Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Elefant,
Panzerjäger "Tiger" (P), "Elephant", für 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71, SdKfz 1847,
Sturmgeschutz m/8.8 cm PaK 43/2, SdKfz 1849 ,
Elefant9,
Ferdinand9
The 90 discontinued chassis for the Porsche VK4501 (P) (Tiger prototype) were converted into the Elefant.5,6
| 1/72 Diecast Models of Elefant |
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|---|---|---|
| Dragon Armor: | Easy Models: | |
60023: 60023SP:  60024:  60024SP:  60053:  60053SP:  60054:  60054SP:  |
60093: 60094:  60123:  60124:  60124SP:  60180:  |
36223: 36228:  |
During the development of the Tiger, Henschel and Porsche each made a different chassis. Porsche had begun production on his chassis but the Henschel version was chosen for the Tiger. Porsche had 91 chassis (Tiger(P)) already finished. On September 22, 1942 it was decided to build a StuG with 200 mm armor and an 8.8 cm gun built on the Tiger(P) chassis. Alkett was to design and produce the Ferdinand with Nibelungenwerke supplying the completed chassis. On February 6, 1943, Hitler ordered 90 Ferdinands to be made available as soon as possible. This resulted in the Ferdinand to be completed at Nibelungenwerke. The conversions were done at the Steyr-Daimler factory at Nibelungenwerke and completed by May 8, 1943.
It was originally named after it's designer, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche.6,8,9
Design
The fighting compartment was accessed by a large circular round hatch in the rear.9
The driver's compartment (with radioman) was cut off from the fighting compartment because the engine room was located between them. Power went to the rear sprocket.
The hull was that of the Tiger(P) with 100 mm plates bolted on the front and an addition to the rear to support the superstructure and vent the air from the engines.
Gun
The 88 mm could fire a 22.8 kp PzGr 39/43 shell at 1,000 m/s and could
penetrate 186 mm at 1,000 m. 19.9 kp PzGr 39/43 at 1,130 m/s, penetrate
233 mm at 1,000 m. The 18.6 kp SprGr 43 high explosive shell went 750
m/s and range of around 10 km. It could knock out a T-34
at 3 miles.
The AP shell weighed 22.4 lbs and had a muzzle velocity of 3,281'/sec.7 It could penetrate 9.4"@0° at 100 yards.7 The HE shell could be fired 13,834 yards.7
The gun overhung the front hull by 1.2 meters.9
Radio
Had a FuG5 radio installed.2
Usage
First saw action at Kursk.5,9 They were part of the Jagdpanzer Regiment 656 (Panzerjägerabteilungen 653 and 654)9. It saw service with the XXXXXI Panzer Corps on the north side of the battle. 502 Russian tanks, 20 antitank guns, 100 other guns were destroyed by July 27, 1943. Within the first four days several dozen broke down.5 However, a big weakness was the lack of a MG which allowed around 20 Elefants to fall victim to Russian anti-tank teams.5
They continued to fight until the end of 1943 at the Nikopol bridgehead and the Dniepr where they destroyed more than 200 Russian tanks.
During the winter of 1943-44 the remaining 50 (48 from another source) were recalled to Nibelungenwerke. At that time a MG34 bow MG was installed in the hull as well as a commander's cupola. Were issued to the 653rd Panzerjäger and the 614th Panzerjägerkompanie. Used mostly in Italy after that. Suffered from shortage of spare parts. Usually put out of action by mechanical failures more than by battle.
Bergepanzer Tiger (P):
In September 1943, 3 chassis were converted by moving the engines to the center of the chassis and the superstructure was added to the rear. A 7.92 MG34 in a ball mount was it's only defense and was mounted in the superstructure. A derrick crane, rams, and timber beams were fitted for vehicle recovery.
