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Forums - Research / WW2 |
This WW2 forum is intended for asking and discussing reference or historical related issues pertaining to WW2 (1939-1945) subjects. |
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| Subject: | Re: Tiger I zimmerit lay out |  |
| Date: | Jul 27, 2006 |
| From: | Alex Borsboom | |
Thanks guys,
I'm afraid I've posted a question that is dificult to answer. Or perhaps there is just no such thing as an 'answer' at all.
Pictures are either inconclusive or show one of both configurations. And apparently it depends on the pics you have, if it's a 'common' or 'rare' feature. In my own little library it is a rare feature, and, as Gerald pointed out (very observant!), often associated with training units (like the 'Hungarian Tiger' in the Jentz/Doyle book).
I've seen all the arguments I did consider myself. Indeed, StuG III and PzKfw IV do have zimmerit on the nearly horizontal glacis, but these are not 'high use/wear' areas as on on the Tiger (as a function of how the crew could entered the vehicle). And indeed, a magnetic mine would stay on the glacis, zimmerit or not, so why use it there? But an overzealous or misinformed factory worker could have applied it to an number of vehicles before he was stopped by more lazy and wiser guys. Or perhaps he was ordered to, then stopped, then ordered to, etc, as we can see with the highly detailed painting instructions that were issued up untill the last days of the war. (As if there were no more urgent things at that time!)
So, if both options are 'correct', I've to go with the easthetic solution. And as it is, there's allready to much beautifull weld detail covered with the zimmerit stuf, so I will go with the clean glacis.
Even a tank as popular and well researched as the Tiger will probably never give all its secrets away.
Thanks again for your input!
Cheers,
Alex |
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