What is the 2018 status of the Vimoutiers Tiger?

[Bullitt]

misfortune

Hi Eric

i'm deeply sorry to hear about the misfortune you had to experience with your wifes car.
Somehow your luck in cars is somewhat bizar ....your car once got smacked too when you lived up north correct?.

As you said there is more money than genuine German stuff left ....and gangs will specialize themselfs in taking it wherever it may linger around and sell it to the highest bidders or they probably work with specific orders from obscure collectors and then make the heist.

cheers
Bullitt

[kastensfh18]

Hi Eric

i'm deeply sorry to hear about the misfortune you had to experience with your wifes car.
Somehow your luck in cars is somewhat bizar ....your car once got smacked too when you lived up north correct?.

cheers
Bullitt

Correct, Bullitt !

And my wife also got a car burnt by some young stupids, before we left for Normandy.
All together we had 6 cars burnt, stolen, broken, crashed, all without being inside, since 2012...
It will be quieter now, I think !

Think about visiting us !

Eric

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

back to the initial subject, here are a few pictures of the Tiger back in the early 70's (first picture), during the excavation in October 1975, and the last two are the Tiger in 1978 in its original memorial location.

Pictures courtesy of "Les Panzers (Normandie 1944" by Eric Lefèvre, Editions Heimdal (1981 updated edition).

See You

Vince

[FrenchVolunteer]

Hi,

also more news were given in this article published on July 24 :

https://actu.fr/normandie/vimoutiers..._35036698.html

See You

Vince

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Char Tigre : à l’abri d’ici la fin de l’année ?

L'association pour la restauration du char Tigre de Vimoutiers en Normandie (Cativen), créée en août 2016, est en passe de souffler ses quatre ans.

Publié le 24 Juil 20 à 9:24

Quatre années durant lesquels le projet de restauration de l’association du char du Tigre s’est affiné. Elle travaille en lien avec la municipalité de Vimoutiers (Orne), la commune étant propriétaire du blindé allemand dont il ne reste plus que deux exemplaires en France, et huit à travers le monde.

Il est classé au titre des Monuments historiques. L’association réunit au sein de son comité scientifique des passionnés ainsi que des experts reconnus de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale sur le plan historique et patrimonial.

Les dossiers sont prêts

« Aujourd’hui, le dossier technique réalisé par Régis Martin, architecte des Bâtiments de France et inspecteur général des Monuments historiques, désigné comme maître d’œuvre par la ville, est prêt, ainsi que le projet scientifique et culturel sur lequel le comité scientifique a travaillé » indique Olivier Robert, le président.

Car « ce projet de restauration s’inscrit dans un cadre plus large, celui de la création d’un Musée dédié au char Tigre où il sera présenté au public, de façon pédagogique » indique Olivier Robert, prenant pour exemple l’Airborne muséum de Saint-Mère l’Église. Le projet prévoit désormais la possibilité pour le visiteur de découvrir le char depuis l’intérieur avec la création d’une fosse permettant d’y accéder par le dessous.

Un coût estimé de 1,3 million d’euros

Le coût de la restauration se monte aux alentours de « 1,3 million d’euros ». Un chiffre qui ne donne pas le vertige au président car « une fois que nous aurons l’autorisation de travaux, nous pourrons solliciter les mécènes en leur présentant notre projet et ce n’est pas ce qui m’inquiète le plus ».

D’ailleurs, le président précise que « les travaux avanceront en fonction des financements dont nous disposerons ». Ce musée prendra place dans le bâtiment rue Lecoeur. Mais avant tout, il leur faut l’autorisation de travaux délivrée par la Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (Drac).

Les affres du temps lui tirent sur la mine

L’association est dans l’attente d’une entrevue « imminente » avec la Drac afin de lui soumettre ses dossiers pour avis, avant de les déposer officiellement pour en faire la demande. Olivier Robert espère avoir une réponse « pour la fin du mois de septembre ». L’étape suivante consistera en « la démilitarisation du blindé » avant son transfert, vers la salle Lecoeur, espéré « pour la fin de l’année, afin qu’il ne passe pas une nouvelle saison sous les intempéries ».
Car le Tigre a beau être un blindé, il n’en demeure pas moins que les affres du temps lui tirent sur la mine.


