„Sturmtiger“ – the German assault self-propelled artillery gun

In the autumn of 1942, under the influence of the battles in Stalingrad, the German Ground Forces command came up with the concept of constructing a heavy self-propelled assault device, that could successfully support infantry in street battles. Originally planned on the serial tank Pz. Kpfw. VI "Tiger" chassis mounted a 210 mm howitzer, but finally settled on the installation of jet depth bomb launcher StuM RW 61 L5/4 of 380 mm caliber, designed by the Kriegsmarine for the destruction of submarines, on the chassis of this tank. The prototype of the new SPG, armed with a 380 mm caliber jet mortar, was demonstrated to Hitler on October 20, 1943 at the Arys (now Orzysz in Poland) training ground. The unit has been called “Sturmmorser”, “Panzermorser” or “Sturmpanzer VI”, but more commonly known as “Sturmtiger”. The mortar could fire fragmentation shells R Spr Gr 4581, which weighed 351 kg, or cumulative shells R Hl Gr 4592 (345 kg). The range of the projectile shot of the first type reached 5600 m. The chassis of the “Sturmtiger” was identical to that of the “Tiger”, but the fighting compartment was entirely new, a fixed steel turret with a steeply sloping frontal armor plate 150 mm thick. Inside the fighting compartment, when the ammunition was fully loaded, there was little space left for the 5 man crew (12 shells could be loaded inside). Serial production of the “Sturmtiger” began only in August 1944 at the “Alkett” factory in Berlin. By the end of the year, 18 self-propelled mortars of this type were produced. The “Sturmtiger” prototype, despite the fact, that its frontal armor was made only from iron, was used in battles against the Warsaw insurgents.

Although the model is large, it consists of many details, but it is not as complicated, as it seems at first glance. Once you get past - the “Tiger’s” chassis, everything else is an easy job, but one that, requires care and attention.