Hitler's Black Chariots

THE LEGEND & REALITY OF GERMANY'S TIGER TANK IN WORLD WAR TWO

The most feared tank of the Second World War is not a matter that is in dispute - it is the German Tiger. But there is a better question to ask - was it the most effective tank of the war? Or was it so wrapped in mythology that its true value has become obscured?

This question propels this investigation into the most storied tank of the war, tracing the evolution and employment of the Tiger Tank and its successor, as well as the variants built on the same chassis - the Ferdinand, Sturmtiger, and Jagdtiger - from the sands of North Africa to the Russian steppes, and finally to the bocage of Normandy and the desperate battles within the German homeland. While the Tiger was feared by many of its opponents, it was also over-engineered and reliant on expensive materials and intensive labour to produce and maintain them.

Because of this, between August 1942 and August 1944 only 1,347 were built.

Through the course of his research, Kaine uncovers aspects that were either unknown or have been forgotten. In the end, we are left with a much better picture of what this fabled weapon meant to Germany's war effort.