Why The Tiger & Tiger II Tanks Couldn't Turn The Tide In WW2

World War II was tank-heavy, as both the Allied and Axis powers fielded thousands of the behemoths. Tanks fought from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the fields of France and deserts of North Africa, and few were as feared as the Tiger I and Tiger II, some of the most dangerous Axis tanks of WWII. The Allies called the Tiger II "Royal Tiger" and "King Tiger," and both Tigers were deadly machines of war. But they suffered from a variety of problems that made them far less capable than they should have been.

Compared to the tanks fielded by Germany's enemies, the Tiger series of tanks was a top-tier weapons system. In practice, though, that wasn't always the case, and while some dominated the battlefields upon which they fought, not all of them did. Many suffered from issues related to their over-engineered complexity, as well as supply-chain issues that kept them out of the fight.

Essentially, the Germans made the Tiger tanks to be massive machines of military might, but they didn't account for everything that went into ensuring their lethality remained constant. The first models were rushed into service in September 1942 to support the war in the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa, and they were used poorly. Ultimately, the Tiger I and Tiger II fell short of turning the tide of the war, despite being renowned as some of the most legendary tanks of WW2.

Early in the war, the Germans had success fielding Panzer tanks, but a heavier option was desired, resulting in development of the first Tiger tank. The Tiger I was incredibly heavy and large, weighing in at 63 tons, largely due to the 100 millimeter thickness of its forward armor. That made it almost impenetrable for Allied guns to get a shot through, while the Tiger's 88 mm gun could penetrate similarly thick armor up to 3,280 feet away.

The Tiger I could move up to 25 mph and was crewed by five personnel. It featured secondary weapons — two 7.92 mm machine guns. Germany began constructing and fielding the Tiger II in January 1944, and it was equally devastating on paper. It featured the same gun caliber (but with a longer barrel) and secondary weapon, but weighed considerably more at 77 tons. It could travel up to 16 mph, which accounts for the increased weight, and its armor was up to 180 millimeters thick.

These features put American tanks like the M4 Sherman to shame, and they did engage one another in combat. Tiger tanks were first used in the Soviet Union before making their way to Europe and Africa, so they took part in the entire Nazi theater of operations. Unfortunately for the Germans, they were plagued with problems that relegated the Tiger from being one of the most fearsome military tanks ever built to the subject of articles like this one.

With all their stats and capabilities, the Tiger tanks seemed like indomitable forces, but maintaining them was a nightmare, as their immense weight pushed their engines and other components to their breaking points. When a tank broke down and required maintenance, there were few spare parts to go around, and the tanks' complexity meant that most repairs were difficult to accomplish in the field.

Add to that the incredible fuel consumption required from such behemoths, and the Nazis had a problem. By the time the Americans entered the war, Germany was already experiencing supply-chain troubles, and getting fuel to the front was a constant issue. Fuel shortages meant that many Tigers weren't able to keep up and enter the fight. Despite the Allies' concern over running into Tigers, few were built compared to some enemy vehicles. Only around 1,350 Tigers Is and 492 Tiger IIs were built, while more than 50,000 Shermans rolled off assembly lines. This limited the Tigers' number of engagements. 

The Tiger II was impressive under the right conditions, threatening Allied tank columns when properly prepared. Unfortunately for Germany, they were often caught off guard and out of position, ultimately falling to superior numbers. Overall, the Tiger tanks should have been more useful, but a combination of issues related to supplies, complexity, maintenance, and overwhelming enemy numbers rendered them largely ineffective through much of World War II.