About this detail of the Tiger
The Tiger E was designed around the HL 210 engine. On that engine, the rear end of the crankshaft was covered by the gears of an inertial starter device [3] . The crew could access this starter by removing a steel disc from the bottom of the rear plate of the hull.
The vehicle was soon upgraded to the more powerful HL 230 P45. This new engine had the same overall shape, and its crankshaft was in the same position. But the gears for the starter device were moved.
This is the rear end of the HL 230 in a Tiger at Saumur Museum [2] . The gears for the starter are at the bottom of the photo. The back of the engine is visible beyond them. The central disc rotates with the crankshaft.
This is a model of the disc in the photo, based on a German diagram [1] . The purpose of this disc is obvious. It allows external machinery to be driven by the engine of a stationary Tiger or Panther.
A toothed shaft can be inserted from outside the vehicle into this disc. It can be locked in place by inserting a 10mm pin.
These are are dimensions of the disc, taken from the German original [1] .
[1] Workshop drawing 021 B 425 B1 : HL 230 external dimensions
[2] Survey of Tiger 251114, at Panzermuseum Munster, by Rob Veenendaal