Guy Builds Nazi Tiger Tank, Invades Michigan

A Rommel-wannabe from Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, has built a fully working, 1:2 scale version of the Tiger I 56.9-tonne heavy tank used by the Wehrmacht in World War II. Not happy with that, he drives his amazing creation—Guderian-style—on the road, with a “yellow triangle” on the back. The thing is so menacing that his neighbours called the police, thinking he was planning to take over Poland. Or Detroit. It could have gone either way.

Thankfully, the police understood there was no real danger in this vehicle, unless you consider plastering someone in red paint an act of war.

Complete with tank treads and 3-cylinder diesel engine, this is a paintball version of the Panzerkampfwagen VI—which is the actual technical denomination, it was nicknamed Tiger by Ferdinand Porsche, who competed for the Nazi government contract before doing cars for James Dean. This Tiger has a scuba-tank-powered cannon instead of terrifying 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56 cannon that could take out Shermans and Churchills IVs from up to a mile away (1,600 metres.)

The armour in this half-sized version, however, it much lighter than the original model, which was able to withstand a direct impact of the 76.2 mm gun of the mighty Soviet T-34 tank. The mini-Tiger would probably not be able to stand the impact of a beer can. Still, we would love to give it a spin. [Jalopnik]