|
Henschel & Sohn memulai pengembangan desain tank besar di awal Januari tahun 1937 saat Departemen Persenjataan Angkatan Darat meminta Henschel mengembangkan kendaraan tipe ''Durchbruchwagen'' ("Kendaraan Pemecah Pasukan") dengan berat rata-rata 30-33 ton .<ref>B T white ''German Tanks and Armoured Vehicles, 1914-1945'' p69-70</ref> Hanya satu prototipe badan yang pernah di buat sedangkan turretnya tak pernah di pasangkan. Prototipe Tank ''Durchbruchwagen I'' bentuk badan dan suspensi nya mirip serupa dengan tank [[Panzer III]] sementara turret-nya sama dengan tank [[Panzer IV|Panzer IV C]] dengan senjata utama L/24.
Sebelum prototipe ''Durchbruchwagen I'' selesai dibuat, ada isu mengatakan bahwa Departemen Peralatan Angkatan Darat akan memesan pembuatan tank dengan berat awal 30 ton. Tank ini merupakan pengembangan Durchbruchwagen I namun dengan tambahan lebih: armor yang tebal pada Prototipe, yang mana tank ''Durchbruchwagen'' II ini, akan mampu memiliki 50mm lapis baja di depan dan kalau di total berat keseluruhan menjadi 36 ton. Hanya satu badan yang dibuat sama saja seperti ''Durchbruchwagen I'' dan tak pernah di buat turret nya. Pengembangan tank ini dimulai tahun 1938 bentuk nya dan suspensi Durchwagen II ini serupa dengan Tank [[Panzer IV]] . untuk membuat desain yang Lebih Baik dan Lebih Besar maka dibuat cetak biru baru bernama [[VK 30.01 (H)]] dan [[VK 36.01 (H)]]. Kedua prototipe tank wehrmachtBaik Durchbruchwagen I & II digunakanakan memiliki sebagaistatus ''kendaraan"Kendaraan ujiUji coba''Coba" sampai pada akhir 1941.
Tank VK 30.01 (H) tank kelas medium dan Tank VK 36.01 (H) Tank Kelas Berat, termaksudBerdasarkan dalamdari ProyekKedua theprototipe ''Schachtellaufwerk''tank -wehrmacht alreadyDurchbruchwagen commonI on& GermanII half-tracksVK such30.01 asakan thedifungsikan [[SdKfzmenjadi 7]]Tank -Pembantu overlappingInfanteri andsedangkan interleavedVK main36.01 roadakan wheelsdibuat formenjadi tank usekelas berat yang nantinya akan mnejadi cikal bakal tiger.
[[File:Tiger (P).svg|thumb| TheTiger PorscheI, prototypePrototipe milik Porsche]] ▼The [[VK 30.01 (H)]] was intended to mount a low velocity 7.5 cm L/24 infantry support gun, a 7.5 cm L/40 dual purpose anti-tank gun, or a 10.5 cm L/28 field gun in a [[Krupp]] turret. Overall weight was to be 33 tonnes. The armour was designed to be 50 mm on frontal surfaces and 30 mm on the side surfaces. Four prototype hulls were completed for testing. Two of these were later modified to build the "[[Sturer Emil]]" (12.8 cm ''Selbstfahrlafette'' L/61) self-propelled anti-tank gun.
Pada 26 Mei 1941, Henschel dan Ferdinand Porsche di beri permintaan untuk mendesain ulang proyek tank kelas berat dengan 45 ton berat awal, tanpa pikir panjang Porsche meneruskan pekerjaannya di VK 30.01 (P) tank Leopard sedangkan Henschel melanjukan juga di prototipe VK 36.01 (H). Henschel juga membuat dua prototipe lagi : a VK 45.01 (H) H1 dengan 88 mm senjata utama, dan prototipe selanjutnya adalah VK 45.01 (H) H2 dengan 75 mm senjata utama.
