Tunisian Tiger 142

Tiger I Ausf E, tactical No. 142 (chassis No 250015), serving in Tunisia with the 4th platoon, 1st Kompany, schwere Panzer Abteilung 501. Tiger 142 was loaded onto a Marinefahrprahn ferry at Reggio, Italy on 27, Nov., 1942.

Tiger 142 was the 4th tiger to land in Afrika and the only Tiger of the 501 to land in Tunis.Tiger 142 Landed at the beach at La Goudette, a small port outside of the Bay of Tunis. From there Tiger 142 traveled 15 km to a propaganda shoot and there after was assigned to the 4th Platoon, 1st Kompany.Tiger 142 saw much action from Nov 1942.

thru to Feb, 1943. Tiger 142 was hit by a well placed British anti-tank round on 27, Feb. 1943. It was at the battle of Hunts Gap near Beja Tunisia that Tiger 142 met its end. The crew escaped injury but Tiger 142 was damaged beyond repair.Tiger 142 was then scuttled by the Germans soon after.

This Tiger of the 501 Battalion had a strange affinity with the camera. For example it was the first Tiger shown in the German media, was the only Tunisian Tiger captured on film, and its destruction by American engineers was photographed in colour by Elliot Elisofon for LIFE magazine.