506") was a German heavy Panzer Abteilung (independent battalion-sized unit) equipped with Tiger I tanks until 28 July 1944.

The unit performed well despite often poor conditions of deployment, officially credited with over 400 tank kills during its service with fewer than 75 combat losses.

Ten tigers, in support of a kampfgruppe from the 10th Panzergrenadier Regiment committed to an assault on the heavily-defended town of Pavlovka.

From these, it was clear that the Tiger I, even as early as September 1943, was not impervious to Soviet weaponry- including hits to the frontal armor.

[9] The 506th saw extensive action in the Battle of the Dnieper and in October fought in the Krivoi Rog area, south of Kirovograd.

On 25 December 1943, Leutnant Bapistella's Tiger was knocked out by a German 8,8 cm gun captured and deployed by the Soviets.

With only a handful of tanks operational at a time, the battalion engaged in a number of deployments near Rassnyj during the first two weeks of December.

On the 29th and 30th, thirteen Tigers- half of the 506th's remaining tanks- were transported by rail to Oratow to support III.Panzer-Korps where fighting would continue throughout the next month.

[13] On 1 February, the battalion undertook a 100 km road march west of the Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket in preparation for a relief attempt.

With 10 Tigers in running order, the 506th took Kutschkowa alongside the 16th Panzer Division on 4 February to begin Operation: Wanda.

It was strengthened with 5 Tigers and relocated to Winograd with 27 total tanks on 9 February before being attached to schwere Panzer Regiment Bäke on the 11th.

Over the following week, the unit conducted relief operations around Lissjanka with support from the Luftwaffe and made contact with the 1st Panzer Division on the 14th.

During the defense, Oberleutnant Brandt was killed and Oberfeldwebel Leihbauer's Tiger was knocked out when ambushed by a Soviet self-propelled gun.

[15] Over the next several days, the 506th's remaining Tigers alongside the 23rd Panzer Regiment fought a series of tug-of-war skirmishes with Soviet forces.

With its 39 operational Tiger Is, the unit supported the retreat of the 1st Infantry Division across the Dnjestr for much of June before being recalled to an assembly area in Slobodka.

In mid-July, it marched 100 km (62 mi) towards Zlozow where it fought in a series of unsuccessful relief attempts (for the encircled XIII.

[17] The next day, five tanks of the company were deployed with the 116th Panzer Division "Windhund" in another attack northeast of Elst, but the advance was again halted by Allied counterattacks.

A 75 mm howitzer was also used and the vehicle caught fire before being finished off by close range hits from PIAT anti-tank launchers.

Assembly was finished by 14 October and this was followed over the next several days by fighting alongside the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division in the area of the Probsteier Forest.

[24][25] During the battle of Puffendorf on the 17th, infantry action was largely inconsequential as both sides found their troops pinned by artillery fire for much of the fighting.

Twelve additional Tigers were delivered from the 8th to the 13th, but tank 2-11 (lead vehicle of the 2nd company's 3rd platoon) was captured by the American 129th Ordnance Battalion in Gereonsweiler on the 15th.

This formed the fourth company "Feuerwehr" (fire brigade) and reintroduced the Tiger I to the unit for the first time since being transferred to the Western Front.

From 31 December to 1 January 1945, the 506th fought in the Bastogne area before being transferred west of Michamps to support the 12th SS Panzer Division.

The following day, the 506th lost another Tiger to fire from the 81st Anti-tank Battalion; the hit caused an explosion that blew the turret from the hull.

Eberhard Lange, now a Major, was relieved by Generaloberst Hasso von Manteuffel and command given to Hauptmann Heiligenstadt.

Heiligenstadt's command was cut short when he was captured along with Hauptmann Wacker and Leutnant Bopp while conducting reconnaissance on 9 February.

On 26 February a Tiger of the 506th knocked out three American tanks near Irsch and the unit would see numerous small skirmishes throughout the month of March near Weinsheim.

On 6 March, with seven Tigers available in running order, the unit conducted offensive operations with the 340th Volksgrenadier Division, but another six tanks were destroyed the following day near Boxberg.

[31] The unit launched a counterattack against American forces on 24 March but failed to progress and subsequently withdrew towards Siegen the next day.

On 12 April, with most tanks out of fuel, the unit moved into the Eslohe-Kobbenrode area and a single Tiger was deployed east of Werdohl.