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.

This particular 1:72 scale replica of a mid-production Tiger Ausf. E heavy tank has been slathered with a layer of zimmerit anti-magnetic mine paste and was attached to schwere Panzerabteilung 507, which fought in the Ukraine during 1944. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 4-1/2-inches
Width: 2-1/4-inches

Release Date: September 2006

Historical Account: "Soldiers, All" - The heavy tank battalion schwere Panzerabteilung 507, operated Tiger I and Tiger II tanks during WWII. It was originally formed on September 23rd, 1943 in the Vienna area, before being dispatched to the Eastern Front in March of the following year. On May 31st, 1944, it was serving with Army Group North in the Ukraine with a total of 47 Tiger I tanks. In innumerable clashes against the relentless tide of Soviet forces, the unit's Tigers attempted to stem the flood. Decimated, schwere Panzerabteilung 507 was withdrawn in February 1945 to refit with Tiger II tanks. The unit finally surrendered to American forces in Czechoslovakia on May 12th, 1945. Subsequently, prisoners were turned over to Russia after the cessation of hostilities.