', Germany]]
* [[Deutsches Panzermuseum]], [[Munster, Lower Saxony|Munster]], Germany: Tiger II (production turret), hull number 280101.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}} Originally bearing turret number 121 from s.SS.Pz.Abt 501, it was restored with a different number for unknown reasons.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
* [[Mantes-la-Jolie]], France. A more or less complete, but wrecked, Tiger II (production turret) is buried under regional road 913. Parts of the turret were recovered in a limited exploratory excavation in 2001. Further excavation halted for financial reasons. There are plans to fully excavate and restore this Tiger II for a [[Vexin]] battle memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vexinhistoirevivante.com/memorial_tigre.html |title=Memorial Vexin 44 |work=vexinhistoirevivante.com |language=fr |access-date=2009-10-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021151031/http://www.vexinhistoirevivante.com/memorial_tigre.html |archive-date=2009-10-21 }}</ref>
[[File:Tank "Tiger II".Inscription on a trunk "Glory to the Captain Korobov!" (4567311642).jpg|thumb|right|Tiger II at [[Kubinka Tank Museum]]]]
* [[Kubinka Tank Museum]], Russia: Tiger II (production turret) with turret number 002 (502) captured at Oględów by the Red Army.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}} 
[[File:Tiger II La Gleize2008.jpg|thumb|alt=The side of a large tank, freshly painted in pale yellow, green and rust-brown camouflage, sitting in sunlight on a concrete plinth.|Tiger II at La Gleize, Belgium]]
* [[La Gleize#Sights|December 44 Museum]], [[La Gleize]], Belgium: A cosmetically restored Tiger II (production turret), hull number 280273, built in October 1944. Turret number 213 from ''s.SS Pz.Abt 501''. Displayed at the entrance to December 44 Museum Collections, a museum devoted entirely to the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. This tank was abandoned in La Gleize on 24 December 1944, where the advance of [[Kampfgruppe Peiper]] was halted. The front part, about 1/3, of the gun barrel is restored with a Panther gun barrel and muzzle brake.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.december44.com/en/tiger-213.htm |title=Tiger 213, December 44 Museum (accessed 2021-10-23) |access-date=2021-10-23 |archive-date=2019-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911123923/http://www.december44.com/en/tiger-213.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> It also has restored mudguards. It is stripped of exterior and internal fittings and most of the torsion bars are broken, but it still has its gearbox and engine in place.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}
* [[U.S. Army Armor & Cavalry Collection]], [[Fort Benning]], Georgia, United States: Tiger II (production turret), hull number 280243, built in September 1944. Turret number 332 from ''s.SS Pz.Abt. 501''. Captured during the [[Battle of the Bulge]] by Sgt. Glenn D. George of the 740th Tank Battalion of the 1st US Army on December 24, 1944.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=Harry |title=The Real Story of Tiger 332: How Americans Captured a German King Tiger, Mark VI Tank on Christmas Eve, 1944 |date=21 April 2021 |url=https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/the-real-story-of-tiger-332-how-americans-captured-a-german-king-tiger-mark-vi-tank-on-christmas-eve-1944/ |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-date=8 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908051213/https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/the-real-story-of-tiger-332-how-americans-captured-a-german-king-tiger-mark-vi-tank-on-christmas-eve-1944/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The left side was cut open for educational purposes at the [[Aberdeen Proving Ground]] in the late 1940s. Was on display at the former "Patton Museum of Cavalry & Armor, Fort Knox KY, then under BRAC transferred to Fort Benning.{{cn|date=February 2024}}
* [[Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full]], Switzerland. This Tiger II (production turret) was previously displayed in the Thun Tank Museum, and was loaned to the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full in September 2006). This tank was given to Switzerland by France after the war. Hull number 280215 from ''s.H.Pz.Abt 506''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.koenigstiger.ch/ |title=Tiger II |work=Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full |access-date=2009-10-20 |archive-date=2020-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205000550/http://www.koenigstiger.ch/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2021, it is in the process of being restored to working order.<ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.reuters.com/article/swiss-tank-restoration-idUSKBN2BN1PZ|title =Swiss museum restores German 1944 'King Tiger' tank to working order|first1 =John|last1 =Revill|first2 =Arnd|last2 =Wiegmann|website =Reuters|date =31 March 2021|access-date =1 April 2021|archive-date =31 March 2021|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210331123115/https://www.reuters.com/article/swiss-tank-restoration-idUSKBN2BN1PZ|url-status =live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of military vehicles of World War II]]
* [[List of World War II military vehicles of Germany]]
* [[List of Sd.Kfz. designations]]
* [[List of WWII Maybach engines]]

