In January 1943, a new Tiger tank was ordered by the Waffenamt, this time with a turret large enough to mount the fearsome 8.8cm L/71 gun. Besides improving its tank killing capabilities, the new Tiger was also intended to be more survivable on the battlefield. To achieve this, the thickness of the frontal armor was increased to 150mm, while the side armor remained constant at 80mm. A wooden mock-up showing the immense size of the vehicle was displayed on October 20th, 1943 and immediately became the center of attention to all that saw it. Production of the vehicle began soon thereafter in November 1943 although the first 50 vehicles sported the Porsche turret with its curved front plate. On December 6th, the Waffenant deemed that the shot-trap formed by the turret be eliminated. This was achieved by Henschel re-designing the turret and gun mantlet, in such a manner as to decrease the frontal area while at the same time incorporating a bell-shaped mantlet. By March 1945, 489 Royal Tigers (a.k.a. Konigstigers or "King Tigers") had been produced. Apart from five vehicles issued to the Feldherrnhalle division, all of the Tiger II heavy tanks were assigned to independent schwere Panzer detachments due to the tank's staggering size and weight, as well as its relatively slow rate of maneuver.

Now Unimax has crafted a marvelous 1:16 scale diecast replica of the PzKpfw VI King Tiger Ausfuhrung B heavy tank. This stunning recreation features a rotating turret -- which can be removed so you can check out the different crew stations -- elevating gun, opening hatches, removable diecast ammunition, detachable fender skirts, tank commander, and realistic-looking metal tracks! Each metal track alone weighs over 2 pounds!

All sorts of armament and other accessories have also been included to give this 'king of the battlefield' a truly royal look. This particular King Tiger is painted in a dazzling, multi-colored camouflage pattern used during the latter stages of World War II. Limited edition production run of only 2,000 pieces worldwide, 500 of which were made available to the North American marketplace. Comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 25-inches
Width: 9-inches
Height: 7-inches

Release Date: September 2004

Original Issue Price: $369.99

Historical Account: "Elephant Hunt" - Schwere Panzerabteilung 502 was formed in August 1942 and the first tanks arrived at the front near Leningrad on August 29th, 1942. The rest of the first company arrived in November and more tanks arrived at the front in February 1943. The second and third company was formed that April. It was redesignated schwere Panzerabteilung 511 in January 1945 where it eventually surrendered to the Allies.

Note: Vehicle comes packed in a heavy wooden "ammunition crate" protected by a foam inner core. Due to its enormous heft and size, we recommend that customers interested in purchasing this item do not display it on glass shelving.