Tiger 1 restoration at Saumur museum.

[FredtheFrench]

Great news!!! The Tiger 1 from Saumur museum will be restored. Dismantling has begun last week.

I don't know if it is a complete restoration, but the main purpose is to make it run.

Photos are not mine and are from a facebook group.

[Jimster]

Love those photos! Massively thick steel and the view looking down into the engine bay is fantastic. Wonder where they found those cartridge casings? Thanks for posting.

[tankme]

Those look like transport tracks on it. Cool to see that there will be another one running.

[jarndice]

The front fenders are a bit of a mystery because there is nothing to show the hinged outer section was ever a part of the fender and only the Tiger 1 VERY early had the unhinged front and rear fenders, The rest of the Tiger would indicate that this Tiger 1 is a late tiger 1 by that I mean the late wheels and the monocular gunners sight which was not introduced until March 1944.
Do you know the history of this Tiger 1 Fred it might clear up the mystery?
I agree about the transport tracks.

[tankme]

The two front fenders look different. Wonder if maybe they were complete afterwar fabrications.

Tiger I – Musée des Blindés, Saumur (France)
Fahrgestell number 251114 (Alan Hamby). The story of this Tiger I : http://tiger1.info/saumur/topo/textgb.html

Looks like the link doesn't work.

BUT...Wayback machine has it: https://web.archive.org/web/20081210075 ... extgb.html

[FredtheFrench]

Hey Jarndice. The link of tankme explain the story, but it missing some little infos.

The serial number of this Tiger is 251114 and serial number of Vimoutiers's Tiger is 251113. These two Tigers are twins on manufacture line.
The shock on front chassis is due to an accident with an another Tiger, who was hit by a British antitank gun and the Saumur's Tiger crashed in the destroyed Tiger.

This is the story of this Tiger on Saumur museum facebook group.

Histoire du Tigre I du musée des Blindés
PARTIE II : Dompté !
Durant la nuit du 19 au 20 août 1944, à la suite de 2 autres Tigres , notre char fuit l’aviation Alliés. En passant devant un groupe antichar Britannique, les trois Tigres surprennent les artilleurs qui laissent passer le premier, parviennent à stopper le second , que notre char percute à pleine vitesse : il récolte un enfoncement sur l'arrête à l'avant de la caisse toujours visible aujourd’hui.
Récupéré par les Forces françaises de l’intérieur (FFI), stationné durant 7 mois près de Trun (Orne) il est remis en état à l’aide de 6 prisonniers allemands . En avril 1945, rebaptisé « Bretagne », le Tigre est confié au 1er Groupe Mobile de Reconnaissance du Capitaine Besnier qui fait face à la poche de résistance de soldats Allemands retranchés à Saint-Nazaire.



History of the Tiger I of the Armored Museum
PART II: Tamed !
During the night of August 19 to 20, 1944, following 2 other Tigers , our tank fled the Allied aviation. Passing in front of a British anti-tank group, the three Tigers surprise the gunners who let the first pass, manage to stop the second , which our tank hits at full speed : it harvests a depression on the stop at the front of the crate still visible today.
Recovered by the French Forces of the Interior (FFI), stationed for 7 months near Trun (Orne) it is restored with the help of 6 German prisoners . In April 1945, renamed "Bretagne", the Tiger was entrusted to the 1st Mobile Reconnaissance Group of Captain Besnier, which faced the pocket of resistance of German soldiers entrenched in Saint-Nazaire.


Don't know if you can see the videos:

[jarndice]

Thank you very much Fred that is most helpful.

[HERMAN BIX]

The bullet cases are even more of a reminder this thing isn’t a stage prop !
On odd things found during a restoration, the team at Littlefields collection found a ring & open end spanner in the Panther, under the engine. Dropped by a tech never to be recovered.
They notified Gedore who sent them a brand new complete set correct as issued for a Panther in exchange for the list & found one.!!
Years in a river and all the rest of time passed but the spanner remained lost in place .
I wonder if the joker that dropped it while using it got into trouble ?

[Herr Dr. Professor]

Thank you for the information, Fred. It will be interesting if the Musée des Blindés puts information and photos about the restoration progress. It will likely take a long time.

[Jofaur86]

Hi there,

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