Tiger #250001 Found

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Some Russian archaeologists were digging around Leningrad looking for bodies of soldiers that went missing during the war, to re-bury with proper military honours. As it happens in this sort of expeditions, they came across a bunch of odd bits and bobs that set off the metal detector. However, once a part that could be identified was found, the tank was identified as a Tiger. That part also carried a rather special serial number.

250001

Tiger #250001, the first serial production Tiger. The history of this vehicle is well known. This first Tiger was made in May of 1942, drove around for thousands of kilometers (not without numerous parts replacements, of course) at Kummersdorf, and was then sent to Leningrad with three other Tigers. All four were knocked out. The Germans managed to recover three, but the last one remained in No Man’s Land for months, without any interest from the Soviets. Eventually, the Germans blew up the abandoned tank, “sparing no expense on explosives” according to the archaeologists. This is what they’ve managed to find so far:

250001 bits

This discovery introduces many new facts into military history. For instance, it’s widely believed that the first Tigers were painted gray, but this Tiger has remnants of dark yellow paint on its fragments.

250001 colour

Here’s the full video, for those that want to see more.

 

52 thoughts on “Tiger #250001 Found”

  5. Another example of poor Nazi a workmanship. Stronk Soviet vehicle would have started.

  6. Man, its amazing they managed to find even bits & pieces of a tank that was blown up in the early 1940s.

  8. Oh lol, when i looked at the video thumbnail i thought “Thats the rear end of a KV… Did these guys really mix it up?!” then i realize its the scrap metal on the floor infront of the KV, oh lol…

  9. “this Tiger has remnants of dark yellow paint on its fragments.”

    Is that the dunkelgelb of ’43 tanks or the earlier yellow of the African Theatre? I know dunkelgelb was ordered to be used early ’43 but I wonder if it was issued before then, or the earlier yellow was.

  10. I decided to read some comments… as usually ppl talking about pissing on tanks anal with donkeys… internet at its best. At least there are still some normal comments what who think about that tiger.

  11. Technically they were around St.Petersburg (it was called Leningrad back in Soviet times, unless they’re referring to the Leningrad Oblast and not the city itself).

    Anyways, the first production Tiger is one hell of a find.

  12. WOW germany made over 250k Tigers. I thought the T34 was the most produced tank in history. Kappa

    • Absolutely not. “25″ is probably a reference to the factory it was produced in, or failing that the day and month it was produced (wither February the 5th or May 2nd), and the next four numbers (0001) are the actual production order.

      Considering it’s referenced as the first Tiger produced, there are nowhere near 250 thousand Tigers that were even slated for production, let alone actually produced.

  13. “Some Russian archaeologists were digging around Leningrad”

    You know there’s a good story when it opens with that.

      • Nope, not mad at all.

        The info is still wrong however

        They found bits of a Tiger, but they DID NOT find Tiger chassis 01

        The numbers they find are misleading them as component part numbers do not match up to chassis numbers on German tank parts systems. This is well know but not to the “relic hunters” who despoil war graves and endanger themselves and others with random digging
        close to dangerous ordnance.

          • No thanks…..not with “relic hunters” who despoil war graves and endanger themselves and others with random digging close to dangerous ordnance.

            These guys are just robbing graves and destroying the historical record…they should NOT be called Archeologists.

            • You mean state sponsored archeologists that are trained in ordnance disposal and are sent there in the first place to discover unmarked graves so the soldiers can be properly re-buried? I’ve dug with these people. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

    • The Germans probably don’t want some shards of scrap metal from the part of history they direly wish didn’t happen back. Kubinka can have them. :D