Spaced armour would be a cool option, plus an AA turret.
Or maybe field modded applique armour cut from old T34s.
Flame dampening exhausts and Infrared night fighting gear might be another way to go.
I like the idea of the old warhorse soldiering on...

Hi

I realise this is just a bit of fun, which is what modelling should be, I think it would be more likely they'd modify the Tiger for other tasks and duties rather than as you depicted.

It was quite a heavy tank and from what I've read the power plant was only just up to the job. As such I seem to remember reading it couldn't move and traverse its turret at the same time for that very reason, so I doubt if adding the amount of additional armour would be feasible.

I don't remember the frontal armour being a problem as regards penetration, the Allied tactics were to get to it's rear and knock it out that way, so I guess if anything the rear would be up amoured in some way.

You counter this by saying that they could fit a more powerful power plant, but then we have the transmission to consider. The Jagdtiger with it's additional armour suffered with these sorts of issues and of the small number made most got lost from mechanical failure.

I'd say they would maybe use it like the Bergepanther to tow bigger tanks such as the King Tiger.

Other options are already covered by the former models like the Panther and Panzer four in converting those to tank destroyers with the Jagdpanther etc.

You can see they were thinking slightly differently about tanks anyway and I think it was only Hitler's and a few others influence that persisted with the bigger heavier tanks like the Maus etc.

I'd say they would if anything use the small number left serviceable to perform "Bergetiger" type duties or such as in the case of the Sturmtiger, something specific like an urban assault vehicle.

Maybe a ramming front for going through building, a new turret with different weapons coming out of it such as multi mounted remote machine guns for infantry support at close quarters knowing its heavy armour makes it like a virtual mobile pillbox which in many ways was what it was anyway..

All just my opinion and a bit of fun.

See ya.

Alan

Wire mesh Schuerzen?

Well, here's one actual improvement that was proposed for the Tiger, but they never got around to doing it...


The German sketches still exist. See here.

David

And that Tiger Schmalturm?

Yes, but why would they in effect downgrade its gun size and capability ? Note any gun platform converted from an existing tank upgrades the gun, not as shown here, downgrades it.

I can see them fitting a bigger, more powerful gun but that had been covered by things like the Hummel, Nashorn etc.

Bear in mind the Tiger suspension system is more complex than it's Hummel equivalent so I think they would stick with the easier to service option.

All good fun.

Alan

Hi

All I can think of is using its heavy armour for protection, as I indicated before, would bring it into play as a ground infantry close support vehicle.

So maybe a field modification would be to replace its main gun with a flame thrower or maybe some form of rocket system for close quarter work, and thought given to space armour to protect against infantry hollow charge weapons.

I guess another could be as a minefield sweeper. Getting hold of one of the Allied "funnies" and copying the flailing chains from those.

Alan

Excellent idea! The problems from the under-powered engine and weak drive train could have been solved without any major external changes. Turbocharged or supercharged diesel engines would have required no changes to the rear deck. An improved transmission could have fit inside the hull. Changes for the exhaust system would have been a bolt on change performed in the field by maintenance sections.

I think the remaining Tiger I chassis would have been used to produce some real Bergetigers and the Berpanzer III's and IV's were produced, except with the inboard winch of the later Bergepanthers. Another upgrade would have been mounting a heavy lift crane on the Tiger chassis. The Tiger chassis was the basis for a prototype recovery vehicle, before the Bergepanther was developed or produced.

The 88mm in the Tiger was still very potent weapon in 1945, so at the least it could have remained in service. Replacing the damaged turret with a self-propelled artillery piece like a Hummel could have been another choice.

Check out the first 3 seconds of this video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=jzWAinUJ5_w&feature=related