| Ferdinand / Elefant | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, radio operator, gunner, loaders(2) 61,2,3,5,7,8,9 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 143,300 lb3, 146,000 lb 65,000 kg1,3,8 64 tons1,8,9, 65 tons2,4,9, 68 tons5, 71.7 tons7 |
| Length w/gun | 26' 8"3,5,8, 26' 8.4"1 8.128 m3, 8.14 m1,2,4,5,8 |
| Length w/o gun | 22' 4"5, 23.3'7, 23' 4" 6.8 m5 |
| Height | 9.8'7, 9' 8.9"1 , 9' 9"5,8, 9' 10"3 2.97 m1,2,4,5,8, 2.997 m3 |
| Width | 11'7, 11' 1"1,3,8, 11' 3"5 3.38 m1,2,4,8, 3.378 m3, 3.43 m5 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 1' 6", 19"7 0.48 m |
| Ground contact length | 165"7 4.19 m |
| Ground pressure | 17 psi7, 17.5 psi 1.24 kg2cm |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 8.8cm StuK 43 L/71 88 mm PaK 43/2 L/712,5,7,8,9 88 mm1 88 mm PaK 43/23 88 mm L/716 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.92 mm MG34, hull 7.92 mm MG1,8 2: 7.92 mm MG342 (original production had only 1) 7.9 mm MG34, hull7 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 504,5,7,9, 55 50 Pzgr + Spgr2 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 600 Patr SmK2 6007 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 2001,8,9 Front: 8"7, 2004 Side: 3.2"7, 804 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 100+100@12°2, 200@90°5 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 100+100@35°2, 100+100@75°5 |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 80@0°2, 80@90°5 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 60@0°2 |
| Hull Rear | 80@40°2 & 80@0°2, 80@90°5 |
| Hull Top | 30@90°2 |
| Hull Bottom | 20-50@90°2 |
| Superstructure Front | 200@25°2, 200@60°5 Mantlet: 25@0° + 100@round2 |
| Superstructure Sides | 80@30°2, 80@60°5 |
| Superstructure Rear | 80@20°2, 80@60°5 |
| Superstructure Top | 30@86°2, 40@5°5 |
| Engine (Make / Model) | 2: Maybach HL 120 TRM1,2,3,7,8 2: Maybach HL 120 TR5 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Water7 |
| Cylinders | V-123,5, 2xV-127,8 |
| Net HP | 2x300@3,000 rpm7, 530 each3, 6004, 2x3008, 2x3205 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | 6.5:17 |
| Transmission (Type) | Porsche-Siemens Electric drive Porsche/Siemens-Schuckert petrol-electric drive.3 3 forward, 3 reverse. Electric drive.2 Gasoline-electric drive7 |
| Steering | Porsche KG-Siemens electric switch gear7 |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline3,7,8 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 142 gallons, 210 gallons5 950 liters5(used 833 liters per 100 km of road) |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 14° each way4,5,7,9, hand9 |
| Max speed | 12 mph7, 12.5 mph3,5, 18.6 mph1,8 20 kph5,9, 20.1 kph3, 30 kph1,2,4,8 |
| Cross country speed | 9.5 mph5 15 kph5 |
| Road radius | 62 miles, 93 miles5,7, 93.2 miles1,8, 95 miles3 150 km1,2,5,8,9, 153 km3 |
| Cross country radius | 56 miles5,7 90 km5 |
| Turning radius | 2.15 m |
| Elevation limits | -6° to +14°7, -8° to +14°4,9 |
| Fording depth | 39"7, 3' 3.4"3 1 m3, 1.22 m9 |
| Trench crossing | 8.7'7, 8' 8.3"3 2.65 m3, 3.2 m9 |
| Vertical obstacle | 2' 7"3,7 0.78 m9, 0.8 m3 |
| Climbing ability | 22° (40%) slope7 |
| Suspension (Type) | Torsion bar, 1 spring for 2 rollers Each 2-wheel bogie units sprung on torsion bars7 |
| Wheels each side | 6 in pairs7 |
| Return rollers each side | 0 |
| Tracks (Type) | Dry pin7 |
| Length | 8' 9" |
| Width | 2' 1"7 65 m |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | 1097 |
| Pitch | 5.5"7 |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 8.8'7 |
| Production | Nibelungenwerke.2 Chassis #s: 150001-1501002 4/1943-5/1943: 902 Chassis: Porsche KG7 Superstructure: Alkett7 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
- The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
- New Vanguard 88 mm PaK 43/36/37/41 and PaK 43 1936-45, John Norris, 2002
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