VK 4501 (P) facts for kids

The VK 45.01 (P) was a special kind of heavy tank built in Germany. People also called it the Tiger (P) or Porsche Tiger. It was designed by the famous car company Porsche. This tank used a unique "gasoline-electric" system to move. This means it had gasoline engines that made electricity, and then electric motors used that power to drive the tank.

The VK 45.01 (P) was a prototype. This means it was a test version, not meant for mass production. It was competing against another design from a company called Henschel & Son. In the end, the Henschel design won. It became the well-known Tiger I tank. Most of the VK 45.01 (P) parts that were already built were changed. They became powerful Elefant tank destroyers instead.

Different Versions of the VK 45.01 (P)

The VK 45.01 (P) chassis was used for several different vehicles. Here are some of the main types:

VK 45.01 (P) Test Prototype

• This was the very first version.
• It had a chassis, which is like the tank's body and base.
• Instead of a real turret, it had a heavy concrete block. This block was the same weight as the real turret.
• It helped engineers test how the tank would move with all its weight.
• Only 100 of these chassis were built.

VK 45.01 (P) (Porsche Tiger)

• Ten VK 45.01 (P) tanks were made with real turrets.
• These turrets were made by the Krupp company.
• They had a powerful 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun.
• Only one of these completed Porsche Tiger tanks actually fought in a battle.
• It was used as a special "command tank" to help lead other tanks.

Panzerjäger Tiger (P) "Ferdinand"

• Most of the VK 45.01 (P) chassis were turned into tank destroyers.
• These were called "Ferdinand" jagdpanzers. A jagdpanzer is a tank hunter.
• Ninety-one existing chassis were changed into these powerful vehicles.
• The work was done very quickly, from March to May in 1943.

Panzerjäger Tiger (P) "Elefant"

• In September 1943, the surviving Ferdinands were called back.
• They were updated and made even stronger.
• Forty-eight of the fifty remaining vehicles were improved.
• They got extra armor to protect them better.
• They also received a new commander's cupola, which is a small dome for the commander to see out of.
• A new machine gun was added to the front for self-defense.

Bergepanzer Tiger (P)

• Some VK 45.01 (P) chassis were turned into special recovery vehicles.
• These were called Bergepanzer Tiger (P).
• Their job was to pull broken-down or stuck tanks off the battlefield.
• Only three of these recovery vehicles were built.

VK 45.01 "RammTiger"

• This was a proposed idea, but it was never fully built.
• It would have been a VK 45.01 (P) chassis turned into a "ramming vehicle."
• It would have been very heavily armored.
• Its main purpose was to smash through enemy defenses.
• It would have only had machine guns for defense.
• Three main body parts for these vehicles were completed.
• However, the project was stopped in 1943, so their fate is unknown.

See also

In Spanish: VK 45.01 (P) para niños