Armaments Minister Albert Speer began thinking about an even more powerful tank than the Tiger and Panther. In January 1943, a specification was issued to Porsche and Henschel for a new heavy tank carrying an 88mm high-velocity gun. The two prototypes, VK.4502 (P) and VK.4503(H) were available by October. Porsche were so confident in their turret design that they put it in production. However, Henschel won the competition again and entered production at the end of December. The first 50 vehicles had the Porsche turret to avoid waste.
The PzKpfw VI Ausf B, also called Tiger II or Kцnigstiger (King or Royal Tiger) was the most formidable tank in service until the introduction of the Soviet JS-3 just before the war's end. It was, however, miserably underpowered because it used the same Maybach HL 230 P45 engine as that in the Tiger I, which was 11 tons lighter! The power-to-weight ration was extremely poor. Although a maximum road speed of 41.5km/h was achieved during trials, it was almost certain that the vehicle would break down if it tried to sustain this. However, by the time the Tiger II entered combat in February 1944 Germany was defending, and heavy armor and a powerful gun were much more important than mobility.
The Tiger II had extremely thick armor that were also well-sloped, and a long-barrelled high-velocity 88mm KwK 43 L/71. It was the most powerful German tank of the war, and its gun enabled it to engage Allied tanks at long ranges. However, its poor maneuverability made it susceptible to attacks in the flanks or rear. In addition, the Tiger II was just as vulnerable to aerial attacks by fighter-bombers.
Principal manufacturer(s): Henschel
Production date(s): 1944-45
Armament: 1 x 88mm KwK 43 L/71; 2 x 7.92mm MG
Crew: 5
Weight in action: 68 tons
Overall length: 7.26m
Height: 3.09m
Width: 3.625m
Track width: 60 or 80cm (narrow one for rail transport)
Ground clearance: 48.5cm
Maximum road speed: 40km/h
Range (roads): 120km
Range (cross-country): 80km
Engine type: Maybach HL230 P 45 V-12 petrol
Engine power: 700 bhp at 3,000 rpm
Engine capacity: 23,880 cc
Fuel capacity: 860 liters
Armor thickness: turret 80-180mm; hull 80-150mm