Par : Rédaction L'Aigle
Photo : Olivier Robert, président de Cativen, espère obtenir l’autorisation de la DRAC, en vue de la restauration du Tigre, pour la fin du mois de septembre. (©Réveil normand)

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Important infos :

- 4 years after its creation, the association for the preservation of the Vimoutiers Tiger finalized the technical and scientific & cultural aspects of the project.
[comment by Vince : anyone is having a list of the said "big names" that are said to participate on this project ? Historians, collectors, etc]

- the goal is to present the Tiger in a museum, in which people could discover the tank from the inside, with the creation of a pit to access the bottom of the tank.
[comment by Vince : so basically they want to present the Tiger indoor in a way similar to the Sinsheim Panther, and they want to cut some parts (at least the bottom)]

- the restauration will cost 1.3 million euros, and the Tiger will be placed in a building rue Lecoeur.
[comment by Vince : i do not know if this amount of money includes the whole museum + Tiger, or only the Tiger restauration]

- the association is waiting a meeting with the Drac (ministry of culture local department), which should validate first the whole project.
The association hopes the meeting will happen in late September 2020.

- then if the project is accepted, the Tiger will have to be demilitarized then transfered on the rue Lecoeur building, so the Tiger can avoid passing another winter in the open.
[comment by Vince : i don't know what they talk about a "demilitarization" of the Tiger... I suspect they will more extensively damage and cut the gun]

The picture is showing the president of the association, Olivier Robert.
[comment by Vince : he is reading some schematics for the Tiger 1, unfortunately those seemed to be not the ones of the future "modified" Tiger]

[johann mor]

In reality and for the sake of the Tiger, they would be better doing a swap with the Muster plastic Tiger. That is of course unless they intend to build a heated weather proof building and completely renovated the big cat.

Jon

[lennard999]

I wonder what camouflage pattern finish and tactical numbering and unit insignia they will apply, as it true chassis number, therefore its true unit. remains unknown.

cheers lennard

[JanC]

I’ve read/ seen simewhere they woul put this Tiger back in running condition?? Was on youtube with the mayor of Vimoutiers. Stéphane from the Montormel museum was also in the movie

[hoover]

I’ve read/ seen simewhere they woul put this Tiger back in running condition?? Was on youtube with the mayor of Vimoutiers. Stéphane from the Montormel museum was also in the movie

I am in doubt that can afford it. It would be 90 % new rebuilt because the Tiger is empty and very rusty inside. New motor, gears, new torsion bars and other cheap things.

[JanC]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jdYSKb2mLZg

Think they say it in this movie. It’s in french though

[earlymb]

Even if the council could raise the money required to restore it to running condition, I doubt it would be worth it to the town; what would be the added benefit over a static monument? Parading it through the mainstreet every sunday for the tourists?

Cosmetically restoring it and place it under cover would make much more sense.

[JanC]

Maybe not but they could lease it for shows or other musea. So they can cash something Like the Panther and Pz IV from Saumur, they are on display at several occasions.

Storage has to be for sure inside a building to ensure a good preservation.

[lennard999]

Its a total wreck inside, no final transmissions, no gearbox, torsion bars cut, and that is just in the front hull, the engine I have no idea, if one is in the tank its condition would be awful.

Of course all such vehicles can be restored, as already demonstrated by several big collectors today, but it requires major workshop facilities, skilled people and hugh amounts of money. Of course those very rare missing parts will need to be found first.

A static exhibit is the best that will be probably happen.

cheers lennard

[lennard999]

Photo of the inside of the hull, front, drivers position not a lot there as said in the note above.

cheers lennard. vimoutierd tiger I (1)[1].JPG

[WWIIBuff]

Great pictures, thanks for posting. We tried to stop and see the Tiger on our way to Normandy from Paris in June 2019, but the GPS we had in our rental car was terrible and took us the wrong way, putting us further away and causing us to be several hours late to Normandy. Never got to see the tiger.

When I go back in 2024, I plan to spend one night in the Falaise Pocket area, so I can definitely stop to see the Tiger.