The German Waffenamt issued an order to design the VK4501(H) (as the PzKpfw VI Ausf. E was then known) in May 1941, just one month prior to the commencement of Operation Barbarossa. Interestingly, Henschel und Sohn of Kassel was charged with building the heavily armored chassis while Krupp, by far the largest munitionwerks in Germany, was given the task of developing the turret. The PzKpfw VI Ausfuhrung E (type E) was one of the first German tanks to feature a torsion bar with eight interleaved wheels, which was designed to support the weight of the mammoth 57-ton tank. The Ausf. E mounted a huge 8.8cm KwK36 L/56 cannon and featured two MG34 machine guns for close support against enemy infantry. By war's end, 1,354 vehicles had been produced, some rolling off the Wegmann assembly line.

Pictured here is a 1:32 scale replica of a German Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf. E heavy tank that was attached to 3/schwere Panzerabteilung 501, then deployed to Orsha, Russia, during June 1944. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 10-1/4-inches
Width: 4-1/2-inches
Height: 3-1/2-inches

Release Date: February 2012

Historical Account: "Crouching Tiger" - Schwere Panzerabteilung 501 was sent to North Africa following the Allied landings in Northwest Africa. The first tanks arrived in Tunisia in November 1942 while the second kompanie, was used for the occupation of Vichy France. It surrendered in Tunisia in May 1943 but was reformed later in September 1943 from the cadre of troops that had been withheld from Africa.

Afterwards, schwere Panzerabteilung 501 was dispatched to the eastern front in November 1943 and fought at Vitebsk and Gorodok. It was refitted with Tiger II (Konigstiger) tanks in July 1944 and then attached to Heeresgruppe Nordukraine. The unit fought at Radom, Sandomierz and Kleice before being disbanded and used to form schwere Panzerabteilung 424 in December 1944.