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Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 2:38 pm
by michaelwhittmann
Did late Tiger 1's with Zimmerit have the smoke emitters on either side of the turret?

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 3:32 pm
by Panzermechaniker
According to this site only the first 286 had the smoke grenade launcher brackets installed so there would probably be no examples of a "late" Tiger 1 with them as even the original ones left in field were cut off after the directive to get rid of them

https://tiger1.info/EN/Smoke-grenade-brackets.html

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 4:21 pm
by michaelwhittmann
Thx sarge

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 7:15 pm
by jarndice
Panzermechaniker wrote: Tue Aug 12, 2025 3:32 pm According to this site only the first 286 had the smoke grenade launcher brackets installed so there would probably be no examples of a "late" Tiger 1 with them as even the original ones left in field were cut off after the directive to get rid of them

https://tiger1.info/EN/Smoke-grenade-brackets.html
The smoke dischargers were first fitted to the Tiger1 in August 1942 they were no longer fitted from June 1943.
Of course many Tigers would have retained them for some while after with an expectation that they would be removed at a major workshop service.

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 1:58 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
:think: WHY were the smoke dischargers no longer added after June '43 and even removed on some of the Tigers so equipped?

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 2:13 pm
by Panzermechaniker
From the website I linked in the 2nd post:

Complaints about the new launcher devices came back from the frontline troops. Because the launcher pots faced forward, small-arms fire could enter them and ignite the smoke candles within the pots. This photo shows the result: the crew lose sight of their surroudings.

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 2:14 pm
by Herr Dr. Professor
Ah, now that is interesting! Thank you, Panzermechaniker.

Re: Question about a "late" Tiger 1 tank

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 2:16 pm
by AlanWhite
They faced forward and small arms fire could set them off which obscured the tank crews vision
so ground troops could do dastardly things to the tank or slip past it without being seen
oops didnt see it was answered above