TankHistoria provides information about Sturmtiger – The Tiger with a 380 mm Rocket Launcher. The Sturmtiger was the final “monster tank” to be produced by Germany in World War II. It was a hybrid of sorts, combining the chassis of the Tiger II with the gun from the famous Panther and a new 380 mm rocket launcher as its main armament. As you can probably tell from its name, this new weapon had a pretty big range and could fire five different types of ammo at once. Once again, Hitler’s demand for over-the-top super weapons that would tip the balance of war back in his favor led to some weird and wonderful creations. The Sturmtiger fits into this category perfectly! With its intimidating appearance and even more intimidating firepower, it stands out as one of the most unique German tanks of World War II.
The Tiger II was the successor to the Tiger I and was the most powerful tank of the War. It was the first tank to be given the title of “Assault Tank” instead of “Heavy Tank”, which was reserved for heavily-armored and slow-moving beasts designed for attacking fortified areas. The Tiger II was designed by the company Porsche, but after a series of disagreements with the SS and “Terrible Twins” of the automotive industry, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, over who was to get the contract to build the tank, the project was handed to Herschel and then to the SS. The Tiger II was a monster of a tank, weighing 72 tons. It had an 88 mm gun, thick armor, and a top speed of 30 km/h (19 mph). A large number of these tanks produced ensured that they would be a significant factor on the battlefield for the rest of the war.
The Sturmtiger 380 mm rocket launcher
The Sturmtiger was a very unusual tank that was based on the chassis of the Tiger II and mounted a 380 mm rocket launcher as its main armament. The rocket launcher had a range of around 2000m and could fire five different types of rocket, including a smoke round, an incendiary round, and a high-explosive round. The tank had a large concrete-piercing rocket on the end of the launcher, which could be fired at a range of around 600m. The concrete-piercing rocket could destroy fortifications and buildings and was the primary reason for the tank’s creation. The Sturmtiger secondary armament was a 7.92 mm machine gun mounted beside the driver.
Design and armament
The Sturmtiger was very different from the other Tiger IIs in the way that its main gun was mounted in the front of the tank. Rather than being located in the rear of the hull like on the Tiger II, the Sturmtiger 380 mm launcher was placed in the forward position, which enabled it to be fired in all directions. The Sturmtiger had thicker armor than the Tiger II, but also weighed a little more, making it less mobile. It also had a crew of five, compared to the usual four of the Tiger II. The Sturmtiger design was quite innovative, and although it was difficult to manufacture, the Germans managed to build a few hundred of them towards the end of the war.
Problems with the new tank
Unfortunately, the Sturmtiger wasn’t without its flaws. The most glaring problem was the rocket launcher itself. Unlike the Tiger II’s 88 mm gun, which was a reliable weapon, the rocket launcher was temperamental and difficult to keep operational. Many of the rockets fired were unreliable, and it was nearly impossible to fix them in the field. Another issue with the new tank was the space inside the hull. The crew had little room for movement and was often covered in concrete dust after firing the rocket launcher. Furthermore, that large concrete-piercing rocket reduced the amount of space inside the hull even more. The main gun was also less effective than the 88 mm of the Tiger II, which reduced its overall effectiveness in battle.
The end of the road for the Sturmtiger
The Sturmtiger was never really intended to be used as an offensive weapon, and only a small number of them were ever sent into battle. The majority of them were kept at the factory and used as stationary artillery. The Sturmtiger was first used in the Battle of Cherkasy in 1944 and proved very effective against Soviet fortifications. The Soviets did not have any heavy artillery at the time and were unable to respond to the Sturmtiger attack. The Soviets learned from their mistake and brought in their own heavy artillery by the time the Battle of Berlin rolled around. The Sturmtiger’s large size made it an easy target, and they were all but wiped out during their final battle.
Conclusion
The Sturmtiger was the last of the “monster tanks” designed by the Germans to tip the scales of war back in their favor. It combined the chassis of the Tiger II with a 380 mm rocket launcher as its main armament. This unusual tank was primarily designed to destroy enemy fortifications and buildings. It was the last of the “over-the-top” super weapons designed by the Germans during World War II.