The Bergetiger was the name the Allied forces gave to a German

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

armored tracked vehicle based on the

Tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ...

. The vehicle was found abandoned on a roadside in Italy with terminal engine problems. The main gun had been removed, and a boom & winch assembly had been fitted to the turret. No other Tiger tanks modified in this manner were ever recovered.

Naming

At the time the vehicle was found it was assumed the vehicle was intended as a tank recovery vehicle. Germans used the "berge" prefix to denote recovery vehicle versions of tanks, such as the " Bergepanther" and " Bergepanzer". Thus the allies dubbed the vehicle they had found the "''Bergetiger''". No official German name for this vehicle has ever been located.

Dispute over purpose

The Bergetiger's role as a recovery vehicle has been disputed ever since its discovery. The evidence often cited against it being a recovery vehicle is that its crane was not designed to tow the weight of a tank, nor was it equipped with any other common recovery equipment. A popular alternate theory is that the vehicle was field-modified (possibly after suffering damage to the main gun) as either a mine-clearing vehicle, or to drop explosives to clear battlefield obstacles.

Production numbers

Reports of the number of Bergetigers produced varies. No original German documentation to support these numbers has been located. Some common numbers given are: * Fifty-eight produced from the factory * Three produced from the factory * Three built as "field-expedient" modifications in Italy * Three built as "field-expedient" modifications and one built from a Tiger damaged while still at the factory. * Only one built as a "field-expedient" in Italy

References

External links

Article discussing the probable role of the Bergetiger

Bergetiger model
{{WWIIGermanAFVs Tracked armoured recovery vehicles World War II armoured fighting vehicles of Germany Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944 de:Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger#Bergepanzer