Rarest Tiger Tank - The Porsche Tiger

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The Tiger I & II and well known, but there was a third type of Tiger tank, with just a handful manufactured - the Porsche Tiger VK. 4501. Find out the story behind the rarest Tiger tank built by the famous sports car manufacturer and its combat history.
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Credits: Mark Felton Productions, KZbin Creative Commons, Bundesarchiv Commons
Theme music: courtesy Apple iMovie

[@DickWindsor]

I always like to call Porsche dealerships and ask if they have any VK.4501s on the lot...

[@danclick5961]

You dont

[@Jermster_91]

I am surprised War Thunder or World of Tanks didn't sponsor this video.

[@simonkevnorris]

Yes, I know that WoT has the TigerP in-game (not that I've played that game for a number of years. Anyway, I think this may be the first video that I was not unaware of the subject. I did not know that a TigerP was the command tank for the Elefant/Ferdinands. Thanks anyway for the video.

[@cruzinezy1968]

jermster17 why would they? This video isn't about Russian tanks . . .

[@Jixxor]

Actually, both tanks feature the Tiger (P). And I believe in both games, it is better than the Henschel Tiger and premium (coincidence? Lul). While I am not 100% sure if it really performs better in WoT, I can safely say it does so in War Thunder: It has the same gun, handles the same but comes with superior front armor. Weird how a Tank that was not chosen for obvious reasons can magically out-perform the historical winner of the competition. Probably because malfunctions don't affect in-game performance

[@MarxxxxExpo69]

My thoughts exactly. Vikings is somewhat further fetched... Nordic tribes at war anyways, LOL.

[@moisesezequielgutierrez]

@@Jixxor I know this comment is a month old but: As a person who once played WoT and played this Tank (Tiger P aka Vk. 4501) This Tank is so great to play! Just know how to angle your 200mm front armor and you're great to go! If you're playing it or you have at least one on your team, it's one of the best armored Tier 7 Tank that you can use as a shield, and if you're facing one of those it's not really nightmarish but hard to kill, just don't shoot their angled armors or maybe try to aim at their commander's hatch, or if you wanna kill them fast, attract your teammates to the Tiger P and work together until it's destroyed. The drawbacks of playing this Tank is _IT'S TOO SLOW! Especially when trying to climb uphill and you're a great target for the artilleries_

[@lstierney]

Interesting. Didn't know Porsche tigers saw combat. Thought they were all converted to Ferdinands

[@bryanmartinez6600]

I believe for every couple Ferdinand they left 1 Tiger P don't know the ratio but I think it was 9 Ferdinand and 1 Tiger

[@averagefilipino315]

lstierney one was never converted,it serve as a command vehicle while the rest were converted.

[@pepperthekobold]

@@bryanmartinez6600 That was the intention, but only 1 saw combat as a 'Tiger'

[@2Quietus]

This was my understanding as well. Interesting indeed!

[@wolfie5777]

Same here, I thought they never saw combat

[@dopedoge3603]

It should be international law that you leave 5 units of any vehicle, truck, tanks, planes, ships, subs intact for historical purposes. LAW!!!!!

[@ads214]

Love how even the Porsche tank still has an air-cooled, rear-mounted engine(s)

[@UnclePutte]

To think that somewhere out there, on the desolate steppe or the black of the Prussian lakes and forests, one might find a buried unicorn like this.

[@markfryer9880]

It is something of a Unicorn when you stop and think about it. A White Rhino is also an appropriate animal

[@_Matsimus_]

Love this channel and you’re doing great! 👍❤️

[@jasondaniel918]

Sorry, but my interior little boy cannot help but wonder what it would have been like to ride into combat in a Porsche.

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Me too!

[@joselucca2728]

The single Porsche Tiger that saw combat "was estimated to knock out some 50 soviet tanks" in a few months. Seems it was a deadly as the Henschel Tiger.

[@rodrigogomes7546]

The same firepower as Henschel Tiger but with a more armored hull, more than enough to deal with the T34's and KV's of the soviets.

[@Paciat]

German tank kill count was as real as their propaganda. If he had 50 kills, how many kills his Ferdinand unit had?

[@wyatttyson7737]

@@Paciat Germans can't do anything without people jumping to try and 'debunk' it. Its a Tiger, dude. It was impenetrable by lighter tanks and had a gun that was nearly unmatched. To quote Battlefield V's *Last Tiger* story intro: Tigers would often run out of ammo before they ran out of enemies to kill.