===Tanks of comparable role, performance and era===
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* Soviet [[IS-3_(tank)|IS-3]] heavy tank - entered service in 1945
* United States [[M26 Pershing|T26E4 "Super Pershing"]] heavy tank
* French [[ARL 44]] - produced and served in limited numbers in the late 1940s and early 1950s
* French [[AMX-50]] - several prototypes produced in the late 1940s and early 1950s
{{Div col end}}

==References==
'''Informational notes'''
{{Reflist|group=notes}}
{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist|20em}}

'''Bibliography'''
{{Refbegin}}
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* {{cite book | last = Perrett | first = Bryan | title = Sturmartillerie and Panzerjager 1939–45 | publisher = Osprey | location = London | year = 2000 |series=New Vanguard | isbn = 978-1-84176-004-9 }}
* {{cite book | last = Schneider | first = Wolfgang | title = Elefant Jagdtiger Sturmtiger: Rarities of the Tiger Family | publisher = Schiffer Publishing | location = West Chester | year = 1990 | isbn = 978-0-88740-239-5 }}
* {{cite book | last = Schneider | first = Wolfgang | title = Tigers in Combat I | publisher = Stackpole Books | location = Mechanicsburg | year = 2000 | isbn = 978-0-8117-3171-3 }}
* {{cite book | last = Schneider | first = Wolfgang | title = Tigers in Combat II | publisher = Stackpole Books | location = Mechanicsburg | year = 2005 | isbn = 978-0-8117-3203-1 }}
* {{citation |last1=Spielberger |first1=Walter |last2= Doyle |first2= Hilary |date=2007 |title=Tigers I and II and their variants |location= Pennsylvania |publisher=Schiffer Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-0-7643-2780-3 }}
* {{cite book | last = Számvéber | first = Norbert | title = Nehézpáncélosok. A német 503. nehézpáncélos-osztály magyarországi harcai. | publisher = Hadtörténeti Levéltár | year = 2000 |language = hu | isbn = 978-963-00-2526-3 }}
* {{cite book | last = Wilbeck | first = Christopher | title = Sledgehammers: Strengths and Flaws of Tiger Tank Battalions in World War II | url = https://archive.org/details/sledgehammersstr0000wilb | url-access = registration | publisher = The Aberjona Press | year = 2004 | isbn = 978-0-9717650-2-3 }}
* {{cite book | last = Zaloga | first = Steven | authorlink=Steven J. Zaloga |title = IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944–1973 | publisher = Osprey Publishing |series=New Vanguard | location = London | year = 1994 | isbn = 978-1-85532-396-4 }}
* {{cite book |last=Zaloga |first=Steven J. |year=2015 |title=Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II |location=Mechanicsburg, PA |publisher=Stackpole Books |isbn=978-0-8117-1437-2}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=1}}
* [http://www.panzerworld.net/tigerii.html Information about the Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.B "Tiger II" at Panzerworld]
* [http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt_pantiger/index.html Pantiger, A Redesigned Tiger] (U.S. intelligence report, 1944)

{{WWIIGermanAFVs}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiger Ii}}
[[Category:Heavy tanks of Germany]]
[[Category:World War II heavy tanks]]
[[Category:World War II tanks of Germany]]
[[Category:History of the tank]]
[[Category:Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944]]