Difference between revisions of "VK 45.01 (P)"
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{{Specs-Card | {{Specs-Card | ||
|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P | |code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}} | ||
|market=VK 4501 P | |market=VK 4501 P | ||
}} | }} | ||
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | ||
| − | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]] as a reward vehicle for the [[wt:en/news/3489--en|2015 "War Thunder Fulfills Your Wishes!"]] event. | |
| − | |||
| − | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was | ||
| − | The | + | The VK 45.01 (P), like the [[Tiger H1]], is a heavy tank with a great gun for long range firing. It has the same amount of armour and the same gun as the Tiger H1 and same ammo selection. Size-wise, the VK 45.01 (P) is slightly longer and slightly narrower than the Tiger H1. Despite the similarities, the VK 45.01 (P) is often called a "worse tiger". When played right however, this is not so at all. The main weakness of the VK 45.01 (P) is that it has hull cheeks on the front of its hull. Attempting to angle your armour will only allow the enemy to shoot these weak points, which they can easily pen as they have the same armour values as the side armour. In other words, if fighting an enemy, you should either take cover or turn the front of your hull directly towards them. Because the hull cheeks are angled compared to the front armour, if your hull is facing directly towards the enemy the hull cheeks will have more effective armour than your frontal armour, so they are not a weak point when the tank is not angled. The turret traverse speed is also slow, slower than that of the Tiger H1, meaning it's better to snipe with this tank. |
| − | But what the VK | + | But what the VK 45.01 (P) lacks in effective armour and turret traverse speed it makes up for reverse speed and a few other advantages. Firstly, the transmission is harder to hit since it's mounted in the rear- you will be harder to immobilize. Secondly, the turret is placed at the front of the vehicle, so it doesn't need to expose as much of the tank when peeking out of cover to shoot an enemy. These two advantages go great with its next, and biggest advantage: its phenomenal reverse speed. Because of this attribute, the VK is better for Peek-a-Boo tactics (behind cover, over-extend and shoot, go back in cover to reload). than the Tiger H1. Whereas the Tiger H1 can angle and take more shots, the VK 45.01 (P) is much better at shooting from and retreating into cover, essentially meaning it doesn't have to take those shots in the first place. |
== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
| − | <!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? | + | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} |
| + | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | ||
| + | The VK 45.01 (P) has 102 mm of frontal armour and 82 mm of armour on the cheeks of the hull and sides of the hull. The lower front plate also has 82mm of armour. The engine and transmission are all located at the rear of the tank so most frontal shots won't damage them, however, all the ammo is stowed right behind the thinner pieces of armour on the cheeks of the hull. This should be kept in mind as {{Battle-rating|1}}, a majority of Soviet and American tanks can pen this spot and cause ammo explosions. The crew are spaced out, but a centre of mass shot with APHE shells can knock out the entire crew. | ||
| − | + | '''Armour type:''' | |
| − | |||
| − | + | * Rolled homogeneous armour | |
| − | + | * Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola) | |
| − | *Rolled homogeneous armour | ||
| − | *Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola) | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof | ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Hull || 102 mm (9°) ''Front plate'' <br> 62 mm (78°), 102 mm (30°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 82 mm (46°) ''Lower glacis'' || 82 mm || 82 mm || 26 mm | + | | Hull || 102 mm (9°) ''Front plate'' <br> 62 mm (78°), 102 mm (30°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 82 mm (46°) ''Lower glacis'' || 82 mm || 82 mm || 26 mm |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Turret || 100 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 90 - 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 82 mm || 82 mm || 26 mm | + | | Turret || 100 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 90 - 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 82 mm || 82 mm || 26 mm |
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 26 mm | |
| − | | | ||
| − | | | ||
|} | |} | ||
'''Notes:''' | '''Notes:''' | ||
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=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} | ||
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
| − | {{tankMobility|abMinHp= | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=807|rbMinHp=553}} |
| + | |||
| + | === Modifications and economy === | ||
| + | {{Specs-Economy}} | ||
== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
| − | <!--Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.--> | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} |
| − | {{main| | + | <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> |
| + | {{main|KwK36 (88 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | ! colspan="5" | [[KwK36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK36]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer |
| + | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
| + | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! ''Arcade'' |
| − | + | | rowspan="2" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+16° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.47 || 8.96 || 10.88 || 12.03 || 12.80 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40 | |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | ! ''Realistic'' |
| + | | 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | + | ==== Ammunition ==== | |
| − | { | + | {{:KwK36 (88 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, Hl.Gr 39, Pzgr., Sprgr. L/4.5}} |
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| − | | PzGr 39 | ||
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| − | + | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] |
| − | {| class="wikitable | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 2.23.1.43''' --> |
| + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Full<br>ammo |
| − | ! | + | ! 1st<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 2nd<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 3rd<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 4th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 5th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 6th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! Visual<br>discrepancy |
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | '''80''' || 65 ''(+15)'' || 49 ''(+31)'' || 33 ''(+47)'' || 17 ''(+63)'' || 9 ''(+71)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || No | |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | '''Notes''': | ||
| − | + | * As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set. | |
| + | * Flank racks empty: 17 ''(+63)'' shells. | ||
=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| − | <!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}} |
| − | {{main| | + | <!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' --> |
| + | {{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]] |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal |
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | Coaxial || 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A | |
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|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
| − | <!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''--> | + | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
One of the flaws of its armour design is that it cannot be effectively angled at all. Because of its front hull cheeks, that are only 82 mm thick, even the slightest angling makes them very vulnerable to all guns, and to make matters even worse, ammunition is stored right behind them on both sides (unless one carries less ammunition). | One of the flaws of its armour design is that it cannot be effectively angled at all. Because of its front hull cheeks, that are only 82 mm thick, even the slightest angling makes them very vulnerable to all guns, and to make matters even worse, ammunition is stored right behind them on both sides (unless one carries less ammunition). | ||
| − | The gameplay is | + | The gameplay is similar to the Tiger E. Avoid direct close range confrontations (although the Porsche can hold its ground better there), where its weak spots can be targeted, or be flanked easily, and rather use its excellent accurate gun to outshoot the opponents from afar while using the terrain and various obstacles as cover (Hulldown manoeuvre). Refrain from showing your armour to the enemy at all, as opposed to Box-shaped Henschel Tigers, because of the vulnerable front hull cheeks and much thinner side armour. 102 mm of front hull armour means that the VK 45.01 (p) can be defeated by a lot of shells at this BR, and even more so in uptiers. |
Remember about the high reverse speed (31 km/h!), if the situation is becoming dire, try to retreat from it by reversing while still facing the opponents with 200 mm of front armour and dangerous gun! | Remember about the high reverse speed (31 km/h!), if the situation is becoming dire, try to retreat from it by reversing while still facing the opponents with 200 mm of front armour and dangerous gun! | ||
| − | Lastly, remember that | + | Lastly, remember that at the VK 45.01 (P)'s BR, and it can meet plenty of opponents that are almost invulnerable to the 88 mm gun from the front (even when using APCR), and/or can still instantly destroy the VK 45.01 (P) with one well-aimed shot. |
| − | === | + | === Pros and cons === |
| − | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> | |
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'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
* Petrol-electric engine and transmission offers fast reverse and forward speed | * Petrol-electric engine and transmission offers fast reverse and forward speed | ||
| − | * Very powerful | + | * Very powerful 88 mm gun |
| − | * Decent frontal turret and hull | + | * Decent frontal turret and hull armour |
| − | * | + | * Neutral steering |
* Weighs slightly less than the Tiger H1 | * Weighs slightly less than the Tiger H1 | ||
* Better turret placement than the Tiger H1, you expose less of your tank when pulling out of cover to snipe targets to your side | * Better turret placement than the Tiger H1, you expose less of your tank when pulling out of cover to snipe targets to your side | ||
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* Longer hull compared to Tiger I's | * Longer hull compared to Tiger I's | ||