[@DerZenith]

@@Paciat The highest kill ratio of the war was actually achieved by the Ferdinand Elefants. Higher than other German tanks like King Tiger....

[@ln7929]

@@DerZenith yeah if it didn't catch fire going up a small hill

[@hereLiesThisTroper]

I once saw a bunch of Japanese highschool girls drift a Porsche Tiger. True story.

[@melle9155]

Good to see you have a sponsor! I hope this allows you to make more of these awesome videos

[@smeb4086]

Im going to help him even more by playing that game :) i used to play goodgame empire as a child and still play clash of clans so this should be interesting

[@RadioMartyT1B]

I agree. If it means Mark can put out more great work, everybody's happy.

[@killraven123]

No, its not good. Who the fuck wants to hear about a mobile game on a history video.

[@jamesdunn9714]

@@killraven123 I do not mind at all.

[@SafetyProMalta]

The electric drive was always the issue. Porsche design was 10 years too early.

[@Dreachon]

It never was the electrical systems, those all worked. People should really stop sprouting nonsense and read books written by actual historians. What was the problem for the Porsche design were the troublesome Porsche Type 101 engines.

[@friday3810]

Actualy Porsche used elekricdrive as early as ww1 in the artilerytractor dir für austrian 30,5 cm howitzer. It proved it weld well enough to still be ussed by the Wehrmacht in ww2.

[@binaway]

The Porsche Panzer VIII Maus chassis (1944) used petrol/diesel- electric drive which proved in testing to be reliable.

[@fatdad64able]

Not by looks. Kinda like the German Challenger tank.

[@darthhoovy8332]

What’s the advantage of the electric drive compared to more traditional designs? Everyone says how unreliable the electric drives were but they never seem to talk about the advantages of it.

[@kukaoot6077]

This channel is growing really fast! congrats

[@ArenBerberian]

Yeah i remember him having only a few thousand a cupel months ago.

[@ohyeahyeah6430]

Well deserved in my view

[@McRocket]

Interesting. I knew of the Ferdinand/Elefant, but I had no idea a Porsche Tiger actually saw action. Thank you.

[@thornwarbler]

I worked with a bloke in the early 80's who was blown out of his panzer at El Alamein he was captured and spent the rest of the war in America. He also told me Rommel had spoken to him while inspecting troops...........Amazing link to history

[@alexmarra6656]

Every video i learn something new,it's crazy how much i missed about tigers!! I appreciate mate !!

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

I appreciate your support

[@marc9283]

the drivetrain of that thing was WAY ahead of its time! nowadays lots of heavy machinery uses Diesel-electric drivetrains.

[@rodrigogomes7546]

Back in the day they used a lot Diesel-electric powertrains too, and it's works fine for really heavy applications (like submarines and locomotives), but for "low" power output applications (like tanks) direct mechanical transmission is better, as prove of that, none tank used diesel-electric configuration since WW2.

[@richardkey4289]

Marc u have read somewhere the u.s. military has a humvee replacement that has a normal Engine driving a generator, which powers 4 electric motors at the wheel hubs; & a group of these can join up to form a power supply, for a camp, or....laser / directed energy weapons

[@Ty-yt3lj]

(Cough cough) *Deltics* (cough cough)

[@SupesMe]

I’m embarrassed to say I knew there was one of these in Girls und Panzer 😂 I did not know one ever saw any actual action!

[@moisesezequielgutierrez]

This Tank could have been better if Porsche made a different Engine or Hitler gave Porsche at least almost 4 months to fix the Tiger P's problems but nooooo this Tank just became one of the worst Tanks of WW2. Edit: Also I'm really glad to see this Tank from GuP. I have been wondering how this Tank manage to climb at the Hills without catching on fire. In the first Season, this Tank is well you know, caughts on fire for climbing, and they need to assist the Tank(Tiger P) from climbing.

