Did the Germans use any Tiger 1's in the battle of the bulge? I know most of the army and SS were refitted with King Tigers by then but is there any chance one slipped in? I'm asking this because I've started a dio were two americans are running away as a german tank with infantry rises over a hill. I'm just sick of the king tiger with having built 2 and having one sit around unfinished for several months.(just can't get the camo right)
If no tiger 1's were used what kind of armor was so menacing that it would make troops run?

Hey Mike,

cannot help much on the Tiger 1 front, except to say that i think one German Unit "may" have fielded the Tiger 1, but for the life of me i cannot remember which one it may have been, possibly one of the independant Werhmacht Abteilung.

As for whatelse would have made troops run away? How about a Panther,JadgPanther,JPz IV/70? If the troops had no anti armour weapons then even a half track with, say a quad 20mm flak gun mounted on it,or even a 37mm flak gun ona half track. Same goes for the Wirlblewind and Ostwind. If you have no defence then the only option you are left with is to run away and figth another day.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

There was a similar thread on Finescale Forum. Have a look. A lot of people say that Tiger 1s were used.

link

Dave

Marineman25 -

First, to your question about Tiger Is in "Bulge". In 5th Panzer Army, 9th Panzer Division there was sPz Abt 301 which used the Tiger Is. I'd have to differ to "thebear", "Kelley", or "Biggles2" for versions/configurations (possibly Mids, more likely Late?) as they are much more knowledgeable than I am in this area. But I do go along with "Hawkeye" in that during "Bulge" just about any German tank coming at you when you've only got a M1 or machine gun would have you heading for cover. Using a PzKpfw IV (most plentiful of German tanks in "Bulge") or PzKpfw V Panther would definitely do the trick. Panzerjagers like Stug IIIs, Panzerjager IV/l70s, Hetzers, even JagdPanthers would more likely be seen with the Panzergrenadiers or Volksgrenadiers attacking. Lots of options here to plan around. Let us know what you come up with.

Blade48mrd

I imagine final production Tigers would be found in the Ardennes, as production ended in August 1944, but again I'd differ to someone more knowledgeable.

Dave

I was reading through Tigers in Combat 2 the other day and it says they were used. Since production ended in August or September 44' they most likely would have been still operating in small numbers so I think your dio is appropriate. Plus, who could prove you wrong with absolute certainty? also, if you like it and are happy then go with it.

Mike, as a couple of people have already said a limited number of Tiger I's were used in the Bulge. (probably no more that 12 or 14 at the most) Just to make a small correction to what Mike D. posted, it was sPz Kompanie "Hummel". They were attached to sPz Abt 506, as a 4th company. The tanks themselves were a mixture of several Tiger I types including some with the steel rimmed road wheels and some with rubber. They also seem to have had a few "hybrids", Tiger's with different hull/ turret arrangements, ie. early turret on a hull with late steel wheels. This was due to the fact that they were formed as an "alarm" unit and their tanks were received from a couple of other units, including some from the maintenance organization.

I would also agree with what others have said about infantry running from a tank. If they didn't have anything to fight it with, it wouldn't matter what type of tank it was. This would have been especially true early in the offensive when the Germans were having so much initial success.

Cheers,
Mike L.

So... say Dragons Late Tiger with maybe a little whitewash and some tree limbs would work? Can you guys give me some more info on sPz Abt 506.Where they were and what their objective was- a town, a certain bridge? Did they face american opposition?

Mike

I would say no whitewash (When the offensive began there was very little snow on the ground, if any at all. The first few days it was mainly a cold rain with some sleet mixed in, the snow didn't begin in earnest til about a week into the fighting.) I know for sure the 506 was operating in the area near Bastogne later in the fighting, and they definitely faced U.S. forces. I'll take a look through some of my refs and try to find some more specific info if you need it.

Cheers,
Mike

9 Panzer Division had Pz Bn 301, strength on Dec 16th reported at 14 Tiger I's. The division was commited to the Bulge on the 22nd.

Cheers

Ray

King Tigers got all the glory (?) but it's a safe bet you would find Tiger 1, Panther G and late version Panzer IV's there as well. It was a large operation and I can guarantee more than King Tigers were used

Well Mike and Ray have pretty well hit the nail on the head about Tigers used at the Bulge....What would be ironic would be to build your dio with either a Panther or even better a Panzer IV but call the dio something like ...TIGER! because every time the GI's saw a tank ,they called it a tiger..

Rick