WS396(SE) - Pzkpfw VI KURSK TIGER #32
Our latest ‘Tiger’ model is painted in the two-colour camouflage scheme of ‘Dunkelgelb’, a kind of tan / yellow and ‘Olivgruen’, a dark olive green, first introduced in February 1943. The great majority of the ‘Tigers’ that took part in ‘Operation Zitadelle’, the German codename for the assault on the Russian salient during the Battle of Kursk were camouflaged in this manner. Like K&C’s previously released ‘Winter Tiger 1’ this latest model also includes all of these original features: ALL-METAL HULL, TURRET and 88mm MAIN GUN… MOVING FLEXIBLE METAL TRACKS… ROLLING WHEELS with FULL SUSPENSION… FOUR OPENING HATCHES plus TWO COMPLIMENTRARY ORIGINAL CREW FIGURES. On the eve of battle, 4 July 1943, Das Reich could muster 48 x Panzer Ⅲs… 33x Panzer Ⅳs… 8 x Panzer Ⅲ Command Tanks… 18 x Captured T34s… 33 Stug Self-Propelled Guns plus 10 Marder SPGs and… just 12 x Tigers. Overall, the Germans deployed four armies alongwith a large proportion of their total tank strength on ‘Operation Zitadelle’. In preparation for this mammoth battle a total of 259 ‘Panthers’ and around 211 ‘Tigers’ were used including those attached to the Ⅱ SS Panzer Corps. Although the battle began well for the Germans their attack soon faltered as they drove deeper into the salient and encountered stronger and fiercer Russian opposition from the well-prepared Soviet defences. In addition, the Western Allies, Britain and America, began the invasion of Sicily and Hitler was forced to divert some of his badly-needed forces to counter this new Allied threat in the Mediterranean. One of the units sent south was Das Reich’s fellow Waffen SS Division ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’ which handed over the remainder of their ‘Tigers’ to Das Reich as they departed. The Battle of Kursk proved to be the last strategic offensive that the Germans were able to launch on the Eastern Front. And even though their newest and best tanks, the Panthers and Tigers achieved spectacular ‘kill-ratios’ against the enemy there were simply not enough of them to overcome their Soviet opposition. This latest King & Country ‘TIGER’ is a worthy addition to any collector interested in the mighty struggle that was the war on the Eastern Front.
Notice: Each of our 'Kursk Tigers' comes beautifully packaged in its own sturdy, full-colour presentation box together with a special numbered certificate (001-250) for both Special Editions.