* Ammo racks offer great targets around the fighting compartment | * Ammo racks offer great targets around the fighting compartment | ||
| − | * Low | + | * Low manoeuvrability, susceptible to being outflanked by more quicker adversaries |
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | <!--Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> |
===Development=== | ===Development=== | ||
| − | In 1942, a program to submit a heavy tank design weighing 45 tons mounting the 88 mm KwK 36 cannon derived from the successful 88 mm FlaK gun was launched on May 21. Two companies, Henschel and Porsche were contracted to design the tank hull that could mount the turret designed by Krupp. | + | In 1942, a program to submit a heavy tank design weighing 45 tons mounting the 88 mm KwK 36 cannon derived from the successful 88 mm FlaK gun was launched on May 21. Two companies, Henschel and Porsche were contracted to design the tank hull that could mount the turret designed by Krupp. |
| − | Porsche's development for this project was to upgrade their existing VK 30.01 (P) medium tank design, adapting parts from the tank into their new heavy tank. This heavy tank designed by Porsche was designated the '''VK 45.01 (P)''' and was powered by twin air-cooled gasoline Porsche Type 101/1 engines that were in the rear of the tank. Each engine drives a separate generator on each side of the tank that would then each power one of the two electric motors for each track. This design resulted in the tank being prone to breakdown due to complexity, high-maintenance, and deficiency in copper quality available for use. | + | Porsche's development for this project was to upgrade their existing VK 30.01 (P) medium tank design, adapting parts from the tank into their new heavy tank. This heavy tank designed by Porsche was designated the '''VK 45.01 (P)''' and was powered by twin air-cooled gasoline Porsche Type 101/1 engines that were in the rear of the tank. Each engine drives a separate generator on each side of the tank that would then each power one of the two electric motors for each track. This design resulted in the tank being prone to breakdown due to complexity, high-maintenance, and deficiency in copper quality available for use. |
The vehicle was displayed to Hitler on his birthday on April 20, 1942 alongside the Henschel version VK 45.01 (H). Unlike the Henschel variant, which had the turret mounted mid-hull, the Porsche version had the turret mounted far forward on the hull in order to make space for its rear engines and drive system. The tank was then evaluated by a technical commission headed by Albert Speer and it was found that the Henschel design was superior to the Porsche design as it was more mobile, more reliable, and easier to enter production. The Henschel version was accepted into service by the German Wehrmacht and was designated the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], while the Porsche variant was sidelined. Only five VK 45.01 (P) were created during the trials before its rejection. | The vehicle was displayed to Hitler on his birthday on April 20, 1942 alongside the Henschel version VK 45.01 (H). Unlike the Henschel variant, which had the turret mounted mid-hull, the Porsche version had the turret mounted far forward on the hull in order to make space for its rear engines and drive system. The tank was then evaluated by a technical commission headed by Albert Speer and it was found that the Henschel design was superior to the Porsche design as it was more mobile, more reliable, and easier to enter production. The Henschel version was accepted into service by the German Wehrmacht and was designated the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], while the Porsche variant was sidelined. Only five VK 45.01 (P) were created during the trials before its rejection. | ||
===Usage=== | ===Usage=== | ||
| − | Before even the evaluations began, Porsche was so confident that their design would be chosen that one hundred chassis of the VK 45.01 (P) was already produced. With the Henschel version chosen, the chassis were no longer needed to be made into a tank format, but it would be a waste to simply scrap them. These chassis were converted into case mate structures that could mount the new 88 mm Pak 43 cannon, which was longer and more powerful than the KwK 36 on the Tiger I. This would be called the | + | Before even the evaluations began, Porsche was so confident that their design would be chosen that one hundred chassis of the VK 45.01 (P) was already produced. With the Henschel version chosen, the chassis were no longer needed to be made into a tank format, but it would be a waste to simply scrap them. These chassis were converted into case mate structures that could mount the new 88 mm Pak 43 cannon, which was longer and more powerful than the KwK 36 on the Tiger I. This would be called the [[Ferdinand]] tank destroyer, later redesignated as the Elefant.Three VK 45.01 (P) was also converted into recovery vehicles designated the Bergepanzer Tiger(P). |
| − | Out of the five VK 45.01 (P) produced from its development to its rejection, only one saw service in World War II. The tank had the chassis number 150013 and was converted into a command tank, thus was designated the | + | Out of the five VK 45.01 (P) produced from its development to its rejection, only one saw service in World War II. The tank had the chassis number 150013 and was converted into a command tank, thus was designated the [[Pz.Bfw.VI (P)|Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P)]]. As a command tank, the tank would have much more radios than usual to allow for command communication between tank units and headquarters. Another feature on the Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P) was that an extra 100 mm of armour was welded onto the front hull armour, bringing the original 100 mm hull armour to 200 mm effective in thickness. The tank was used by Hauptmann Grillenberg in turret number 003 and the tank saw service on the Eastern Front with the Ferdinand units, serving in Tank Destroyer Battalion 653. It was deployed in April 1944, but was then lost in July of the same year. |
