King Tiger

Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 182. It is also known under the informal name Königstiger (German for the Bengal Tiger), often literally translated by the Americans as King Tiger, and by the British as Royal Tiger. The design followed the same concept as the Tiger I, but was intended to be even more formidable. The Tiger II combined the thick armor of the Tiger I with the sloped armor of the Panther. The tank weighed 68.5 (early turret) to 69.8 (production turret) metric tons, was protected by 150 to 180 mm of frontal armor, and was armed with the 88 mm KwK 43 L/71 gun. The very heavy armor and powerful long-range gun gave the Tiger II the advantage against virtually all opposing Allied and Soviet tanks. This was especially true on the Western Front, where the British and U.S. forces had almost no heavy tanks to oppose it. The M4 Sherman was unable to penetrate the front even at point blank range and the M26 Pershing (using tungsten HVAP ammunition) and IS-2 (using steel shot) had to come within 1300 m and 200 m respectively.[1] The chassis was also the basis for the Jagdtiger turretless tank destroyer.