Tiger etching

[Silverstalker]

Can anyone tell me what that "etching" is on the tiger armour? A series of of fine lines or groves running the length of the tank, some have some don't?

I haven't got a photo am on mobile

[mike1268]

Its a paste that was applied to german tanks to help stop magnetic mines sticking to them. Irony is, we didnt use magnetic mines against them ... lol

Its called Zimmerit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmerit

[billpe]

I think it was aimed more at stopping the Soviets.

[mike1268]

I think it was aimed more at stopping the Soviets.

Acording to the Tiger Haynes manual, non of the allied nations used magnetic anti tank mines

[Silverstalker]

Ah I see.......well better safe than sorry

[billpe]

Yes, the only nation to use magnetic mines with the Germans themselves. At the stage when zimmerit was developed and started to be used was when the bulk of the ground fighting was with the Soviet Union. There was a myth of Soviet soldiers using them which perpetuated enough that zimmerit was invented and used. However there was never any official Soviet magnetic mine. The dogs with bombs strapped too them was true though.

[mike1268]

Does make for a nice looking tank. If you havent read the tiger haynes manual, its well worth a read. Got some nice photos of a chap re-creating the zimmerit process. Also tells of some tanks that got shot setting fire on the outside of the tank. This again was caused by the zimmerit not being 100% cured. They have to burn it on to set it and the pictures show the zimmerit on fire.

I've heard about the dogs being used. They were quite effective at taking out tanks, but were not selective to which tanks they went to.

[billpe]

I've heard about the dogs being used. They were quite effective at taking out tanks, but were not selective to which tanks they went to.

I think they were initially effective but Hans Von Luck stated that after the first few exploded, men just shot dogs if they saw them.

[Silverstalker]

Pigeons with bombs on them.....throw bread crumbs at the tank.....sorted haha....just thinking way outside the box here

[AlwynTurner]

There was a demmo of the socks/c4 approach on saving private ryan but that was the movies. Alwyn