Why the Tiger Lost its Skirt, Vorpanzer | Cursed by Design

Despite being a well-known tank the Tiger still has many parts of its story that people tend to overlook. Today we will be looking at one of these in the form of its early armored skirt known as Vorpanzer.

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#history #ww2 #germany #cursedbydesign

[cmsIGauffahrgestellPanzerkampf]

Although I have never heard of a vorpanzer tiger, I have heard about another cursed tiger design called the ramtiger, with its turret removed and the hull was changed with a more boxy design with a large wedge shaped at the front to plough through obstacles such as buildings.

[daveybyrden]

There are other traces of the Vorpanzer on the first 50 or so Tigers, because the steel plates were made long before the complete tanks.
The thick plate extensions over the tracks were cut off crudely. They left a thin central area that is visible when you raise the mudflap. You can see one at 2:28

The earliest front plates also had holes drilled in them for bump stops for the Vorpanzer. The 501 battalion in Tunisia used those holes, attaching custom headlight mounts there.

[lairdcummings]

This was news to me, and a very silly idea, IMO.

Yeah, if you're going to add armor, just add armor. Hydraulic folding systems add non-productive weight and extra points of failure (not to mention an additional maintenance burden on the crew, and more useless crap in the supply chain!). Just make the armor thicker, or extend it, and be done with it.

[waywardscythe]

This was neat, I hadn't heard about this. I like the idea of including "cursed" add-ons/systems/variants for well known vehicles, either ones that never made it past trials or ones that failed miserably in battle. Like the DD Shermans and Valentines, which while worked fine as tanks, sank and killed quite a few tank crews.

[Jonathan.D]

Can you do a video on the Pereh? It is Israel's missile system that is disguised as a tank. It's a real-life fake tank. How often is that going to happen? It's an interesting story, to say the least. They kept it a secret for more than 20 years too.

[yeetmcskeet]

Me: I like short skirts.
Dude: On girls right?
Me: ...
Dude: You mean on girls right?

[miloszruczynski]

0:58 - excellent photo of the experimental 5cm/L100 anti aircraft gun mounted on the rear

[calessel]

BTW, The Germans had two types of "add-on" armor plates:

1) Vorpanzer: as discussed here, which was any spaced armored plate. Common examples include, the 20 & 30mm thick spaced armor over the Pzkpfw-III H, L, M & N driver's plate ( and all but the H & N's gun mantlet) and the 30mm thick spaced plates over the Pzkpfw-IV D (late) & E's driver's plate.

2) Zusatzpanzerung: Which were any bolted-on or welded-on armored plates. A few examples include: the 20mm thick bolt-on armor for the Pzkpfw-IV E superstructure & hull sides, and the additional 30mm thick bolt-on (and welded) armor for the Pzkpfw-IV G (late) & Pzkpfw-IV H (early-mid) superstructure & hull front. Similar Zusatzpanzerung can be seen on the front of early & mid production StuG-III G & 100mm thick Zusatzpanzerung armor can be seen on the front hull if the Ferdinand/Elefant.

(Note: This, of course, is not a complete list of examples.)

[FirstDagger]

Amazing never had heard of it and didn't even notice it in the prototype photos.

[nonamesplease]

One of Steve Zaloga's books, Tiger vs Sherman Firefly, has the last picture you show of the prototype sitting on the factory floor in it. The tank has the vorpanzer mounted, but the text of the book doesn't mention it. I always wondered why there was a flat, apparently hinged device on the front of that vehicle. Now I know. Thanks COA!

[lancerevell]

First I have heard of "vorpanzer", and I've been an avid military history buff for most of my 65 years. I've read alot of books on WWII tanks, never came across it.

[Swellington_]

I built the dragon vorpanzer and it actually has the decal "Hansi", just like the one in the video, but it's been called one of the best kits ever made, but I feel it needs an interior, but it is highly detailed without the interior, thought I'd share that with y'all ✌️

[TheVigilante]

I love this tank and I never heard about a retractable skirt before. Kind of answers some questions as to why the front is the way it is.

[jamesbednar]

Very good and informative video!!! Have been studying the Tiger since I was a kid way back in those ancient days of 1970s to the present. Read quite a few books, magazine articles, and such. Have built plenty of plastic models in various scales. Must admit: this is the FIRST time that have heard about this unique feature of the THANKS!! for the information and making me learn something new.

[oqfpdr]

Oh no, somehow I can hear that either gaijin or wargaming is making these Vorpanzer Tiger as premium tanks

[micuu]

Seems likely any good hit to armoured skirt would have bent the plate or otherwise knocked the hydraulic mechanism out of alignment, jamming the mechanism which might be why it was removed in the photos. I can't imagine moving armour like that ever being strong enough to do its job and still remain functionally movable.

[TentacleFarmer]

Vor… panzer? Panzer… vor? *trumpets begin playing in the distance

[wheels-n-tires]

Interesting...!!! As a German armor fan since building Tamiya models as a kid, and actually meeting a Tiger I crewman, I hate to admit Ive never heard of this til your video!!! What a neat historical nugget!!!👍

[creightonleerose]

That YUGE for the Tiger turrets is impressive!-(1:17)-
I have TONS of books dealing with all manner of German armor & the Henschel/Krupp-Tiger Takt building process & never before have I seen that photo!
Thank you for the vid on this one, a GREAT idea to keep those final drives & tracks safe from frontal fire, but lacking in ease of deployment, being a fairly serious travel liabilitah if disabled in some manner....

[Nonna_]

This is exactly why i love your videos, because every time i watch one of them i learn something new.