Howdy,

I planned a Dio for a Tiger, but i totally messed up the whitewash and it went in the dumpster!! I already have the Dio 90% done and also 4 Figures painted. Now i done all the work and i want to finish the Dio. I dont want to build another Tiger in the near future (honestly, i saw enough Tiger for the next months ). So i looked thru my "half" build Tanks that i have on the Shelf. And i found a Jagdpanzer IV l/70(v)from Dragon. Now i have 4 Figures, but i build the Jagdpanzer with only 2 Hatches open (the two on the roof).
Now my question is:
Looking at this Tank. Did they use the two front hatches at all?? I know that Vehicle has no radio operator and the hatches are not even close to the Driver. I looked on the internet to find some Photos, but i only found one Picture with all 4 hatches open.
My plan for the Dio is: The Tank just lost his track and the 4 crew members are outside and discuss what they should do next.
I m just not sure if that would be odd?? Having 4 people outside the Tank but only two hatches open?

i hope i can get some help

cheers,
David

There is nothing odd with two hatches open and 4 people outside. If it were snowing I would close mine. However, the driver would probably have his open to ease his getting in and out to help with the track and then to use the sprocket to help hold the track.

I think these are inspection hatches for the steering gear

They are inspection hatches, but actually for the brake mechanisms. The curved shapes on top of the hatches are air vents to help with cooling, as well.

Anyone trying to exit through them would have to squeeze over the transmission housing and the entire steering assembly ahead of the driver in addition to the brake housings and step-down gearing leading to the drive wheels. Assuming they could even get through a hatch that is smaller than a human torso.

Thanks guys

I really thought those hatches are for the crew to get in and out. Like on a Tiger or Panther. Good to know that those hatches are for the brake mechanisms.

cheers
David

As Shell mentioned above, they are access hatches for the braking system (which is how the tank was steered). On both the PzKpfw IV and PzKpfw III series, the braking system needed careful adjustment -- sometimes hours of daily work by the driver.

Modelers who pile spare tracks or gear atop these hatches will be hard-pressed to see photos of actual vehicles in the field like this. Indeed, you see that there is a frame centered in the middle of the PzKpfw IV upper nose plate -- so the track's position doesn't impede the easy access to brake access hatches.

One of the poor designs of the PzKpfw III chassis was that the driver and radio operator didn't have their own, above head escape hatches.