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | <!--Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.--> | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| + | |||
;Skins | ;Skins | ||
| − | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/? | + | |
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
;Sights | ;Sights | ||
| + | |||
* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] | * [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] | ||
;Videos | ;Videos | ||
| − | {{Youtube-gallery | + | {{Youtube-gallery|tcIeR_s6fp8|'''The Shooting Range #204''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:50 discusses the Tiger I and the {{PAGENAME}}.|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:56 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}} |
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| − | <!--Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example: | + | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' |
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
| − | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''--> | + | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> |
| − | * [[Pz.Bfw.VI (P)]] | + | * [[Pz.Bfw.VI (P)]] |
== External links == | == External links == | ||
| Line 284: | Line 185: | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| − | |||
* ''other literature.'' | * ''other literature.'' | ||
Revision as of 21:40, 28 July 2024
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Contents
Description
The VK 45.01 (P) is a premium gift rank III German heavy tank with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.45 "Steel Generals" as a reward vehicle for the 2015 "War Thunder Fulfills Your Wishes!" event.
The VK 45.01 (P), like the Tiger H1, is a heavy tank with a great gun for long range firing. It has the same amount of armour and the same gun as the Tiger H1 and same ammo selection. Size-wise, the VK 45.01 (P) is slightly longer and slightly narrower than the Tiger H1. Despite the similarities, the VK 45.01 (P) is often called a "worse tiger". When played right however, this is not so at all. The main weakness of the VK 45.01 (P) is that it has hull cheeks on the front of its hull. Attempting to angle your armour will only allow the enemy to shoot these weak points, which they can easily pen as they have the same armour values as the side armour. In other words, if fighting an enemy, you should either take cover or turn the front of your hull directly towards them. Because the hull cheeks are angled compared to the front armour, if your hull is facing directly towards the enemy the hull cheeks will have more effective armour than your frontal armour, so they are not a weak point when the tank is not angled. The turret traverse speed is also slow, slower than that of the Tiger H1, meaning it's better to snipe with this tank.
But what the VK 45.01 (P) lacks in effective armour and turret traverse speed it makes up for reverse speed and a few other advantages. Firstly, the transmission is harder to hit since it's mounted in the rear- you will be harder to immobilize. Secondly, the turret is placed at the front of the vehicle, so it doesn't need to expose as much of the tank when peeking out of cover to shoot an enemy. These two advantages go great with its next, and biggest advantage: its phenomenal reverse speed. Because of this attribute, the VK is better for Peek-a-Boo tactics (behind cover, over-extend and shoot, go back in cover to reload). than the Tiger H1. Whereas the Tiger H1 can angle and take more shots, the VK 45.01 (P) is much better at shooting from and retreating into cover, essentially meaning it doesn't have to take those shots in the first place.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 60 / 80
Turret100 / 82 / 82
Crew5 people
Visibility107 %
The VK 45.01 (P) has 102 mm of frontal armour and 82 mm of armour on the cheeks of the hull and sides of the hull. The lower front plate also has 82mm of armour. The engine and transmission are all located at the rear of the tank so most frontal shots won't damage them, however, all the ammo is stowed right behind the thinner pieces of armour on the cheeks of the hull. This should be kept in mind as with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB/RB/SB), a majority of Soviet and American tanks can pen this spot and cause ammo explosions. The crew are spaced out, but a centre of mass shot with APHE shells can knock out the entire crew.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 102 mm (9°) Front plate 62 mm (78°), 102 mm (30°) Front glacis 82 mm (46°) Lower glacis |
82 mm | 82 mm | 26 mm |
| Turret | 100 mm Turret front 90 - 200 mm Gun mantlet |
82 mm | 82 mm | 26 mm |
| Cupola | 80 mm | 80 mm | 80 mm | 26 mm |
Notes:
- Turret front covered by gun mantlet has variable thickness depending on exact place, ranging from 90 to 200 mm of armour.
- The side of the hull where the suspension lies is only 62 mm thick compared to the top area, so beware of this glaring weak point.
