Chassis No 280093. Official designations:- Sd Kfz 182 Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf B, VK45.03(H). Built July 1944 by Henschel & Sohn. The Tiger II was developed from the legendary Tiger I and combine thick armour with the Panzer style sloping hull design. Production began in 1944 and 492 had been built by the end of the war. The type was informally known ‘Königstiger’ which is German for ‘Bengal Tiger’. The literal translation, however, is ‘Royal Tiger’ which led to it being known to Allied troops as the ‘King Tiger’ (which does seem somehow appropriate!). The type saw significant use in several major battles in the last year of WW2, including in Normandy in July 1944 as well as Operation Panzerfaust (the taking of Budapest) in October 1944, the Ardennes Offensive (The Battle of the Bulge) in December 1944 and the Battle of Berlin leading up to the final days of the war. This is a standard production example fitted with the production turret, often referred to (incorrectly) as the Henschel turret. It was captured by advancing Allied forces on the outskirts of Beauvais, in late August 1944. It had already been abandoned and had clearly been shot at, but details of the actual battle are unclear. Of the eight surviving examples, two are at Bovington, this production example being displayed along with the second prototype (Chassis No V2). The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset, UK.