[@cirian75]

Apparently the electric parts of the drive system were fairly reliable, it was the engines chosen that were absolutely overwhelmed by the demands setup on them

[@WilliamJones-Halibut-vq1fs]

cirian75 The Electric Drive train a “Ward Leonard” System allowed completely precise control of the speed of each track. Neutral turns “on the spot” were possible. Had the T26 Pershing not been rushed into service the US Army likely would have produced the T23 with an electric drive instead. Roughly the system works like this: the engine drives two generators. By small variations in the field current the output of each of the generator can be varied and this is used to vary the track speed. You basically have variable resistors in the steering wheel. You don’t even need to switch the engine in reverse, just reverse the field. The field of the two traction motors could be varied to increase torque at the expense of speed thus acting as a sort of torque increases. An industrial DC motor weighs about 295kg per 100kw so you woukd need 600kg of motor generator to transmit 100kw. So assuming 500kw that would be 3 tons. I imagine traction motors would be lighter than industrial motors. It’s not much in a 55 ton tank especially considering it eliminates gearboxes, differentials and steering gear. Electric Drive was considered for Bismark but rejected out of fear of copper shortages. Aluminium windings add about 11% in weight, so it is possible.

[@punman5392]

Porsche decided to try and make a completely new designed engine in the middle of a war...

[@rewrew897]

Ima just say The Porsche Tiger has always been my absolute favorite tank

[@perwahloo3499]

Looks a bit like the Tiger cleverly made out of a T36 in Kelley’s Heroes

[@AtheistOrphan]

Per Wahloo - T36?

[@perwahloo3499]

Fat fingers, sorry T34

[@farzet3937]

Almost mistook it as a Cromwell that was being disguised a tiger thanks to the thumbnail.

[@jinglejangle3287]

You mean that the Porsche Tiger looks like a Cromwell?

[@CarLos-yi7ne]

I agree, when you see it in the first moment from the front it looks like a Cromwell indeed

[@leonardusrakapradayan2253]

Now that you mention it

[@floris2971]

Great to hear you got a sponsor, you really deserve it, with the high amount of great videos

[@peteralderson1483]

Mark this is another story I knew something about. But I had no idea one of the Porsche tanks actually saw active service. Great video again ,keep them coming

[@Henryk516]

Thank you Mark, wonderful stuff and always welcomed. You teach well.

[@paulstan9828]

Always interesting historical information. It’s great seeing photos I’ve never seen before and events I’ve never heard of.

[@vito7428]

Great to see you finally get the recognition you deserve,I hope to see more companies sponsor you in the future

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

Thanks

[@panzerraven4135]

Happy to see that you have found a sponsor! I normally really dislike it. But I will let this one slide since you deserve it 😉

[@snowflakemelter1172]

You have a great speaking voice, clear and precise, a pleasure to listen to.

[@vacomments]

I am happy that you managed to find a sponsor. I wish you all the best. Thank you ever so much for another great video!

[@ventus5th]

What's your intro music? It gives your vids impact. O_o

[@MasterMalrubius]

Agreed. The hair stands up on my neck when I hear it.

[@johannsebastianbach9003]

Yeh wanted to download it too

[@user6008]

Excellent, I had no idea that this tank existed!

[@josipcuric8767]

Ferdinand Porsche: My design is so innovative that I know I'll win this competition. I already built 101 hulls 10 of which have a turret. Hitler: Henschel it is Ferdinand Porsche: *_say sike right now_*

[@mrbluemagik1]

Such knowledge...@mark felton productions...your dedication is out of this world

[@daqt6079]

Always interesting, one of my favourite channels!

[@bigblue6917]

I had read something about these tanks but not much. So it was interesting to find out more. The Elephant I did know a bit more about, though that is the usual about not having a machine gun and how badly they fared at the Battle of Kursk. So thanks for the video. Knowledge increased

[@HiTechOilCo]

"German engineering"! lol

[@TheIzroda]

The part about not having a machinegun and being destroyed by infantry is a minor incident that gets blown out of proportion. I've read in AFV Profile magazines about Elephants destroying multiple T-34s at ranges of 2 kilometers and more, so I'd say for a sorta makeshift tank they didn't fare as bad as people think.

[@DullerCrab]

Glad to see you’re sponsored now! Bring in that revenue my friend, you deserve it.

[@roberthawkins5785]

Thanks for doing the research I had a lot of questions about this keep up the good work man

[@caractacuspott4581]

Your videos are always a pleasure Mark!

[@bucknertarsney7674]

Awesome video Mark! What a fascinating subject. Thank you for making these videos.

[@CarLos-yi7ne]

At least on aspect which is more practical / less troublesome is the nonoverlapping roadwheels.

