Ferdinand
In service 1943 - 1943
Also known asPanzerjager Tiger (P), Sd.Kfz. 184 Ferdinand
The petrol-electric Porsche heavy tank destroyer as it fought at Kursk, before rebuilding turned it into the Elefant.
Built byNibelungenwerk, Porsche
Photograph pending. No clearly licensed photograph of this vehicle was found.
Development history
Built on the rejected Porsche Tiger chassis, the Ferdinand paired 200 mm of frontal armour with the long 88 mm gun and a petrol-electric drive that broke down constantly. At Kursk in July 1943 it killed tanks at ranges nothing could answer, then lost most of its strength to minefields, engine fires and recovery failures, with no hull machine gun to fend off infantry. Survivors were rebuilt that winter with a commander's cupola, a bow machine gun and fresh Zimmerit, and renamed Elefant.
Related vehicles
Separate records that derive from this vehicle, grouped by how they relate to it.
Notable actions
- Kursk (1943)