Did you know:
- The number 131 is derived from the German heavy equipment numbering system, where 1 = first company, 3 = platoon, 1 = first command vehicle.
- It was originally believed that the vehicle was captured by the British 48th Royal Tank Brigade at the Battle of Djebel Djaffa on April 21, 1943, when a deflected shot from a Churchill tank immobilized the Tiger’s turret and the crew abandoned the vehicle.
- In 2009, however, something extraordinary happened. The Tank Museum in Bovington, where the Tiger is preserved, was visited by Mr. Dale Oscroft. Mr. Oscroft was struck by the tank’s story, which closely matched the account of his father John, a direct participant in the Tunisia campaign. John had been ordered to hit and hold up the German tanks with a PIAT anti‑tank projectile until reinforcements arrived. After crawling forward, he fired, but the projectile ricocheted off the tank. At that moment, British Churchills arrived on the battlefield. One of the British tanks struck the Tiger’s gun barrel. The shot slid along the barrel and became lodged in the turret ring, immobilizing the turret. The German crew abandoned the tank. The entire incident took place at Gueriat el Atach, designated Point 174. Fortunately, many photographs survived from the battlefield, allowing the authenticity of the new information to be conclusively confirmed.
- The impact is still visible on the tank displayed in the museum.
- Before the Tiger’s crew abandoned the vehicle, it had hit two British Churchill tanks, destroying them without ever seeing the enemy.
- Lieutenant Peter Gudgin, commander of one of the hit Churchills, later testified that the Tiger’s shot hit the front armor, passed through the hull, and finally lodged in the engine, causing a fire. The Churchill crew abandoned the tank practically uninjured.
- The captured tank was examined by a secret service on the direct orders of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
- This vehicle was first displayed in Tunis and then, in 1951, transferred to The Tank Museum in Bovington, where it remains in fully operational condition.
- In 2012, restoration to full operational status was completed. The total repair costs exceeded £80,000.
- Tiger 131 appeared in several war films, such as Fury (2014).
Technical Specifications:
- Classification: Heavy tank
- Dimensions: length 8.45 m (with gun), width 3.56 m, height 3.0 m
- Weight: 57,000 kg
- Armor: up to 120 mm
- Main armament: KwK 36 L/56 88 mm gun (92 rounds)
- Secondary armament: 2 × 7.92 mm machine guns (4,800 rounds)
- Powerplant: Maybach HL230 P45 petrol engine, 515 kW
- Maximum speed: 40 km/h on road, 20 km/h offroad
- Range: 100 km road / 60 km offroad
- Crew: 5
The Tank Museum, Bovington:
- One of the two largest tank museums in the world.
- The collection includes over 300 vehicles from 26 countries, including the oldest tank, Mark I.
- The site originally served as a tank training center from 1916. The museum was founded in 1947.
- Every June, the museum hosts the popular Tankfest event, attracting crowds of fans from around the world.
From the memories of German gunner Erich Hartmann:
“I was inside the tank when we were hit by a shell. The explosion was tremendous and I nearly lost my hearing. Fortunately, we all survived, but our Tiger 131 was destroyed.”
