Tiger I Late #133 Normandy Taigen/TK7.0 swap
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2024 12:18 am
[UPDATE-EDIT]Following has been edited and updated after more research[EDIT-UPDATE]
During my research for my Winter build Tiger #822, I learned about it's commander Paul Egger and his very interesting service and history. He began as a Tiger I commander in Das Reich in 1943, fought on the Eastern front in some well known battles such as the 3rd battle at Kharkov and at Kursk, the largest tank battle in history. In 1944 after refit in France he was in command again of a Tiger I #133 and sent to Normandy with Das Reich Abt.102 SS 1st schwere after the D-Day invasion. Abt.102 arrived late to the invasion but fought until the unit was all but destroyed in the Falaise pocket losing all of her tanks. Egger again survived and was assigned to the newly formed Abt.502 where he was shipped back to Germany for refit, training and assigned a new King Tiger #122 and was then sent back to the Eastern front and fought the Soviets in Poland and Hungary and ultimately in Germany at the battle at Halbe at the end of the war. I have traced his service from the beginning of his service in WWII in the Luftwaffe to his last Tiger/King Tiger command before he surrendered to the Americans in Germany.
As I continue to do research, I will adjust/edit but this is the current information that I have been able to compile as of 12/7/24.
Tiger Tanks Egger Commanded:
1) February 1943, Das Reich Tiger #822, Renumbered #811, Renumbered S13 December 1943
2) April/May 1944 Abt. 102 1st Schwere Tiger #133
3) 1944/45 Abt. 502 1st Schwere King Tiger #122
I had discovered that His last tank command was a King Tiger number #122 on the eastern front with Abt.502. Not a Tiger I as I had previously surmised. But I have acquired this Torro Tiger I and will just change direction with this build to emulate Egger's Tiger I #133 at Normandy. I will be following up and building his final King Tiger Command #122 For the "1945 GROUP BUILD"
So I still have a suitable donor for this project...
During my research for my Winter build Tiger #822, I learned about it's commander Paul Egger and his very interesting service and history. He began as a Tiger I commander in Das Reich in 1943, fought on the Eastern front in some well known battles such as the 3rd battle at Kharkov and at Kursk, the largest tank battle in history. In 1944 after refit in France he was in command again of a Tiger I #133 and sent to Normandy with Das Reich Abt.102 SS 1st schwere after the D-Day invasion. Abt.102 arrived late to the invasion but fought until the unit was all but destroyed in the Falaise pocket losing all of her tanks. Egger again survived and was assigned to the newly formed Abt.502 where he was shipped back to Germany for refit, training and assigned a new King Tiger #122 and was then sent back to the Eastern front and fought the Soviets in Poland and Hungary and ultimately in Germany at the battle at Halbe at the end of the war. I have traced his service from the beginning of his service in WWII in the Luftwaffe to his last Tiger/King Tiger command before he surrendered to the Americans in Germany.
As I continue to do research, I will adjust/edit but this is the current information that I have been able to compile as of 12/7/24.
Tiger Tanks Egger Commanded:
1) February 1943, Das Reich Tiger #822, Renumbered #811, Renumbered S13 December 1943
2) April/May 1944 Abt. 102 1st Schwere Tiger #133
3) 1944/45 Abt. 502 1st Schwere King Tiger #122
I had discovered that His last tank command was a King Tiger number #122 on the eastern front with Abt.502. Not a Tiger I as I had previously surmised. But I have acquired this Torro Tiger I and will just change direction with this build to emulate Egger's Tiger I #133 at Normandy. I will be following up and building his final King Tiger Command #122 For the "1945 GROUP BUILD"
So I still have a suitable donor for this project...