Saat Jerman melakukan [[Operasi Barbarossa|Perjalanan ke Timur]] pada 22 Juni 1941, Jerman terkejud dengan tank baru Soviet yaitu [[T-34]] kelas medium dan [[KV-1 (tank)|KV-1]] kelas berat yang dapat menandingi tank-tank jerman di timur. Oleh karena itu desain tank ini dibuat agar dapat menandingi KV-1 dan [[T-34]], akhirnya rancangan Ferdinad Porsche yang di terima dan mulai dikirim ke timur pertengahan 1942.
The [[VK 36.01 (H)]] was intended to weigh 40 tonnes, with 100 mm (4 inches) of armour on front surfaces, 80 mm on turret sides and 60 mm on the hull sides. The VK 36.01 (H) was intended to carry a 7.5 cm L/24, or a 7.5 cm L/43, or a 7.5 cm L/70, or a 12.8 cm L/28 cannon in a Krupp turret that looked similar to an enlarged Panzer IVC turret. The hull for one prototype was built, followed later by five more. The six turrets built were never fitted and were used as part of the [[Atlantic Wall]]. The VK 36.01 (H) project was discontinued in early 1942 in favour of the VK 45.01 project.
Combat experience against the French [[Somua S35]] [[cavalry tank]] and [[Char B1]] heavy tank, and the British [[Matilda II]] [[infantry tank]]s during the [[Battle of France]] in June 1940 showed that the German Army needed better armed and armoured tanks.{{sfn|Green|2008|pp=12-13}}
▲[[File:Tiger (P).svg|thumb|The Porsche prototype]]
On 26 May 1941, Henschel and Ferdinand Porsche were asked to submit designs for a 45 tonne heavy tank, to be ready by June 1942.{{sfn|Green|2008|p=13}} Porsche worked on an updated version of their VK 30.01 (P) Leopard tank prototype while Henschel worked on an improved VK 36.01 (H) tank. Henschel built two prototypes: a VK 45.01 (H) H1 with an 88 mm L/56 cannon, and a VK 45.01 (H) H2 with a 75 mm L/70 cannon.
On 22 June 1941, Germany launched [[Operation Barbarossa]], the invasion of the [[Soviet Union]]. The Germans were shocked to encounter Soviet [[T-34]] medium and [[KV-1 (tank)|KV-1]] heavy tanks that completely outclassed anything the Germans were currently fielding.{{sfn|Green|2008|p=14}} According to Henschel designer [[Erwin Aders]]: "There was great consternation when it was discovered that the Soviet tanks were superior to anything available to the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]]."{{sfn|Carruthers|2013|loc=chapt. Design features}} The T-34 was almost immune from the front to every gun in German service except the 88 mm Flak gun. Panzer IIIs with the [[5 cm KwK 38|5 cm KwK 38 L/42]] main armament could penetrate the sides of a T-34, but only at short range. The KV-1 was immune to all but the 8.8 cm Flak guns.
An immediate weight increase to 45 tonnes and an increase in gun calibre to 88 mm was ordered. The due date for the new prototypes was set for 20 April 1942, [[Adolf Hitler]]'s birthday. Unlike the [[Panther tank]], the designs did not incorporate [[sloping armour]], an innovation taken from the T-34.
Porsche and Henschel submitted prototype designs, each making use of the Krupp-designed turret. They were demonstrated at [[Rastenburg]] in front of Hitler. The Henschel design was accepted, mainly because the Porsche design used a troubled gasoline-electric hybrid power unit which needed large quantities of [[copper]], a strategic war material that Germany had limited supplies of.{{sfn|Jentz|Doyle|1993|p=6}} Production of the ''Panzerkampfwagen'' VI ''Ausf.'' H began in August 1942. Expecting an order for his tank, Porsche built 100 chassis. After losing the contract, they were used for a new turretless, [[casemate]]-style [[tank destroyer]]; 91 hulls were converted into the [[Elefant|''Panzerjäger'' Tiger (P)]] in the spring of 1943.
The Tiger was still at the prototype stage when it was first hurried into service, and therefore changes both large and small were made throughout the production run. A redesigned turret with a lower cupola was the most significant change. To cut costs, the submersion capability and an external air-filtration system were dropped.
==Combat history==
| 