Something like 130 Tiger Is were deployed in Normandy during June and July 19944. The machines were chiefly deployed by the three schwere Panzer Abteilung equipped with Tiger I tanks which fought in Normandy against the Allied invasion forces. In addition, a small number of Tiger I tanks also fought in Normandy serving with the Panzer Lehr Division.
s.Pz.Abt. 503 was a particularly formidable unit and was transferred to Normandy with a full complement of 33 Tiger I and 12 of the new Tiger II tanks. The unit went into action in early July 1944. The 33 Tiger Is were all shipped to the unit in June 1944. Photographs of the unit’s Tigers are very limited. Technical features are, of course, identical to late Tigers shipped to the other units. However one possible distinguishing features is the fact that spare tracks do not appear to have been mounted on front plate as was customary elsewhere. Camouflage patterning was similar to other units, but on at least some vehicles, the Balkankreuz appear to have been unusually large in size. Tactical numbers were relatively thin, neatly stencilled with a white outline and a very dark, probably black, interior.
s.SS-Pz.Abt. 101 received 45 Tiger I in deliveries in total beginning with 10 in October 1943, nine additional late model machines were delivered in January 1944, and 25 in April 1944. The unit reached Normandy in early June and Michael Wittmann and the 1st and 2nd Kompanie fought in the celebrated battle of Villers-Bocage on 13th June 1944. The Tigers issued to this unit included both the rubber-wheel and steel-wheel variants. Unlike s.Pz.Abt. 503 spare track appears to have been mounted on the front plate of most, but it seems not all of the unit’s Tigers. Each Kompanie carried the distinctive unit marking of crossed keys in a shield, on the front and rear. In addition, the 1st Kompanie also carried a Panzer lozenge with an “S” and a small “1” on the front and rear plates. Tactical numbers were fairly large and dark with white outline, except for the command tanks.
s.SS-Pz.Abt. 102 was transferred to Normandy with a full complement of 45 Tiger I and went into action for the first time in early July. The unit was originally issued with a mere six Tiger I in April 1944 but received a further batch of 39 Tiger I in May 1944. Photographs of this unit’s Tigers are very rare. However, the unit appears not to have mounted spare track on the front plate. Camouflage was large patches of colour which on some vehicles leads to the appearance of lines of the original dunkelgelb. Tactical numbers were thin, neatly stencilled with white outline and dark interior. Tactical numbers on the turret sides were often sloped, being aligned with the slope of the turret roof. Some Tigers carried a single underlined “S” rune painted on the zimmerit on the front and/or rear plates.
Panzer Lehr Division was issued 10 Tiger I in September-October 1943 and five Tiger II in February-March 1944. Of the ten Tiger I, three Tiger were listed as still with the division in summer 1944. The division reported six of eight Tigers operational on June 1 and three Tigers operational on July 1st.
A knocked out Tiger I of s.SS-PzAbt.101 lies abandoned in the ruins of Villers Bocage.
VULNERABILITY OF THE PZ. KPFW. VI
A late model Tiger I lies abandoned after being knocked out in action.
A tank is such a complicated weapon, with its many movable parts and its elaborate mechanism, that it is particularly valuable to know its points of greatest vulnerability. Recently the Soviet Artillery Journal published a number of practical suggestions, based on extensive combat experience, regarding the vulnerability of the Tiger.
All weapons now used for destroying German tanks - antitank guns and rifles, caliber.50 heavy machine guns, antitank grenades, and Molotov cocktails - are effective against the Pz. Kpfw. VI.
(1) Suspension System - The mobility of tanks depends upon the proper functioning of the suspension parts: the sprocket (small driving wheel), the idler (small wheel in the rear), the wheels, and the tracks. All these parts are vulnerable to shells of all calibres. The sprocket is especially vulnerable.
Fire armour-piercing shells and high-explosive shells at the sprocket, idler, and tracks.
