Was wondering if anyone has one or more good images of the compass that is frequently mentioned as being attached to the roof of Mk.IVs in German service? Thanks for any help.
i/ Was the compass on some sort of gimbal mount like a ships compass, so it would be reliable regardless of the attitude of the tank? Is that why it bulges through the top plate?
ii/ Beutepanzers with escape hatches? - who installed them? They look more like early supply tank central hatches except they are more flush with the cab roof. They are not typical Mk.IV supply hatches, which seem to look more like offset Mk.V hatches, and these examples aren't even supply tanks.
I probably didn't put that as well as I could have, but any enlightenment would be most welcome.
-- Edited by compound eye on Tuesday 19th of August 2014 04:12:59 PM
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"You there on the port!". "S'gin actually, but thanks for noticing [hic]".
ii/ Beutepanzers with escape hatches? - who installed them? They look more like early supply tank central hatches except they are more flush with the cab roof. They are not typical Mk.IV supply hatches, which seem to look more like offset Mk.V hatches, and these examples aren't even supply tanks. ...
-- Edited by compound eye on Tuesday 19th of August 2014 04:12:59 PM
Germans installed them in their central workshop. MkV escape hatch was larger on put on the left side of the cab, not in the middle.
So, the compass was used from underneath, by the commander?
This makes more sense than someone ontop of the tank hull, looking through a glass dome.
I agree about the hatches not looking like the Mk.V style hatches typically used for Mk.IV supply tanks. That the Germans installed hatches makes sense, given that they are similar/central, but not quite the same [ie flatter] as Mk.I or Mk.II supply tanks, which the Germans may well have seen / captured & copied the hatches from.
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"You there on the port!". "S'gin actually, but thanks for noticing [hic]".
Some (not many) Mk.IV combat tanks captured by the Germans had cab hatches fitted (e.g.: Wagen 117 Dora). These were larger than the ones later installed by BAKP 20. - The losses incured on July 15th, 1918, where several tanks went up in flames, triggered the general fitting of cab hatches to all captured Mk.IVs.
Does anybody have an idea about the shape and fixing of hinges on hatches installed by BAKP 20? The first photo in this topic shows that they don't looks similar to British ones.
MZ
I am researching Mark IV variations and am interested in your comment (from August 25 2014) that some combat tanks were captured with cab hatches already fitted. Do you know the British identity of any of these, please, including Wagen 117 Dora? Also, was Dora 117 Male or Female, please?
Thanks
Gwyn
MZ I am researching Mark IV variations and am interested in your comment (from August 25 2014) that some combat tanks were captured with cab hatches already fitted. Do you know the British identity of any of these, please, including Wagen 117 Dora? Also, was Dora 117 Male or Female, please? Thanks Gwyn
Seen with British installed cab hatches are
- 6022, a supply tank, at Monceau-sur-Sambre, but not yet refurbisched by BAKP 20
- Wagen 117 Dora
- Wagen 120 Liesel
British identity of the latter two vehicles I do not know.
Does anybody have an idea about the shape and fixing of hinges on hatches installed by BAKP 20? The first photo in this topic shows that they don't looks similar to British ones.
This issue should be interesting for a number of modellers. German installed cab hatch on a male tank. Hole for compass to the right of hatch.
They look like cut about door hinges. There's even a little packing piece under the hinge bolted to the roof. The hinges themselves look like they've been cut short.
Helen x
mad zeppelin wrote:
Werewombat wrote:
Does anybody have an idea about the shape and fixing of hinges on hatches installed by BAKP 20? The first photo in this topic shows that they don't looks similar to British ones.
This issue should be interesting for a number of modellers. German installed cab hatch on a male tank. Hole for compass to the right of hatch.
