RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Often wondered what they do with the transport tracks after changing to the drive tracks? Also why carry fuel cans strapped to the tank into battle? Or was this practice one of necessity because of later fuel rationing,or lack of support vehicles? And where was the most practical place on the tank for cans of fuel? Saxondog

Transport tracks would've been left a the rail depot. Extra fuel tanks were used for long road marches and taken off before they went into combat (unless they were ambushed).

But if left at the depot it would seem to create problems as the distance to the front grew.Not to say your wrong.I mean your answer is most likely correct.But if the front 250KL from the depot,or more correctly the lack of rail lines on the eastern front it would seem they would ship the tracks back for future use on new production? Would the germans manufacture a set of tracks for every tank?It would seem more practical to assign them to the rail cars if these were specific to TIGER-I transport.And the question about fuel cans was a practical question for me as I complete my TIGER-I S-13 I have two cans to mount and am unsure of the location on the tank.Or would as you have suggested they would stack any where for the drive to their deployment zone or area of operation.Sax

They'd take the tanks by rail as far as possible (but not too close to the front). Then the tanks would drive to the front. If the Germans advanced then the trains (and tracks) would catch up to the Tigers. But by the time the Tiger appeared the Germans were mainly retreating. So the Tigers would go to the front to meet the Russian advance then retreat back at night and if the Russians were getting too close then they'd be loaded up on the trains and taken to the next defensive position.

The Germans could unload the tanks anywhere so the depot might only be temporary and be in the middle of nowhere.

Long road marches were a tank killer (especialy for the Tiger) so they were limited just how far they could fight away from the railways.

Tiger units weren't kept at the frontline. They were moved around to where they were needed most so they could be fighing in one area one day then several days later they could be fighing hundreds of miles away

Some pics on the fuel theme:

Regards

Jake

Tigers used a special rail car designed to carry there weight as has been said the tracks would stay with the rail carriages this was less important in Russia as Russian trains use a wider gauge track meaning that the carriages could be wider which meant that the tunnels could also be wider the affect on the Tigers was they didn’t require the transport tracks fitting in Russia so could be driven straight on and off rail cars.

The carrying of extra fuel cans was strictly forbidden though can be seen in some pictures firstly the reason why it was forbidden imagine one 200ltr fuel barrel on the engine deck covering the grills this could cause a restriction in air flow over the radiators causing the engine to overheat and seize or 200ltr’s of fuel igniting on a tank would turn it into an inferno destroying the valuable tank plus crew just think of all the tracer flying around however there is always an exception to the rules especially when necessary fuel barrels would be placed on the engine decks ready to be either used or dumped the exception to this would be Tunisia where a large number of 20ltr jerry canst where tied to the turret roof  this was only done on long road marches in the rear area during essential times   

I have to agree with you rivetcounter on the railcars being used specifically for the Tigers.It just makes more sense than a set of tracks for each TIGER produced. JAKE-thanks for the great pictures,really shows how the supply situation caused TIGERS to have to take risk,and the resourcefull tactics of their crews.I would not want to drive 40-88mm shells around under 100litres of fuel.For my TIGER-I,mounting on the jack will be the place.Blake