Sturmtiger: The Really Strange Nazi Mega Tank with One Massive Gun

Caleb Larson

Sturmtiger, Europe

Despite the Sturmtiger’s massive 380mm barrel, it had a few shortcomings that limited its battlefield effectiveness.

German military planners envisioned the Sturmtiger an assault gun that would take on heavily fortified static targets, virtually impervious to most anti-tank fire except at very close ranges. The Sturmtiger drew its design from the Tiger I line of heavy tanks, with the fighting compartment enlarged to accommodate the much larger diameter ammunition it would fire, and had parts of its hull armor thickened for better protection. One of the drawbacks to using the Tiger I chassis and drivetrain was that the Sturmtiger’s increased heaviness translated into lower mobility and higher fuel consumption. The Tiger I’s suspension also suffered due to the Sturmtiger’s additional weight, adversely affecting battlefield performance.

Most noticeably, the Sturmtiger’s main gun was massive, and fired an enormous 380mm rocket-propelled shell. The barrel was not strong enough to withstand pressure generated by the rocket motor, and gasses could not be vented into the crew compartment. The solution was to mate a series of ventilation shafts around the barrel that allowed some exhaust gas to be vented outward.

Though the large assault gun was virtually impervious to almost all Allied anti-tank weapons except at very close ranges, it’s barrel opening provided an easy target. If a relatively light weapon were to enter the Sturmtiger’s barrel, even a slightly damaging shot could prevent further firing.

The Sturmtiger was indeed one of—if not the—largest diameter armored vehicle guns of the war, and offered battlefield commanders the equivalent of very heavy artillery or railway guns in the form of an armored mobile platform. One of the drawbacks however was accuracy, most especially pronounced at long ranges. This was not however a huge drawback for the Sturmtiger’s typical use as an urban assault gun, firing at targets from relatively close ranges. 

More of a hindrance than inaccuracy was the Sturmtiger’s extremely low rate of fire, made difficult by the 380-kilo, or about 830-pound shells, which resulted in an astonishingly low rate of firing one round every ten minutes. The shells were nearly five feet long, limiting the amount of ammunition a Sturmtiger could carry—only twelve rounds plus one loaded in the barrel and another on the loading tray. Loading was done manually with the help of an internal winch: still, all five crew members were needed to load the massive gun.

The Sturmtiger’s first taste of combat came during fighting in Poland during the Warsaw Uprising. As the vehicle had been intended as an armored building and bunker-busting platform, early production ammunition came with an insensitive fuses that would sometimes fail to detonate against thin-walled residential buildings.

Germany ultimately produced only eighteen Sturmtigers. Due to their introduction late in World War II, low production numbers, and unreliability, they did not exert as much influence on the course of the war as had been hoped.

Caleb Larson is a defense writer for the National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture.

Image: Reuters.