Tiger I: Difference between revisions

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== The captured Tiger of 1943 ==

In May [[1943]], a Tiger (turret number 131) of the [[Afrika Korps]] was captured in tunisiaTunisia and sent to [[England]] for inspection. The western [[Allies]], however, did little to prepare for combat against the German tank despite their assessment that the Tiger was superior to their own tanks. It is believed this decision was based on the doctrine of the [[United States Army]], which did not place emphasis on tank-vs.-tank combat, believing instead in the use of [[tank destroyer]]s. The failure to field a similar heavy tank was due in part to a powerful lobbying effort by the manufacturers of tank destroyers, German agents embedded within the U.S. government and military working against this, the shortcomings of the earlier M6 tank, and extensive delays in planned heavy tank development.

On September 25th, 1951, the captured tank was officially handed over to the [[Bovington Tank Museum]] at [[Bovington|Bovington Camp]] in the [[UK]], by the British [[Ministry of Supply (UK)|Ministry of Supply]]. In June [[1990]], preparations were made for restoring the Tiger to running order. In December of [[2003]], Tiger 131 returned to the museum with a fully operational engine after extensive restoration by the Army Base Repair Organization.