Found this snap on a website of a Tiger (obviously captured by the look of the Yank soldier in the turret … interesting in that it has what appears to be Panzer III track in the centre of the front armour (I can only assume that the tank was carrying it for the supporing Panzer IIIs as the early Tiger crews considered their tanks invincible), and note the early front tow shackle mounts (indentical to the Dragon initial production), yet there are later model front and side guards fitted.
The tracks over the left and right fenders look like Tiger 1 tracks and are there for added protection ,more than likely the track in the center is there for the same reason. I remember seeing a photo of a Tiger 1 with T34 tank tracks hung on the front ,it looked like a trophy from a recent kill. By the way what 's printed on the tracks over the left and right fenders ? Looks like the second word in on the track over the left fender is “beer”.
it looks like the turrets been repaired in the past so the crew added some peice of mind to the front
Edit
looking in some books there are a few Africa Tigers with Panzer III tracks the same place as in that photo
its a good photo
the word is HEER and means army (no airforce and no seaforces).
The panzer III tracks look like additional protection because the mounting for this looks not like provisional and they do fit very well at this place, Tiger I tracks would be too large.
yea i would agree with the rest and say that the panzer III tracks are being used in this case for added protection.
if this pic is from africa then is great chance that is from 2 kompanie 501 pa abt ( i read that this was modification unique for that kompanie - thoose extra tracks protection9 pic is familiar and I must look over books to say where is correctly that tiger !
Yep…it is Africa…
AJ
I have few books of this same Tiger captured in Africa the PanzerIII tracks were put there by the americans to hide a shell hole for some reason. The mud guards also came off a later tiger and put there by the americans for some reason also. This is tiger 712 now in a German museum. The same one that was at the aberdeen proving gronds for so long.