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About the German Tank Engine Maintenance Crew Set
Powerplants
are crucial components for any motorized vehicle and combat vehicles
are no exception. Along with fire power and crew protection,
maneuverability directly effects survivability. During WWII, Germany's
Tiger I heavy tank initially used a Maybach V-12 cylinder, 21,400cc
HL210 P45 gasoline engine. It had a maximum output of 650 horsepower and
plenty of low RPM torque; however, propelling a 65 ton chassis through
rough terrain was not easy, even for this well engineered unit. On the
Russian front during summer months, the engine would overheat and
sometimes caught fire, due to the heavy loads and work far exceeding its
limits. In order to check the engine oil level and radiator coolant,
the Tiger I had to stop every 45 minutes of running time during the
summer. Maintenance of the engine was usually the driver's
responsibility, but once trouble occurred, the whole crew was compelled
to fixing it. These problems and breakdowns were other "battles" for the
crew. At a later date, the improved Maybach HL230 P30 engine, with 700
horsepower was used in late production versions of the Tiger I, the
Panther, and the King Tiger. Daily maintenance and repair work were
still indispensable, and to make maintenance more efficient, an engineer
was dispatched from Maybach to the maintenance company of each Tiger
heavy tank battalion, to assist in servicing the engines. |
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BOX DIMENSIONS: 5.50" W. X 1.63" H. X 9.13" L.
BOX WEIGHT: .23 LBS. |