[@markfryer9880]

You know with all the Porsche controversy over engine and transmission choice I completely missed that detail and I counted road wheels too. The funny shape of the forward hull didn't help me either.

[@NorceCodine]

The overlapping wheels were there to protect the side of the hull, where the crew inside is completely blind, from an enemy soldier running up and attaching a magnetic mine to it. This was a common Soviet tactic. It was a radical change from the Panzer III. design where the small wheels left the hull very vulnerable to magnetic mines.

[@thewomble1509]

@@NorceCodine The Germans overlooked the large amount of mud which got in between the wheels then froze in sub zero temperatures. Changing mine damaged wheels was a huge logistic pain in the arse too.

[@christophercoleman6596]

Good short doc on an obscure but interesting vehicle. George Bradford's AFV News had a short piece on it many years ago by one of the German engineers who worked on it, but other than that, I've rarely seen anything else on it.

[@WildBillCox13]

A useful and most interesting segment. Thanks for posting, Mark!

[@OmarSlloum]

Hans: "jawol, let's go fight ze Russki's!" *engine breaks down* "Scheiße"

[@Bae-oo7rf]

Hans: "Ok we finally have a decent engine now, lets get them Russians!" *Theres no oil* Hans: Scheiße

[@AsianSaIad]

Hans: "yes! now we have fuel!" *transmission broke* Hans: " Nein nein nein!"

[@davvvvo]

Hans: "Ok everything's fixed, lets get them reds!" *germany surrenders* Hans: Scheiße

[@gluggo3104]

He just Present advertisements so nicely He’s the only person I want to advertise to me.

[@timothydirkninalga7406]

Great video keep going

[@legendaryexplorer8119]

Never new about the porsche tiger. Thanks for the very informal and interesting video:)

[@guleble6000]

Finally! Someone made a vid about my favorite tank!

[@edwardmorgan2965]

Mark quality work well researched, well edited sir.

[@pattifunkhouse2932]

Great theme song Mark! Start my day with it.

[@brianpauley1151]

God I'd love to drive one over / through MARK ZUKERBERG'S front gate !

[@mikehunt7977]

Well Done Mark You Got a Sponsor Am Really Happy :D

[@ronnysterling7694]

Go Mark!! You’re awesome.

[@WhatIsYourMalfunction]

I had subscribed but KZbin in its infinite wisdom believed I should not watch content like this. So I subscribed again! Great and unique content.

[@thagrifster594]

So the Tiger P was hybrid then? 🤪

[@totkampf8427]

finally! the story of my favorite tank!

[@jacobhayes9992]

Hey! you got a sponsor congrats!

[@Gow-13510]

Congratulations now you got sponsor

[@PilotTed]

The vk 4501 has to variants, one with a 200mm front plate, and the normal standard one with only 100mm. In Warthunder, they have both variants, the 200mm plate one is a purchasable premium tank while the 100mm one was a event vehicle meaning you had to unlock it during an event that happened years ago.

[@user-jv8yu7ld7b]

I totally 100% plus enjoy your videos you do an excellent job and I love it there short and to the point they're absolutely fantastic two thumbs up man

[@unkownsoldier3186]

Amazing work mark!

[@tasman006]

That was a dam tasty bit of info. Awsome vid as always. I knew the story of the Porshe design and conversion into a TD but 1 original version seeing combat Wow! The only other prototype TD I know that saw action on the Eastern front was the DickerMax.

[@hugohom2280]

Glad you got a sponsor!

[@TheCimbrianBull]

Great video! I learned something new about this vehicle. I like to make plastic scale models of tanks and some years ago I also built this particular vehicle.

[@andrewluchsinger]

I got lucky and was able to find two Dragon kits of the Porsche Tigers. I have three Ferdinanand Tanks. I love those models.

[@Mav8887.]

Amazing Video's! Subscribed the other day

[@garybanglebangle7949]

Great info. Great history.

[@TheGrowler55]

Great Stuff, keep it up.

[@CJ-so6vl]

This was the best channel I subscribed to in 2018

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

And thank you for subscribing, much appreciated

[@Martin-jb9dy]

Another great video! greetings from Slovak fan

[@nikshmenga]

The Porsche tank, one assumes, would have had the advantage of great speed.

