Plate 029 · Tank Gun · World War II

8.8 cm KwK 36

"Tiger's Gun"

The Tiger I's main armament — an 88 mm tank gun derived from the Flak 36.

8.8 cm KwK 36 — Photograph by Simon Q — Photograph by Simon Q · CC BY 2.0View on Wikimedia Commons →

Historical Record

Provenance & Service

The 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56, mounted in the Tiger I from 1942, gave the heavy tank an unmatched combination of range, accuracy and penetration. With Pzgr. 39 ammunition it could defeat 100 mm of armour at 1,500 m. Allied tankers learned to fear it across North Africa, Italy, Normandy and the Eastern Front.