Fire at the wheels with high-explosive shells. Use antitank grenades, antitank mines, and movable antitank mines against the suspension parts. Attach three or four mines to a board. Place the board wherever tanks are expected to pass. Camouflage the board and yourself. As a tank passes by, pull the board in the proper direction and place it under the track of the tank.
(A German source states that this method was successfully used on roads and road crossings in Russia, and that it still is taught in tank combat courses for infantry. The mine is called the Scharniermine (pivot mine). It consists of a stout length of board, 8 inches wide by 2 inches thick, and cut to a length dependent on the width of the road to be blocked. A hole is bored at one end, through which a spike or bayonet can be driven into the ground, thus providing a pivot for the board. A hook is fastened to the other end of the board, and a rope is tied to the hook, as shown in Figure 3. Tellermines are secured to the top of the board.
One man can operate this mine. After the board has been fastened down at one end with the spike (in emergencies, a bayonet) and a rope tied to the hook at the other end, the board is laid along the side of the road. On the opposite side of the road, a man is posted in a narrow slit trench. He holds the other end of the rope. When a tank approaches, the tank hunter waits until it is close enough to the pivoted board, and, at the very last moment, he pulls the free end of the board across the road. The rope and slit trench must be well camouflaged. A good deal of emphasis is placed on this point.)
(2) Side Armour Plates - There are two armour plates on each side of the tank. The lower plate is partly covered by the wheels. This plate protects the engine and the gasoline tanks, which are located in the rear of the hull — directly beyond and over the two rear wheels. Ammunition is kept in special compartments along the sides of the tank. These compartments are protected by the upper armour plate.
Fire armour-piercing shells from 76-, 57-, and 45mm guns at the upper and lower armour plate. When the gas tanks or ammunition compartments are hit, the vehicle will be set on fire.
(3) Rear Armour Plate - The rear armour plate protects the engine, the gasoline tank, and the radiators.
Use antitank guns. Aim at the rear armour plate. When the engine or the gasoline tanks are hit, the tank will halt and will begin to burn.
(4) Peepholes, Vision Ports, and Slits - The main turret has two openings for firing small-arms weapons, and two vision ports. The turret has five observation slits. There are two sighting devices on the roof of the front part of the tank - one for the driver, the other for the gunner. There is also a port with sliding covers in the front armour plate.
Use all available weapons for firing at the peepholes, observation ports, vision slits, and the ports for small-arms weapons.
5. Turrets - The commander’s turret is an important and vulnerable target.
Fire high-explosive and armour-piercing shells of all calibres at the commander’s turret. Throw antitank grenades and incendiary bottles after the turret has been damaged.
The tank commander, the turret commander, and the gunner ride in the turret. The tank gun and many mechanical devices are found in the turret.
Fire at the turret with 76-, 57-, and 45mm shells at ranges of 500 yards or less.
(6) Tank Armament - The turret is armed with a gun and a machine gun mounted coaxially. Another machine gun is found in the front part of the hull. It protrudes through the front armour plate, on a ball mount, and is manned by, the radio operator.
Concentrate the fire of all weapons on the armament of the tank. Fire with antitank rifles at the ball mount of the hull machine gun.
(7) Air Vents and Ventilators - The air vents and the ventilators are found under the slit-shaped perforations of the roof of the hull, directly behind the turret. Another air vent is located in the front part of the roof, between the two observation ports used by the radio operator and the driver.
Use incendiary bottles and antitank grenades to damage the ventilating system.
(8) Tank Floor - When an antitank mine explodes under the tank, the floor of the tank is smashed, and the tank is knocked out of action.
(9) Base of Turret - There is a 10mm slit going all around the turret, between the base of the turret and the roof of the hull.
Fire at the base of the turret with heavy machine guns and antitank guns, to destroy the turret mechanism, and disrupt the field of fire. Fire with high-explosive shells at the base of the turret in order to wreck the roof of the hull and put the tank out of action.
The Tiger I that knocked out the first M26 Pershing in combat. The victorious Tiger then backed into a demolished building and became immobile. The crew then abandoned the tank which fell into Allied hands.