Tiger ausf. E : S-mine system

Technical information on the Tiger and related tanks

 

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S-mine system

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When Tiger "131" was built, a mine-launching system was standard on Tigers. Five small launchers could be screwed to prepared mounts on the tank's hull roof. Triggered from inside the tank, they fired the notorious S-mine.

When captured, Tiger "131" did not have launchers attached. That is normal. But it's puzzling that the British reports do not mention finding them in the tank's equipment. Photographs prove that other Tigers in Tunisia, stablemates of Tiger "131", did have their own launchers.

Another curious fact is that the hand-held controller is missing from inside Tiger "131", cut from its cable. We cannot see it in any photo and it is not mentioned in British reports.

Center of the firewall in 1943

This is the firewall of Tiger "131", photographed after capture in 1943. The item labelled [A] is a metal clip, the holder for the controller device. But it is empty, and the controller does not appear in any photograph in the British reports, although its cable can be glimpsed at [D].

Notice the label [B] that reads "Minenabwurfschalter". It is directly above the holder, and not near to the fuel switch [C].

Center of the firewall recently

This is the same area in Tiger "131" in modern times. The decal has been recreated by the restorers, but is missing a couple of letters, and for some reason is beneath the fuel switch.

The holder for the mine controller, which did fall into British hands as the photograph shows, is now missing from Tiger "131". The controller's shielded cable seems to be present, at the right-hand side of the photo.

In summary: this feature of the tank may have been complete in 1943 but now it is reduced to almost nothing; a cable that goes nowhere and a label in the wrong place.

 
 

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