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.

Dragon Armor has produced a fine 1:35 scale model of a Tiger I from this famous unit. The fully assembled and finished model is a Late Production variant of a tank fighting in Italy in 1944. A notable aspect of this model is the Zimmerit coating reproduced in exacting detail, this item being the first 1/35 Tiger I with Zimmerit in the Dragon Armor range. To enable the depiction of Zimmerit, a completely new turret, upper and lower hull were produced. The Zimmerit is expertly crafted, representing as good a finish as only skillful modelers could achieve. The model is finished in an overall three-color camouflage finish, and this has been carefully painted onto the vehicle, which is itself an accurately dimensioned and detailed replica of the original tank. This Zimmerit coating adds a new look to an already popular tank, and contributes to an aggressive and attractive subject from the Italian theater. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 10-inches
Width: 4-inches
Height: 4-inches

Release Date: July 2008

Historical Account: "Up and Down the Boot" - Schwere Panzerabteilung 508 was formed in August 1943 and immediately sent to Italy. It engaged the Allies at Anzio and maintained a tenacious defense while withdrawing up the Italian peninsula, suffering heavy casualties in the process. It was eventually disbanded in February 1945.

In early February 1944, the battalion was sent to oppose Allied landings at Anzio. Transportation by rail ended at Ficulle in Italy, far from the enemy beachhead. Because Allied air superiority made further rail transport difficult, the battalion drove the remaining distance, via Rome. One Tiger caught fire on route and was destroyed in an explosion. Sixty percent of the Tigers suffered mechanical breakdown on the 200-kilometre (120 mi) journey through the narrow, winding, mountainous roads. By February 14th, the first company deployed piecemeal in the Anzio region near Aprilia (known as The Factory), as the second company arrived in Rome.