• The Tiger is a generation of German tanks that made their mark during the Second World War.
  • The Armored Museum of Saumur has decided to restore this machine that has become a rarity in the world.
  • The model belonging to the museum also has an exceptional history.

"This is the most iconic tank of the Second World War. The one who most marked the spirits as he was so feared. That's why he appears in many novels, many video games, in the cinema ... Adrien Guinebault, cultural mediator at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur (Maine-et-Loire), does not hide his enthusiasm. The establishment, owned by the Ministry of Defense, launched in February the restoration of a machine like no other: an authentic Tiger 1, a famous German tank that appeared on the battlefields in 1942. Only six copies remain in the world. "The one in Saumur is the only one made of period mechanical parts," says Adrien Guinebault.

Measuring 8.45 meters long and 3 meters high, this 57-ton armored vehicle, which can carry five soldiers, impressed with its technical capabilities. "Its wide caterpillars made it very mobile despite its weight. It could go up to 40 km/h on the road. But, above all, he was extremely strong. Its thick armor was able to withstand most shells. His gun could hit an enemy more than 2 kilometers away. It was the pride of the Third Reich, which widely celebrated it in its propaganda. »

Passed from adversary to liberator

But what makes the model of the Armored Museum even more special is its history. This Tiger 1 was indeed in the front line to try to repel the Allies after the Normandy landings in the summer of 1944. "We are conducting research to find out his exact role during the Battle of Normandy. But we know that he found himself trapped in the pocket of Falaise [Calvados]. Ironically, it was a collision with another German tank, in the middle of a confrontation, on August 20, 1944, that would have ended its mission. "The crew was taken prisoner. The Tiger, damaged, was abandoned. »

Six months later, the tank was recovered by French resistance fighters (FFI), restored to working order, and used to liberate Saint-Nazaire! It then joined the French army, then was transferred to occupy Germany, before being used as a study tank. "He has known several lives, going from adversary to liberator," says Adrien Guinebault. It joined the museum in 1968 but had never been restored since. »


The work, which will last two years, consists of restoring the Tiger to working order and restoring it to "the appearance it had when it was recovered by the FFI, including its original camouflage". To achieve this, all the elements of the tank will be renovated, "repaired with period parts or replaced identically". The first phase, until September, concerns the turret, gun and tracks, which have been dismantled. A crowdfunding campaign will be launched before the summer to raise 220,000 euros to complete the project, which will remain accessible to the public. In parallel, archival research continues to "better know" the "mythical" craft.

"They are witnesses of history"

Eventually, the Armored Museum wants the Tiger to be able to parade, as a "liberating tank" as other vehicles of the museum already do, on the occasion of July 14 for example. "The very special history of this tank, its place in the popular culture of the Second World War, makes it a very exceptional piece in our collection," insists Adrien Guinebault.


Unknown to the general public, the Armored Museum of Saumur is one of the main exhibitors of war vehicles in the world. No less than 750 tanks from different countries, recovered during conflicts or through exchanges, are part of his collection. About 200 are shown to the public, including about fifty in working order. Almost all the models of tanks used for the French army are present, including the oldest dating from 1917.

"They are more than tools of war, they are witnesses of history," says the cultural mediator of the place. A tank is imposing. When it starts, it's noisy, the ground vibrates. We understand that it transported men, that it took factories to build it. This museum contributes to the duty of memory. Up to 70,000 visitors walk its aisles each year.

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