What makes a Tiger

On fine form, the Tiger Tank at the Tank Museum in Bovington Credit: ITV Meridian

Now civilians can get to see the world's only complete working Tiger Tank at the Tank Museum in Dorset.

Martin Dowse went along for Meridian to have the first look and you can see his report on the programme at 6pm. He's been speaking Mike Hayton, workshop manager at the museum, about the restoration project.

We asked the Tank Museum for some key facts and figures about these legendary German war machines.

The Allies had few weapons that were effective against the Tigers until towards the end of the war. Contemporary Allied tanks were vulnerable to the Tiger I at 2,000m. Against this, most Allied tanks had to be within a few hundred metres to inflict any damage on a Tiger. There was only one British tank gun that could penetrate the Tiger’s armour. This was the 17pdr, and it was only available in small numbers until the last few months of the war, when it was mounted and some M10 Tank destroyers and the Sherman Firefly.

For the Tiger's vital statistics, see below.

  • Crew: Five

  • Weight: 57 tons

  • Maximum speed on the road: 38kph

  • Gun calibre: 88mm

  • Armour thickness: 100mm

  • Overall length: 8.45m

  • Overall width: 3.7m

  • Overall height: 2.93m