German troops inspect newly delivered Tiger I heavy tanks near Mga Station before their first combat deployment on the Leningrad Front, August 1942.
This photograph shows one of the first Tiger I (Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. E) heavy tanks shortly after its arrival at Mga Station near Leningrad in August 1942. The vehicles were assigned to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502, the first German heavy tank battalion to receive the new Tiger.
Before entering combat, several of the newly delivered tanks experienced serious mechanical failures. Transmission and gearbox problems, engine overheating, and the considerable weight of the vehicle complicated deployment under front-line conditions. As a result, only a limited number of Tigers were available during their first operations near Leningrad.
Visible in the background is a Büssing-NAG 4500 S-1 truck, one of the standard transport vehicles used by the Wehrmacht. The photograph illustrates not only the arrival of Germany's newest heavy tank but also the extensive logistical support required to keep these complex machines operational.
Although the Tiger I would later gain a formidable battlefield reputation because of its powerful 88 mm KwK 36 gun and heavy armor, its early service revealed numerous technical challenges that required continuous refinement throughout 1942 and 1943.
Photo details
- Location: Mga, Leningrad Oblast, USSR
- Date: August 1942
- Photographer: Unknown Wehrmacht photographer
- Source: German military archive
- Tiger I first deployment
- schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502
- Mga Station August 1942