Hobby Master Archive

Originally the 102, then changed to 502 and again re-designated as sPzAbt. 511, it at Berlin. 511 was trans-located to the area Diedersdorf-Litzen in preparation for the expected Soviet main offensive against Berlin, which started on April 16th, 1945. Although the 9th German Army could hold the Oder-front near Frankfurt am Oder, they were bypassed and encircled by the spearheads of the 1st Ukraine and 1st White-Russian front. Being under attack from three sides, the last five Tiger IIs of sSSPzAbt. 511 were used to spearhead a desperate breakout at Halbe on April 27th. Followed by tens of thousands of soldiers and refugees, the column moved through woods and villages, being sitting ducks for the waiting Soviets on both flanks. The King Tigers were able to establish a breakthrough despite heavy fire from Soviet artillery, T-34s and anti-tank guns. The last two Tigers were lost on the first of May, when the decimated Kampfgruppe reached the 12th Army.