Tiger I

Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank of World War II. The initial official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H but the tank was redesignated as Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. E in March 1943.
The Tiger I represented a new approach that emphasised firepower and armour at the expense of mobility. The Tiger I had frontal hull armour 100 mm thick, 80 mm thick armour on the sides and rear, was 25 mm thick armour on the top and bottom. Armour plates were mostly flat, with interlocking construction and high quality armour joints. The tank was too heavy for most bridges, so it was designed to ford four-metre deep water. The rear of the tank held an engine room flanked by two floodable rear compartments each containing a fuel tank, radiator, and fans. The eleven-ton turret had a hydraulic motor powered by mechanical drive from the engine.
The 88 mm Kwk 36 L/56 gun was chosen for the Tiger and was one of the most effective and feared tank guns of WW2. It had a very flat trajectory and extremely accurate Zeiss TZF 9b sights. Tigers were reported to have knocked out enemy tanks at ranges greater than a mile (1,600 m), although most WW2 engagements were fought at much closer range.
With a kill ratio of 10:1, the Tiger I was one of the most heavily armed and armoured tanks of WWII, and a formidable opponent of Allied tanks.