Tiger Turret Vision Ports & Pistol Ports

Hi and welcome back for another update on my Tiger Tank. I have a feeling that this Tiger Tank is going to take quite some time to complete though I will endeavour to document all my progression as I go along.

This will be my last post before I take a well deserved break to Berlin for 5 days. I have worked a little on the vision ports that situated on the left and right sides of the turret. Also the pistol port opening towards the rear of the Turret. The vision ports of the Tiger provided the loader and gunner with the ability to spot potential threats whilst in combat.

Turret Vision Port by dna87 on Sketchfab

Tiger Tanks Turret Mushroom Vision Ports

Russian troops learnt that dropping Molotov cocktails into the engine compartment of their adversary's tended to render most tanks inoperable and in some instances destroying the tank completely. Having a way to hose the tanks rear of enemies, the pistol ports provided the internal crew a way to protect the tanks exposed flank without having to leave the safety of their tank. It also avoided turn the turret away from dangerous threats such as tank destroyers or other tanks to deal with incoming flanking attacks by troops.

The bolts on the Pistol ports were cone shaped for a reason. If the tiger was to receive fire from an enemy tank, rivets/bolts were a major hazard to the crew as they broke of and pinged around the internals of the tank. This one of the reasons tanks quickly moved away from Riveted designs during the second world war to fully welded joints. The cone shaped bolt design reduced the risk of bolts from being pushed into the fighting compartment when receiving direct hits therefore increasing the crews combat capabilities.

Pistol Port by dna87 on Sketchfab

Early Tiger Pistol Port

That's all for the progress of my tiger this week but as a bonus here is another model I have started or a while ago and didnt get round to really showing. This is the 88's gun sleeve that encompasses the gun barrel as it exits the mantlet.

Gun Sleeve by dna87 on Sketchfab

The Gun Sleeve. 

I have had a few more hours this week to do a bit of modelling so there is a bit more to show than normal. Here is the Turret in its current state.

I hope you all have a great weekend (and also next week as I will be on my holiday) and I catch you back here next week for another World of Warships Ship Review.