Tank M4A3E8 in 1/30 scale building blocks

Designed by Lepetitlegoneuf, this model captures the essence of the M4A3E8 tank in 1/30 scale.

The Tiger I was a German heavy tank of World War II that entered service in Africa and the Soviet Union in 1942, usually in independent heavy tank battalions. It was the first armoured fighting vehicle of the German Army to be equipped with the 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun (derived from the 8.8 cm Flak 36, the famous "88" feared by Allied troops). 1,347 were built between August 1942 and August 1944. After August 1944, production of the Tiger I was discontinued in favour of the Tiger II.

Although the Tiger I has been called an outstanding design for its time, it has also been called over-engineered due to the use of expensive materials and labor-intensive production methods. In its early stages, the Tiger was prone to certain types of track failures and breakdowns. Maintenance was expensive but generally mechanically reliable. It was difficult to transport and was prone to stalling when mud, ice and snow froze between its overlapping and interlocking road wheels in the Schachtellaufwerk pattern, often jamming them.

Today, only nine Tiger I tanks remain in museums and private collections around the world. As of 2021, the Tiger 131 (captured during the North African campaign) in the British Tank Museum is the only example that is still operational.