- The rear of the hull and turret has some tracks attached that provides an extra 30 mm of armour protection.
Mobility
Speedforward / back
AB38 / 35 km/h
RB and SB36 / 33 km/h
Number of gears8 forward
4 back
Weight57.0 t
Engine power
AB1 192 hp
RB and SB625 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB20.9 hp/t
RB and SB11.0 hp/t
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 38 | 35 | 57 | 807 | 1,192 | 14.16 | 20.91 |
| Realistic | 36 | 33 | 553 | 625 | 9.7 | 10.96 | |
Modifications and economy
Repair cost
AB1 595 
RB1 768
SB2 443
Crew training10 000
Experts250 000
Aces630 
Research Aces870 000 
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
2 × 100 / 150 / 170 % 2 × 160 / 160 / 160 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
Ammunition80 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
9.6 → 7.4 s
Vertical guidance-8° / 16°
| 88 mm KwK36 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 80 | -8°/+16° | ±180° | N/A | 6.47 | 8.96 | 10.88 | 12.03 | 12.80 | 9.62 | 8.51 | 7.84 | 7.40 |
| Realistic | 4.76 | 5.60 | 6.80 | 7.52 | 8.00 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| PzGr 39 | APCBC | 165 | 162 | 151 | 139 | 127 | 117 |
| Hl.Gr 39 | HEAT | 110 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 110 |
| Pzgr. | APCBC | 153 | 151 | 140 | 128 | 116 | 106 |
| Sprgr. L/4.5 | HE | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| PzGr 39 | APCBC | 773 | 10.2 | 1.2 | 14 | 108.8 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Hl.Gr 39 | HEAT | 600 | 7.64 | 0 | 0.3 | 1,100 | 62° | 69° | 73° | |||
| Pzgr. | APCBC | 810 | 9.5 | 1.2 | 14 | 215.04 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| Sprgr. L/4.5 | HE | 820 | 9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 900 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Ammo racks
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Ammo racks of the VK 45.01 (P)
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 65 (+15) | 49 (+31) | 33 (+47) | 17 (+63) | 9 (+71) | 1 (+79) | No |
Notes:
- As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
- Flank racks empty: 17 (+63) shells.
Machine guns
7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 800 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate900 shots/min
| 7.92 mm MG34 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Coaxial | 1,800 (150) | 900 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
One of the flaws of its armour design is that it cannot be effectively angled at all. Because of its front hull cheeks, that are only 82 mm thick, even the slightest angling makes them very vulnerable to all guns, and to make matters even worse, ammunition is stored right behind them on both sides (unless one carries less ammunition).
The gameplay is similar to the Tiger E. Avoid direct close range confrontations (although the Porsche can hold its ground better there), where its weak spots can be targeted, or be flanked easily, and rather use its excellent accurate gun to outshoot the opponents from afar while using the terrain and various obstacles as cover (Hulldown manoeuvre). Refrain from showing your armour to the enemy at all, as opposed to Box-shaped Henschel Tigers, because of the vulnerable front hull cheeks and much thinner side armour. 102 mm of front hull armour means that the VK 45.01 (p) can be defeated by a lot of shells at this BR, and even more so in uptiers.
Remember about the high reverse speed (31 km/h!), if the situation is becoming dire, try to retreat from it by reversing while still facing the opponents with 200 mm of front armour and dangerous gun!
Lastly, remember that at the VK 45.01 (P)'s BR, and it can meet plenty of opponents that are almost invulnerable to the 88 mm gun from the front (even when using APCR), and/or can still instantly destroy the VK 45.01 (P) with one well-aimed shot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Petrol-electric engine and transmission offers fast reverse and forward speed
- Very powerful 88 mm gun
- Decent frontal turret and hull armour
- Neutral steering
- Weighs slightly less than the Tiger H1
- Better turret placement than the Tiger H1, you expose less of your tank when pulling out of cover to snipe targets to your side
- Transmission is mounted in the rear, making the vehicle harder to immobilize when hit in the front
Cons:
- Slower turret rotation speed compared to Tiger I's
- Less ammo than Tiger I's
- Thin hull cheek armour
- No anti-air machine gun
- Longer hull compared to Tiger I's
- Ammo racks offer great targets around the fighting compartment
- Low manoeuvrability, susceptible to being outflanked by more quicker adversaries
History
Development
In 1942, a program to submit a heavy tank design weighing 45 tons mounting the 88 mm KwK 36 cannon derived from the successful 88 mm FlaK gun was launched on May 21. Two companies, Henschel and Porsche were contracted to design the tank hull that could mount the turret designed by Krupp.
