I'm building Takom's T-55AM2B right now and I was wondering what the flaps that cover the engine grilles are for, and what the correct name for these flaps are.

Does anyone know when the crew would put these flaps down? I am not sure when the flaps would be kept up and when they would be put down.

Also, does anyone know if it would be appropriate to model some of the flaps up, while some of them are in the closed position? Specifically, I would like to depict the larger two flaps in the open position and the smaller two (rearmost) flaps in the closed position, but I don't want do this if this would have almost never been done.

Thank you

Not 100% sure but I think that under normal operating conditions most/all the flaps would be open. They are made with "doors" which when closed are water tight to allow for deep fording operations when the rest of the apparatus is attached. I'm sure there are others who can give a more definitive answer.

Yep, wading covers. This covers the T-62 but the basics are the same

https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/t-62.html

(near the bottom of the blog )

Sean