Photograph shows the Tiger I tank that knocked out the first M26 Pershing tank in World War II. After knocking out the M26 the Tiger I backed up to escape but became stuck on a rubble pile. The crew abandoned the tank. The action occurred on February 26 1945. The M26 (still designated as a T26E3) was knocked out in an ambush at Elsdorf while overwatching a roadblock. The action was described as follows: Fireball for that was the tank’s name was in a bad position silhouetted in the darkness by a nearby fire. A Tiger concealed behind the corner of a building only about 100 yards away fired three shots – the first 88 mm projectile entered the turret through the co-axial machine gun port [the M26’s gun mantlet] killing both the gunner and the loader instantly. The second shot hit the muzzle brake and the end of the 90 mm barrel and the resulting shock waves set off the round that was in the chamber. Even though this round finally cleared the end of the tube it still caused the barrel to swell about halfway down.
