Corgi CC60517 Tiger 131, restored and operated by The Tank Museum, Bovington

Tiger 131 is one of the world’s most famous surviving military vehicles of the Second World War and a major attraction at The Tank Museum in Dorset. Built by Henschel in February 1943, this Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger I was sent to North Africa with the 504th Heavy Tank Battalion to support German forces in Tunisia. As the commander’s tank of the 3rd Platoon, it carried the red turret number 131 and entered combat against advancing British forces in April 1943.

During fighting with the Sherwood Foresters, Tiger 131 was hit by an anti-tank shell that jammed the turret ring, likely injuring the crew. Believing the tank disabled, the crew abandoned it, leaving the almost-new Tiger intact on the battlefield. After several days of heavy fighting and German counterattacks, British recovery teams secured the vehicle, making Tiger 131 the first intact Tiger tank captured by the Allies.

The tank was assessed locally, inspected by King George VI and Winston Churchill, and shipped to Britain in October 1943 for detailed technical evaluation. It was later displayed publicly and extensively dismantled so British engineers could study its design and combat effectiveness. In 1951, Tiger 131 was transferred to The Tank Museum for preservation.

In the late 1980s, the museum undertook an ambitious restoration to return the tank to its original 1943 condition and working order. With support from the Army Base Repair Organisation and Heritage Lottery funding, the project was completed after many years of work. Despite a major engine failure shortly before completion, Tiger 131 finally returned to running condition and made its public debut under its own power in 2004.

Since then, Tiger 131 has become the museum’s star attraction, undergoing further mechanical overhauls to ensure safe operation. It appeared in the 2014 film Fury and now features regularly in live demonstrations and special “Tiger Days,” drawing visitors from around the world.

Now over 80 years old, Tiger 131 remains the only operational Tiger tank in the world, a unique and powerful link to the land battles of the Second World War and one of the most significant armoured vehicles ever preserved.