Hi guys. I just wanted to ask for some guidance about what is a realistic amount of stowage and exactly what type of items would have been stowed on the outside of a Tiger 1 during the Normandy campaign?

One sees beautifully finished models of Tigers with massive amounts of stowage- bedrolls, jerrycans,200 liter drums,ammo boxes, helmets,ration boxes...I've even seen a model that had a bicycle lashed to the engine deck... But in photos of actual Tigers in Normandy,
there appears to be very little in terms of items stowed on deck, certainly during combat.

What items would be appropriate to add to a model to be authentic asopposed to an overkill and in what quantities? In particular,
was it common to stow jerry cans on the deck of Tigers and if so, where?

Thanks!

I've seen a picture of what appeared to be a 50 gallon drum on the back of a Tiger in formation with other Tigers also carrying 50 gallon drums on the back deck. Maybe someone here has a picture?

After Operation Zitadelle, the Germans were mainly on the retreat, and never far from their supply bases, unlike the Blitzkrieg years, when supply couldn't keep up with the panzers, and the panzers had to be pretty well self-sufficient. Extra stowage was no longer necessary, and only slowed them down. The Tiger l's in Normandy carried extra fuel not only for themselves, but for other Tigers at the front which had run dry - Tigers used up a lot of fuel.

That is interesting and makes sense... Certainly compared to allied Shermans in Normandy the German tanks seem to carry much less.

Hi Mike

There are some pictures in Jean Restayn's Book on the Tiger 1 in action of Tigers with 200 litre fuel drums on the back, otherwise loads of foliage would probably be the order of the day for tanks operating in Normandy where the Allies have air supremacy.

Tiger #211 from the s.Pz.Abt.102 :





H.P.

Thanks Henri for those photos! Very interesting. I'd imagine that if there was a fuel drum, they'd also have a hand pump with them too.

Another view :



Manual refuelling :





H.P.

I wonder how those barrels were secured - if at all...

Not talking about the fact they would hamper the turret rotation ...

H.P.

Well, they're apparently only making their way to the frontline, not expecting any attack from ground forces. A sharp turn due to aerial attack however (a very likely event during daylight in the Normandy campaign) would send that barrel to the ground in no time...

Most likely carried in the turret bin so it wouldn't get lost.

There still exists a German drawing of a strap mechanism for securing these drums on the engine deck. But I don't think it was ever manufactured.

David

Obviously they never expected any real fuel shortage as a possible scenario and when it happened was too late already...
Frankly, I’m not sure it was a good idea anyway, given the high-octane petrol the German tanks required.

tree branches...lots of them. Plus a squad of Fallschirmjäger..extra panzerfausts...& jerry cans of fuel & water.

In this Eastern front picture, it looks like the drums are roughly chocked with wood bits...



H.P.