Porsche's development for this project was to upgrade their existing VK 30.01 (P) medium tank design, adapting parts from the tank into their new heavy tank. This heavy tank designed by Porsche was designated the VK 45.01 (P) and was powered by twin air-cooled gasoline Porsche Type 101/1 engines that were in the rear of the tank. Each engine drives a separate generator on each side of the tank that would then each power one of the two electric motors for each track. This design resulted in the tank being prone to breakdown due to complexity, high-maintenance, and deficiency in copper quality available for use.
The vehicle was displayed to Hitler on his birthday on April 20, 1942 alongside the Henschel version VK 45.01 (H). Unlike the Henschel variant, which had the turret mounted mid-hull, the Porsche version had the turret mounted far forward on the hull in order to make space for its rear engines and drive system. The tank was then evaluated by a technical commission headed by Albert Speer and it was found that the Henschel design was superior to the Porsche design as it was more mobile, more reliable, and easier to enter production. The Henschel version was accepted into service by the German Wehrmacht and was designated the Tiger I, while the Porsche variant was sidelined. Only five VK 45.01 (P) were created during the trials before its rejection.
Usage
Before even the evaluations began, Porsche was so confident that their design would be chosen that one hundred chassis of the VK 45.01 (P) was already produced. With the Henschel version chosen, the chassis were no longer needed to be made into a tank format, but it would be a waste to simply scrap them. These chassis were converted into case mate structures that could mount the new 88 mm Pak 43 cannon, which was longer and more powerful than the KwK 36 on the Tiger I. This would be called the Ferdinand tank destroyer, later redesignated as the Elefant.Three VK 45.01 (P) was also converted into recovery vehicles designated the Bergepanzer Tiger(P).
Out of the five VK 45.01 (P) produced from its development to its rejection, only one saw service in World War II. The tank had the chassis number 150013 and was converted into a command tank, thus was designated the Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P). As a command tank, the tank would have much more radios than usual to allow for command communication between tank units and headquarters. Another feature on the Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P) was that an extra 100 mm of armour was welded onto the front hull armour, bringing the original 100 mm hull armour to 200 mm effective in thickness. The tank was used by Hauptmann Grillenberg in turret number 003 and the tank saw service on the Eastern Front with the Ferdinand units, serving in Tank Destroyer Battalion 653. It was deployed in April 1944, but was then lost in July of the same year.
Media
- Skins
- Sights
- Videos
The Shooting Range #204 - Pages of History section at 04:50 discusses the Tiger I and the VK 45.01 (P).
Best experimental vehicles discusses the VK 45.01 (P) at 0:56 - War Thunder Official Channel
See also
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Germany heavy tanks | |
|---|---|
| Tiger 1 (Henschel) | Tiger H1 · Tiger E · ␠Tiger |
| Tiger 1 (Porsche) | VK 45.01 (P) · Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P |
| Tiger 2 | Tiger II (P) · Tiger II (H) · Tiger II (H) Sla.16 · Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K) |
| Super heavy tanks | Maus · E-100 |
| Trophies | |
| Great Britain | ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill |
| USSR | ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r) |
| Germany premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | Pz.II C (DAK) · Pz.Sfl.Ic · Pz.Sp.Wg.P204(f) KwK · Sd.Kfz. 140/1 · Sd.Kfz.234/1 · Ru 251 · SPz 12-3 LGS · TAM 2IP |
| Medium tanks | Nb.Fz. · Pz.III N · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J · ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) · Ersatz M10 |
| mKPz M47 G · Turm III · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M | |
| Heavy tanks | ▀Pz.Kpfw. Churchill · ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r) |
| VK 45.01 (P) · ␠Tiger · Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P · Tiger II (H) Sla.16 | |
| Tank destroyers | Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · 15 cm Pz.W.42 |
| Brummbär · Panzer IV/70(A) · VFW · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 · Elefant · 38 cm Sturmmörser | |
