Dragon Armor Tiger I Late Production - Michael Wittmann "LAH" Normandy 1944

No. 60543, Vintage year - 2011, Scale - 1:72

Unit - 2./s.Pz.Abt.101 "LAH" - the 1.SS Panzer Division

Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was formed 17 March 1933 as SS-Stabswache Berlin

by Josef "Sepp" Dietrich, Hitler's bodyguard, on the order of Hitler

who wanted a full-time armed force that was completely loyal to him. 101

LAH took part in the invasion of France and the Low Countries where it was

mainly held in reserve (although it was used against the retreating British

troops at Dunkirk). LAH was attached to XIV Armeekorps during the second and

final phase of the invasion of France. Later it was trained for the planned

invasion of Britain and then sent to Romania for the invasion of the Balkans.

It fought in Yugoslavia and Greece. It took part in Unternehmen Barbarossa

(invasion of USSR) attached to Heeresgruppe Sud and saw action at Kiev and

Rostov. It transferred to France for refitting in 1942 and was upgraded to a

Panzergrenadier Division. It returned to the Eastern Front in 1943 and fought

at Kharkov and Kursk. It was then sent to Italy after the defeat at Kursk and

was sent to Italy for anti-partisan duty. It was then transferred back to the

Eastern Front as a Panzer Division and was encircled near Kamenets-Podolsk

where it was saved by suffered heavy losses and was sent back to France for

rest and refitting. 

Campaign - Normandy 1944 - In April 1944, the LAH Tiger Company

was transferred to the SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101 as a corps asset. Wittmann

was appointed commander of the battalion's 2nd Kompanie and held the rank of

SS-Obersturmfuhrer. After the Allied landing at Normandy, the battalion was

ordered to move from Beauvais to Normandy which took five days. There is a

photo of Wittmann and tank 205 on 7 June en route to Morgny. Sepp Dietrich,

commander of the 1st SS Panzer Corps, ordered 101, his only reserve, to

position itself behind the Panzer Lehr Division and SS Division Hitlerjugend

(under command of Erwin Rommel) to protect the open left flank. Wittmann's

Kompanie was positioned near Villers-Bocage as the British were focused on

gaining the high ground. Wittmann's Kompanie was 50 percent understrength due

to losses (reduced by six Tigers en route by Allied air attacks) and mechanical

failures. The battle began on June 13th near Bayeux area with skirmishes

against the 4th Yeomanry Regiment which was travelling on road No. 175 to

Villers-Bocage at Hill No. 213. After success against the British in the

Villers-Bocage area, Wittmann received the Swords for his Knight Cross with Oak

Leafs. The unit fought at Normandy and saw action at Caen, Falaise and Aachen

as it was forced back towards Germany. No. 205 was Wittmann's tank as commander

of the 2nd Kompanie. After Villers-Bocage, Wittmann fought near the Caen area

until August. He received a new Tiger No. "007" and was transferred

to the Cintheaux area where he participated in his final battle on August 8th.

Later the division took part in the Ardennes Offensive attached to I SS

Panzerkorps. 

Markings - Tan with brown and dark green camouflage with No. 205

in gray and white letters on turret with cross on lower hull and extra track

armor on turret. LAH insignia on lower right front hull. 

Model - Tiger I Late Production, Sd.Kfz.181, Ausf. E

Condition - new with some shelf wear on cardboard box. 

Thank you for your interest.