Surprise surprise, I have an odd question. About a tank, this time. Specifically, the German Tiger II.
First off, say it’s the late 40s-early 50s. You happen to have one of these beasts, in perfect working order. How hard would it be to store it, undisturbed, with little or no major maintenance for a very long term—say, until present day—in such a condition that you could return it to operating status without really major restorative work? I’m assuming just parking it in a barn and tying a tarp over it wouldn’t be enough. Even if it was a really good tarp.
And second…if you had a working Tiger II, today, does anyone have any idea how much it might be worth? Wikipedia only mentions a handful of them even existing today, and none drivable.
Well, anyway, thanks for listening,
Ranchoth
Draining all the fluids and storing it in a dark, humidity and temperature controlled room would be your best bet for general storage. If you had the skills to remove the engine and drive train, packing them in grease would probably prevent corrosion to those drive and engine components.
Stuff that would likely deteriorate no matter what you did you did would be leather, and circa WWII synthetic seals, rubber or plastics used.
If you had a Koingstiger currently in salvage condition, an estimated price (from a guy who bought a working condition Soviet T-34/85 (produced in 1944, never saw combat)) would be roughly 12-14 million. The estimate doubles or triples if it’s working. The problem with the Tiger MkII was that it was an incredibly complex machine, rivaling the M1A2 Abrams MBT used by the US Army (save that the Abrams has much more in the way of electronics.) That’s why there aren’t any in working order.
If you were to get one in working order, however, the best way to keep it in such a way would be to run it for thirty minutes every week. Turn over the engine and idle it, and it’ll be fine. Of course, you should keep it in a garage or some other solid shelter. That’s how the US Army kept the gear at Diego Garcia in top condition for twelve years between the two Gulf Wars.
Try asking the folks At the Royal Armored Corps museum in Bovington, England. That link brings up a book specifically about preserving the Tiger I that they have there, so I figure no one would know better than them.
