Panzerkampfwagen VII Tiger II Evolution of the Tiger , the Panzerkampfwagen VII Tiger II chassis incorporated a longer , sloping armor and a gun speed . The initial project was commissioned to companies Porsche and Henschel . The first , thinking he would win the competition produced several vehicles , but they were unsuccessful in favor of the model Henschel , simpler production . The towers have been adapted to the chassis manufactured Henschel , starting production in January 1944 . Formidable opponent , suffered , however , the same limitations as its predecessor : low speed , mobility and propensity to breakage , especially of the whole suspension , supercharged History . Development . German heavy tank development began as early as 1937 with the German Armaments Ministry issuing a specification for a new heavy tank to Daimler - Benz , Henschel , MAN and Porsche . The project however was ignored as the Panzer III and IV had so far proved effective tanks and served well in combat . It was not until spring 1941 that the project was revived after Hitler was impressed with heavy allied tanks , such as the French Char B1 and British Matilda 1 during the campaign in the west . At a meeting with Hitler on 26 May 1941 , the planning for the development of a new heavy tank begun . During that meeting , Hitler ordered for the creation of heavy Panzers which were to have an increased effectiveness to penetrate enemy tanks ; possess heavier armor than was previously achieved ; and attain a maximum speed of at least 40 km / h . These key decisions led to the development of a new heavy tank , the Tiger 1 tank and ultimately the King Tiger . However , no clearly defined objectives or action plans were laid out for the succession of the Tiger 1 tank until January 1943 when the order was given for a new design which was to replace the existing Tiger 1 . Although the designation implies that the Tiger II is a succession of the Tiger 1 , it is in effect a completely different tank . The first design consideration for the new tank was the selection of a more effective main gun . As with the Tiger tank , it was to mount an 88mm anti tank gun but the main gun on the Tiger II was far more powerful than that on the Tiger 1 . For the development of the chassis , two firms were contracted to come up with the designs namely Henschel and Sohn of Kassel and Porsche of Stuttgart . Both firms Henschel and Porsche were responsible for only the chassis and automotive designs . Turret design was awarded to another firm Krupp of Essen . Combat Service . Officially designated Panzerkampfwagen VII Sd . Kfz 182 , the King Tiger was placed into service early 1944 . It served in the western and eastern front notably in the battle of Normandy , operation " Market Garden " in Holland , and the offensive in Ardennes . It also served in various other operations in Poland , Hungary , Minsk and a small number also defended Berlin in April and May 1945 . With its great firepower and thick armor , it proved to be more than an opponent for any tank the allied forces could field . However , the size and weight of the King Tiger had its share of problems . It suffered mechanically with many breakdowns and had poor maneuverability . Many roads and especially bridges were not suitable for a tank this size and the fuel requirements was enormous . Many were abandoned due to lack of fuel rather than being destroyed during the offensive in the Ardennes . Production also suffered with the bombing of the Henschel factory and there simply weren ’ t enough of these around . The King Tiger was a case of too late and too few in number to make a difference in the outcome of the war . However , the great firepower and armor of the King Tiger created the impression of a powerful armored force with almost invulnerable tanks . Able to destroy enemy tanks at extreme ranges and impervious to those same tanks made the King Tiger more than a match for any allied tank . Indeed for the allied forces , the sight of a King Tiger on the battlefield was terrifying and did great physical and morale damage to the enemy . This fame and almost mystical fascination helped it earn its reputation as the most feared weapon of World War 2 . For the German forces , it was the hallmark of German armored might and restored morale even in the last days of the war . Due to the havoc it wreaked during the Ardennes offensive , the allies advancing into Berlin would fear the King Tiger up to the very last day of the war .