Tiger Heat: German Panzers on the Eastern Front

The biggest issue for the Tiger on the Eastern Front during the winter months when mud and snow would pack into the tracks and freeze up. This caused the tracks to jam and the tank to be effectively immobilized. When the Red Army realised this, they timed their attacks for the early morning before the snow/mud could thaw out. Another issue in leaving tanks to get too cold was that the ionised water inside the tank’s batteries froze, cracking the cases, which required immediate replacement – but batteries were in short supply. Even without the batteries rupturing the intense cold caused the batteries to struggle to hold enough charge to turn the tanks engine over. Even if the batteries didn’t rupture, the charge they could hold dropped off rapidly below freezing. Even when the Germans managed to start their tanks, they found that the cold weather had a serious adverse effect on electrical and more sensitive equipment. Radios seemed to hate the cold and condensation which turned to ice often made them inoperable. The gunner’s sight was also prone to having condensation freeze either fully or partially blocking the view. As the optics tended to trap frost inside the lenses. Tank maintenance also became very difficult in temperatures below –29°C. Any exposed skin would instantly freeze to metal surfaces and even standard oil lubricants and tank grease became too thick to be able to use. Lubrication was key to stopping excessive wear of the running gear. Tasks like changing a torsion bar or drive sprocket proved to be impossible without proper shelter in very low sub-zero temperatures.

Rubber coatings on power cables could also crack at temperatures below –29°C. Petrol and diesel fuels were also affected by severe cold, which could have ice crystals form in fuel lines. Below –32°C, the hydraulic fluid in the main gun’s recoil system would freeze, resulting in the main gun being badly damaged if fired. The lubricant in machine-guns froze at –37°C, making the weapons unusable until cleaned. Ammunition became difficult to work with after being frozen and the main gun breech could become very ‘sticky’ after a frost, resulting in rounds becoming stuck in the breach.

Starting an engine that had been idle for several days in sub-zero temperatures proved very difficult for the Germans and they resorted to extreme measures, such as building a wood fire under the tank. Once heated, the frost turned to condensation inside equipment, which could cause electrical issues. In contrast, the Soviet T-34 had been designed and tested to work in the harsh Russian winters. It had internal compressed air bottles for cold weather starting. The T-34 had better crew heating and a design that took into account issues of very low temperatures.

This again made German panzer units became vulnerable if attacked by Soviet armour early in the day, when many panzers could not start. If the tanks could not be started and the Germans had to withdraw, the Germans had no choice but to abandon their tanks.

Another issue was the sheer size and weight of the Tiger. Only a handful of bridges were strong enough to cope with the weight of the Tiger, which increased with the Tiger II. To counter this issue, the first 495 Tigers were fitted with a snorkel, which allowed them to cross-rivers up to a depth of 13 feet. However, this was abandoned as an economy measure. This meant later versions could only operate to a depth of 4 feet. To stop water entering via the turret ring an inflatable rubber tube was inserted. This would be inflated prior to entering any water and provided a watertight seal for the turret ring.

CHAPTER TWO – Bridge to Nowhere

Once the Tigers had burst out from the forest and were back out in the open the bodies of fallen soldiers were still everywhere. There had been an intense firefight here. The ground was full of holes from where artillery shells had exploded and you could even see bits of frozen human remains hanging in the trees. The one that took the crews aback was a head. Initially, they thought it was a sniper, its pale head looking towards the tank crews. The crews let of a couple of volleys of fire from their MP 40s. However, soon realized it was a dismembered head that had be blown up into the branches of the trees. The forces involved with heavier weapons and what they could do to the human body could be seen all too clearly on the battlefield. Bodies ripped apart from the intense forces and in some cases charred from the intense heat. It showed all too clearly how frail the human body was and the intense violence of war.

Nothing is more violent than being in an intense firefight. Be it a soldier out in the field or in a tank having rounds bouncing off the tanks armour with an almost unbearable loud bang. Wondering which round will burst through the armour or immobilize the tank.