The Tank Museum to Recreate Capture of Infamous German Tank at Tiger Day Spring
The Tank Museum is gearing up for Tiger Day, its twice-yearly showcase of the world’s only running Tiger I tank and other World War II-era armored vehicles. This year, the Spring iteration of the popular event will be extra special, with the museum putting on a recreation of Tiger 131’s capture by British forces in Tunisia in 1943.
Captured in April 1943, Tiger 131 had served with the Wehrmacht‘s Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504 (Heavy Tank Battalion 504) throughout the Tunisia Campaign, which itself was part of the larger fight for North Africa.
Following its capture, the Tiger I was restored with parts collected from other destroyed Tiger tanks and evaluated. It was then put on display in Tunis, inspected by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and King George VI, and sent to Britain to help boost wartime morale.
It wasn’t until 1951 that it arrived at the Tank Museum, which has been its home ever since. Over the decades, restoration work has been done to ensure Tiger 131 remains in working order.
Outside of the Tank Museum, the infamous German heavy tank was featured in 2014’s Fury – the first time a real-life Tiger tank had appeared on the big screen since the release of 1950’s They Were Not Divided.
The Tank Museum is dedicated to preserving Tiger 131 for generations to come, meaning curators can only allow it to make a few running public appearances each year: at Tiger Day Spring and Autumn.
Speaking in a press release, Nik Wyness, the Tank Museum’s Head of Marketing and Engagement, said, “Although Tiger 131 has spent far more time as a museum exhibit than with the German army, it still draws new admirers every day.
“No other tank in our collection can carry an event on its own like the Tiger – as it does at Tiger Day – and for now, it’s something that can’t be seen anywhere else,” he added.
Taking place on April 26, 2025, Tiger Day Spring will see the aforementioned recreation of Tiger 131’s capture in World War II, along with other tanks from the conflict. There will also be expert lectures taking place, and attendees will be able to look at the Tank Museum’s various exhibits, including one about the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, which is slated to open in early April.
Attendees will also be given the chance to win a ride in Tiger 131, with the museum holding a raffle on its website. Entries cost £3, with submissions open until noon on April 2.
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Tickets are currently on sale for the Tiger Day Spring 2025, with the Tank Museum urging those interested in attending to purchase theirs in advance, as it’s typically a sell-out event.
The post The Tank Museum to Recreate Capture of Infamous German Tank at Tiger Day Spring appeared first on warhistoryonline.
The Tank Museum to Recreate Capture of Infamous German Tank at Tiger Day Spring
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