Difference between revisions of "VK 45.01 (P)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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|market=VK 4501 P
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to 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 the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
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<!-- ''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 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 ==
 
== 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 helpfull 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)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! 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
 +
|-
 +
| 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:'''
  
−
''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
+
*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 ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
+
{{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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{{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 flexibilty 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}}
 +
<!-- ''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)}}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
|-
 +
! 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
 +
|-
 +
! ''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}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''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&nbsp;''(+15)'' || 49&nbsp;''(+31)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+47)'' || 17&nbsp;''(+63)'' || 9&nbsp;''(+71)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+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&nbsp;''(+63)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''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.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''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" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! 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
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
== Usage in the 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 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).
 +
 
 +
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 and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''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".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''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:'''
 
'''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 ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
<!-- ''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===
 +
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 H1|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, A contract was approved by the army to produce one hundred chassis of the VK 45.01 (P). With the Henschel version chosen, the chassis produced 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 in 1944.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 [[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 ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_tiger_P Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;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]
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Videos
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
{{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 ==
 +
<!-- ''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.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
* [[Pz.Bfw.VI (P)]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{Germany heavy tanks}}
 +
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}
 +
{{Winter Event}}

Latest revision as of 21:52, 19 October 2024

VK 45.01 (P)
germ_pzkpfw_vi_tiger_p.png
GarageImage VK 45.01 (P).jpg
ArtImage VK 45.01 (P).png
VK 45.01 (P)
Germany flag.png Germany
III Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
5.3 5.3 5.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
MARKET

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 Sl icon.png
RB1 768 Sl icon.png
SB2 443 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts250 000 Sl icon.png
Aces630 Ge icon.png
Research Aces870 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 100 / 150 / 170 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 160 / 160 / 160 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ger.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
88mm_ger_kwk36_Pzgr_APCBC_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods tank ammo.png
88mm_kwk_36_43_HEAT_ammo_pack
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism

Armaments

Main armament

88 mm KwK36 cannon
Ammunition80 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
9.6 → 7.4 s
Vertical guidance-8° / 16°
Main article: KwK36 (88 mm)
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

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
Main article: MG34 (7.92 mm)
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, A contract was approved by the army to produce one hundred chassis of the VK 45.01 (P). With the Henschel version chosen, the chassis produced 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 in 1944.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

Winter events
2022  Winter Quest
Pilot stars  Late 298D · ◄Tornado IDS MFG
Tanker stars  T-80UM2
Sailor stars  USS Newport News
2021  Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.
Pilot stars  C. 202D · ◊MiG-23MF
Tanker stars  A.C.I · AGS
Sailor stars  IJN Hayanami · MPK Pr.201K
2020  Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.
Pilot stars  Ro.57 Quadriarma · MiG-21PFM
Tanker stars  E.B.R. (1954) · Class 3 (P)
Sailor stars  Type K-8 No.13 · USS Baltimore
2019  Operation F.R.O.S.T.
Pilot stars  TIS MA · J6K1
Tanker stars  QF 3.7 Ram · ▃Merkava Mk.2B
Sailor stars  PT-811 · Jaguar
2018  Festive Quest
Pilot stars  M.B.152C1 · Fw 190 C
Tanker stars  SU-85A · T30
Christmas Lights  P-43A-1 · Comet I "Iron Duke IV"
2017  Festive Quest
Pilot christmas toys  P-40C · NC.900
Tanker christmas toys  AEC Mk II · Ersatz M10
Christmas Lights  Fw 189 A-1 · KV-2 (1940)
2016  Winter Holiday
Pilot stages  Ki-21-I hei · Me 262 A-2a
Tanker stages  ▃LVT(A)(4) (ZIS-2) · ▂Type 62
2015  War Thunder Fulfills Your Wishes!
Pilot reward  ▂P-63C-5
Tanker reward  VK 45.01 (P)
2014  Holiday War Thunder Marathon!
Pilot reward  I-301
Tanker reward  M8A1 GMC

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