Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B, often shortened to Tiger B, with the ordnance inventory designation Sd.Kfz. 182. It is also known under the informal name Königstiger (the German name for the "Bengal tiger"), often translated by the Americans as King Tiger, and by the British as Royal Tiger.
The design followed the same concept as the Tiger I, but was intended to be even more formidable. The Tiger II combined the thick armor of the Tiger I with the sloped armor of the Panther. The tank weighed almost seventy metric tons, was protected by 100 to 180 mm (3.9 to 7.1 in) of frontal armor, and was armed with the 8.8 cm Kampfwagenkanone 43 L/71 gun. The chassis was also the basis for the Jagdtiger turretless tank destroyer.
The smoking vehicle in the background is an M10 tank destroyer. Since the American military doctrine of the time called for tanks to be used in infantry support and anti-infantry roles, dedicated vehicles were designed to fight other tanks.
You can't tell from this angle but the M10 has an open topped turret.
The King Tigers were notorious for engine problems as well if I recall. They were dreadfully slow as well, mainly due to the fact that the engine which drove it was badly under powered. Formidable yes, but whats the point of it if you can't even get to your target.
Love WWII history, even more so the weapons of the era.
