HOBBY BOSS maquette militaire 82444 German VK4502 (P) Vorne 1/35

Maquette plastique German VK4502 (P) Vorne.

La planification de la Tiger II a commencé aussi tôt que mai 1941, un an avant le Tigre I est entré en production. By the fall of 1942/January 1943, designers started work on a new heavy tank that would eventually replace the Tiger I . In January 1943, Hitler ordered the new Tiger to be armed with a long 88mm gun and have 150mm frontal armor and 80mm side armor. À l'automne de 1942/January 1943, les concepteurs commencé à travailler sur un nouveau char lourd qui remplacera éventuellement le Tigre I . En Janvier 1943, Hitler ordonna la nouvelle Tiger être armé d'un long fusil 88mm et 150mm ont blindage frontal de 80 mm et côté armure. Front and side plates were to be sloped and interlocked, resulting in a design similar to the then-new PzKpfw V Panther (Sd.Kfz.171) . et plaques latérales avant devaient être en pente et interdépendants, résultant dans une conception analogue à celle d'alors de nouvelles PzKpfw V Panther (Sd.Kfz.171) .

Once again, Henschel and Porsche were ordered to develop the new vehicle. Une fois de plus, Henschel et Porsche ont été commandés pour développer le nouveau véhicule. Porsche provided two projects that were based on the previous VK 4501(P) design and were designated VK4502(P). Porsche a fourni deux projets qui ont été basé sur le précédent VK 4501 (P) de conception et ont été désignés VK4502 (P). The first one, Typ 180 (Turm Vorne) A/B, had its turret mounted centrally, while Typ 181 (Turm Hinten) A/B/C, had its turret mounted in the rear with a mid-mounted engine (similar in layout to the modern Israeli Merkava main battle tanks). La première, Typ 180 (Turm Vorne) A / B, avait sa tourelle monté en position centrale, tandis que Typ 181 (Turm Hinten) A / B / C, a sa tourelle montée à l'arrière avec un moteur central arrière (comme dans la disposition à l'Israël moderne chars Merkava combat principal). Both designs shared the same chassis and hull, along with all the other components and gasoline-electric system of VK4501(P). Les deux conceptions partagées le même châssis et la coque, ainsi que tous les autres composants et le système essence-électricité du VK4501 (P). Both designs were extremely similar, with the only difference being the location of the turret and some mechanical components. Les deux modèles ont été très similaires, avec la seule différence étant l'emplacement de la tourelle et de certaines composantes mécaniques. Only wooden mock-ups were produced. Seuls les bois maquettes ont été produites.

The Porsche Type-180 design [Designated VK 45.02(P)] was based on the earlier VK 45.02(P) design but mounting the 8.8cm L/71 gun on a much modified hull. Two versions were proposed, with turrets to the front(Vorne), or to the rear(Hinten), however only the former was proceeded with, and the construction of three prototypes was underway by February 1943. The turret and guns were designed by Krupp, the distinctively shaped ‘P2-Turm' turrets which were designed for these ve1hicles have since been called ‘Porsche' turrets. As production of these had already started the first 50 KingTiger were fitted with these. Unfortunately the large armoured ‘lip' surrounding the turret ring on the Type-180 was not a feature of the Henschel design and resulted in a major shot trap below the mantlet. All later production King Tiger vehicles used the H3-Turm turret, commonly know as the ‘Henschet' turret.It seems that one of the Porsche Type-180 vehicles may have been in operation since a Porsche Tiger with an 8.8cm L/71 gun is listed as part of the Panzer Kompanie Kummersdorf on March 1945. Virtually all operational Tiger II tanks, and prototypes were used at the end of the war.