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Taranov

They kill last 1942 production Tiger Evil or Very Mad

Morons... Gang of barbarians... I haven't any good words for this "restoration" Evil or Very Mad

bsmart

I'm not sure you understand when the Tiger was opened up. It was done soon after it arrived in the US for testing purposes. It wasn't brought here as a museum piece it was brought back for use in testing to develop counter weapons and to lern as much as possible about enemy equipment. Some of the Armor was taken out to a range and used to test AT weapons. Other components were used for other testing. It was actually one of several tigers at Aberdeen at the time. I don't know how many but some were probably 'tested to destruction' others were scrapped in a Korean War scrap drive (but that is another story about a lieutenant overstepping his authority to try and impress a higher ranking officer who wasn't the one he should have been concerned with impressing :-))

As mentioned here before many of the artefacts at Aberdeen have been cut open. That was done to support the collections primary mission, to be used as test and training aids.

the_shadock

Bob, it was not cut open in 1970 .... look here :

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=112174&sid=eab378d006bd4e3bc0a592e3f5d419b0

That was made after this date.. but when??

P-O

bsmart

That picture was made before 1985 because there are no concrete pads under the vehicles. That is one of the first things I look for in Aberdeen photos.

Neil_Baumgardner

Frankly I think the photo evidence is a little inconclusive without a closeup of the left side. In the 1970 picture I think I can see a sheet metal fill-in on the left side of the hull - I see vertical "lines" where the cutout is in the current picture. It was painted the same color as the rest of the tank. Its harder to tell if the turret has a sheet-metal fill in for the hole - but I agree with Bob, I highly doubt it was cutopen after the 1950s.

Neil

piney

Hi all

I agree with Bob & Neil, if you look carefully at the picture you can see the lines where the sheet metal covers end and I know personally that it had those covers in place in 1977 when I saw it the first time. Even in the "flesh" it took a little while to realize that the cover sheets were there and from any distance they "disappeared". That is also the same paint job it had in 1977. HTH

Jeff Lewis

piney

here is a picture showing the seams of the sheet metal covers more clearly

Jeff Lewis

bsmart

I pulled out my copy of 'Tiger Without A Home' The book about Aberdeen's Tiger. The 'sectionalization' (cutting open) did not happen during the war. During the war the Tiger was kept in running condition for testing until March of 45 when Col Jarret reported in a memo that testing was complete citing poor mechanical condition, lack of spare parts, and the publication of extensive reports by the British months earlier. The sectionalization happened in 1947 when it and other representative vehicles in the collection were 'opened up' to allow students and visitors to view the development of armor in detail. There are pictures of the opening completly open, covered with wire mesh, and covered with sheet metal.

This book also notes that in the Korean War scrap drives 3500 tons of material including 225 tanks selfpropelled guns and other vehicles were scrapped.

TrevorLarkum

piney, could I use your photo's at PTC?

UID73: APG Tiger

piney

Please feel free Dr. Larkum

TrevorLarkum

Thanks a lot, added:

UID73: APG Tiger

Can you say what dates the pictures were taken (at least an estimate)? Also, can you confirm where the side view was taken?

Many thanks,

piney

the turret view is easy Sept. 1978, the other photo was taken in Germany by an airforce buddy late 1990's early 2000's checked with him and is alright to use the photo

Neil_Baumgardner

Piney,
Any news/pics from Saturday?

Neil

JG300-Ascout

Back in the late '80's, I recall seeing a 1:25th Tamiya model (have one myself) on display in a shop in OKC that had lettering on the side to the effect of:

"To President Franklin Delano Roosevelt from the such-and-such a unit, captured in Tunisia...etc. 1943." The presentation had a very authentic look about it like it was based on some documentary evidence. Anyone aware of such a captured war trophy appearance and the authenticity of this display?