Tank Overhaul S2E1 backdrop
Tank Overhaul poster

Tank Overhaul (2006)

S2E1 The Elephant

Mar 14, 2009 Season 2 Episode 1 Documentary

This episode showcases the restoration of a Panzerjäger Tiger - Elefant, one of the largest and heaviest tank destroyers ever created. While it appeared formidable on paper, it was deployed by the Germans in 1943 without any prior testing. Once in combat, this colossal vehicle became an easy target for bold Soviet troops, who discovered they could incapacitate it using simple Molotov cocktails. Today, the Elefant is among the rarest surviving tanks from World War II, with only 90 originally manufactured and just two believed to remain. At the US Army Ordnance Museum, a skilled team works to restore a battered, rusted relic that has been out of action since 1944.