Rare WWII Ladungsleger Tiger – Demolition Vehicle Converted from Tiger I, Italy 1944

September 7, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Unique Ladungsleger Tiger engineer vehicle, converted from a Tiger I in Italy, May 1944.

Rare German Ladungsleger Tiger, an engineer conversion of the Tiger I tank with crane, Italy, May 1944.

This rare wartime photograph shows the Ladungsleger Tiger, a unique German heavy engineer vehicle built on the chassis of a Tiger I tank.

Originally produced in 1943, this Tiger I suffered severe battle damage during fighting near Anzio, Italy. Instead of being scrapped, it was converted by the mechanics of the 508th Heavy Tank Battalion into a specialized engineering vehicle. The modifications were unusual and extensive: the turret was reversed and fixed with bolts, the main gun was removed, and the front opening was sealed with a steel plate reinforced by six large bolts. In the center, an MG 34 machine gun port was installed for basic defense.

On the turret roof, engineers mounted a 10-ton capacity crane and winch. This allowed the Ladungsleger Tiger to carry and place explosive charges, clear minefields, and assist in engineering operations that required heavy lifting under combat conditions.

The vehicle’s name translates to “charge-laying Tiger.” Despite its impressive appearance, only one such machine was ever created. It saw brief use in Italy in the spring of 1944 but was lost by the Wehrmacht in late April or early May.

For decades, Allied intelligence and postwar publications mistakenly identified this vehicle as a “BergeTiger with a crane.” This misidentification persisted in military literature, spreading confusion about its true role. Today, historians recognize it as a one-of-a-kind engineering adaptation of the Tiger I, making it one of the rarest vehicles of the Second World War.

Technical photo data:
📝 Source of information: German archives, historical research
📍 Location: Italy
📅 Date: May 1944
📷 Author: German war photographer (unknown)