That Tiger was knocked out. Any tank that can not fight back is useless. It was sent back 'for repair' so the fanbois believe it survived but it was scrapped and thus was total loss.WEISWEILER wrote:"We were hit 30 times and our Tiger was still undamaged."
"In one engagement of six hours a Tiger was hit 227 times, and despite having it wheels, tracks and transmission damaged, it managed to crawl another 40 miles across country."
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFgg7kY2ILE
Note also that the bulk of the hits were small anti-tank rifle hits. I am surprised they did not count MG strikes as well!
Below read about a tank that took multiple full calibre AP hits:
Tank Tracks. 9th RTR At War 1944-45 by Peter Beale 1995 ISBN 0750908807
Bill Thompson was the wireless operator in Corporal Freddie Horner’s tank Impassive, corporal’s tank of 11 Troop commanded by Eb Wood. On 29 October:
" We were fighting our way over bogs and dykes in pouring rain, and came to open country. Our tank moved alongside a farm outbuilding with the other two tanks of our troop to the rear. We had been there only a matter of minutes when through the periscope I saw a flash about a mile away and was sure it was a German ’88'. There was a second shot which hit the ground next to the tank; it became obvious that it was an ’88' and he was finding the range. Without hesitation our tank commander Freddie Horner instructed our driver to reverse out as quickly as possible, which he did. Over the B set came our troop leader Mr Wood telling us to get back into position. When we didn’t move he moved his tank into exactly the position we had been alongside the outbuilding. Within seconds there was one almighty bang and he had taken a direct hit on the front of his turret. When the dust had settled and he had made a dazed but hurried retreat it was discovered that an AP shot had penetrated 7'.5 inches into the turret, just as though it had been drilled by a huge drill. At the point of impact the thickness of the turret armour was 9 inches, Mr Wood’s tank being a new Mark VII. Ours was a Mark IV, and the thickness of our turret at the same point was only 6 inches. Had we not moved quickly from our position the AP shot would surely have holed our turret and killed the turret crew, and possibly blown the tank up completely had the ammunition been struck. Needless to say we were forgiven for moving from our original position. Mr Wood’s tank went back to the REME workshop for repair and was soon returned ready for action again."
The C Squadron newsletter scribe wrote of the final stages of the Vinkenbroek action: ‘Our job done we withdrew to a more comfortable position called Forward Rally, leaving one troop up. This doubtful honour was bestowed on Eb Wood and his ll Troop, who on their return calmly informed us that all was well except for a hole 6 inches deep in the turret.’ Taffy ` Leyshon was the driver of Eb’s tank: ‘Our troop acted as rear guard, and our tank took a hit in the turret; it went in 8 inches but did not penetrate.’ Whether it was 6, 7‘/2, or 8 inches, it certainly made an impression! But the Churchill could take a lot of punishment. The 34 Armoured Brigade History recorded: ‘One notable tank casualty was a Mark VII of 9 RTR which sustained nine direct hits in front from 75 mm AP shot at short range without being completely penetrated by any!’ Cyril Rees is convinced that ‘this was 13 Troop Leader’s tank which I tried to recover from the Nispen battle, and on which I counted seven hits in spite of the gloom. This tank was for some time at the Armoured Vehicle Proving Establishment (AVPE) at Chobham, an exhibit for military technicians and students studying and researching armour plate technology.’
Mr Churchill's Tank. D Fletcher Schifffer.
Page 106
The Special Tank Squadron was by now being referred to as Kingforce after their commanding officer and it was Norris King who led the way in T68189/R, followed by 2nd Lieutenant Appleby in T31665/R and Corporal Kelly in T68186/R.
Corporal Kelly did not Iast very Iong. When his 6-pounder gun recoiled after the first round had been fired it stuck, refusing to run out again. Unable to contribute more to the action Corporal Kelly ordered his driver to engage reverse and quietly withdrew from action. Nobody knows precisely what happened to 2/Lt Appleby. His tank was seen to advance into the thick of the action. For a while it disappeared over the edge of the ridge but a short time Iater it was seen reversing slowly out of action. Then it stopped, smoke appeared and it finally burst into flames and continued to burn for the rest of the night. Only one man, and he wounded, is believed to have survived from the crew of five. When it was examined Iater it was seen that 38 rounds of 50mm calibre had struck the front of the tank, one of which had penetrated. There was damage from one high explosive round and six strikes from 75mm guns, one of which had penetrated. This was probably the shot that did the damage. However on closer inspection eight strikes were found on the back of the tank, one of which had gone through the gearbox and three into the turret. They were of 57mm calibre and had obviously come from British six-pounder guns.
Putting the facts together after the event its seems as if Lt Appleby had gone further into the German position than was wise, and taken a Iot of punishment. As he reversed out his tank, wreathed in smoke, was spotted by an Australian anti-tank battery. Being unfamiliar with the shape they took the sensible precaution and opened fire. It was an unfortunate turn of events but there is no doubt that Appleby's tank absorbed a tremendous amount of punishment before it was destroyed. Major King himself, on the other hand, had an excellent day. He fired 45 rounds of 6-pounder, claimed hits on four enemy tanks and took eight enemy rounds on his Churchill, none of which penetrated. He withdrew in good order, describing his tank as fighting fit