[@jorgsobota2228]

There's one big misconception here: there was no competition between Porsche and Henschel. The Wehrmacht needed heavy tanks and both were supposed to enter service - the more conventional Tiger H at the eastern front, the Tiger P was to be assigned to the SPz.Abt. in Africa/Tunisia because of the air cooled engines (where the Tiger Hs there really had troubles from overheating...). But the reliability of the Porsche engines was an issue and because of that the Tiger P wasn't produced. On the Ferdinand/Elefant the engines were changed to the reliable Maybach HL120s and they hadn't big troubles with it. For a 70t rolling bunker the mobility was not that bad, the electric engines had way more torque than any petrol engine at that given time and driving wasn't very complicated. According to documents the electric engines collected a lot of dust and had to be looked over but engine troubles became only frequent were maintendance was rare or it lacked spare parts (which on the other hand was the rule in '44/45). But from the engineering standpoint the whole concept was pretty good and ahead of its time... (Schwere Jagdpanzer by Walter J. Spielberger and Hilary Doyle is a good source because it features the Ferdinand with original sources)

[@mikeymara411]

i love your channel! im gunna check out that game tho forreal, right up my alley

[@sniper60605]

I LOVE your videos!

[@hughbo52]

Never ceasing to amaze.

[@sergeantpanther678]

Personally I liked Potential History’s video about the Porsche Tiger, Elefant and Ferdinand more since he spent a bit more time on it but it’s great that this channel finally gets a sponsor.

[@Michael-kg8ef]

Another great video !!

[@hg2560]

Good video. Would love to hear about the actions of the Tiger 1 in the North African Campaign. Think the small scale conflicts and actions would fit your great channel well

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

You probably should watch the video I did on Tiger 131 in Tunisia: kzbin.info?o=U&video_id=l757nPxZHOw

[@ZenZaBill]

"...prone to breakdowns, and frequent maintenance." Sounds like a few of the Porsches I've owned!

[@Mountainmonths]

you're gonna have a million subscribers someday

[@franz.isler799]

More power to your videos. How about making a separate/dedicated video about the Jagdtiger, the heaviest armored fighting vehicle used operationally in WW2?

[@johncook3125]

I think some were used for the king tiger tank killers. I think the one at Bovington tank museum is one of them. Good video. Thanks.

[@mickpilsworth1]

Not sure about the ad! But, as ever, the script, library footage, music and voiceover are superb.

[@user-qp3hd3cn8e]

That video gives me a bad feeling about politicians arguing that there have to be a total focus on MINT research. I forgot the name of the guy but a German teacher once told us about him and how he researched and wrote a biography about Franz Kafka basically his whole live and from his own money. Really sad.

[@dayvinboisvert4000]

The vk4501. Most people are familiar with it. Porsches design was legendary. The only reason it failed was due to major mechanical issues that were not able to be worked out at the time

[@psbrayshaw]

Love these. Thanks Mark. 👍😁 Do you know when your new Netflix programme will be out? (the Hitler Security one)

[@evilcrow]

Love all tigers!

[@sergiogoncalves5079]

Very good, tanks for video!!!!

[@danielkorkmaz2691]

Hey Mark, can you do a video about the Pre-Production Turret Variant King Tigers aka 'Porsche Turret' and can you also describe where these tanks were posted?

[@AtheistOrphan]

Daniel Korkmaz - One of those is in the tank museum at Bovington.

[@nosugarplz3867]

Great stuff

[@jameswilliams5961]

Awesome job on the tanks

[@scharnhorst3005]

One of the first hybrid vehicles. Mean, lean and green!

[@silenciummortum2193]

How does this guy get ANY dislikes on his videos? He is amazing and a wealth of knowledge.

[@cgaccount3669]

You really show how documentaries, history books, and historians rarely give us the true story. I can watch a 2 hr documentary on tigers and they'll give less info than you provide in 5 minutes! Well done as always!

[@skillzforMC]

Congratulations on your sponsor Mark!

[@guycarrwuzright7189]

Nice work my friend.

[@robertjohnson8938]

Keep up the good work

[@mandernachluca3774]

*HIS QUIRKS WERE LEGENDARY*

[@Namtov]

So the drivetrain was used/Kept in the Elefant/Ferdinand ?

[@jeffreyverheij6745]

Yeah but I thought they used two pz 4 or pz3 engines instead of porsche engines