Tiger ausf. E : Step at the front

Technical information on the Tiger and related tanks

 

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Step at the front

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Some Tiger crews modified their tanks for convenience. Tiger "131" is one of these. A step and a handle were welded to its front, to help the crew climb onto the chassis.

Original step on 131

This old photo shows the original step added to Tiger "131". It is welded to the crossbar, on the lower nose, that holds spare track links. This crossbar is itself an add-on to the tank, albeit a very common one.

Notice that the step is made of extruded metal beams with a U-shaped cross section. A flat piece has been welded on top of the U-channel where your foot would go. Notice also that the step is carefully shaped to conform with the crossbar and the spare tracks behind it.

Current step on 131

Tiger "131" still has the original handle on its glacis plate, but the step below it is not original. The spare-track crossbar was removed long ago, and the original step of course went with it. In this modern photo, the crossbar and the spare track links are not genuine.

The step on the tank today is a reproduction made of flat strips rather than U-channel. It does not conform to the nose profile like the original did.

 
 

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