I'm building A M51 sherman for A group build . while researching photos I notices that while visionblocks in the driver and asst. driver hatches were used ,I've only seen the vision blocks in the whole in hull section used once. this is true for vehicles on road march or as well combat . As well as buttoned and unbuttoned. Were these hull mounted vision blocks not utilized in WW2 or korea as well. I know this is not earth shaterring just wondering.

Josh Weingarten
aKA shiryon

Josh--good to hear from you again. The vision blocks that surround the tank commander's hatch are in every Sherman production model--RAM excepted. Within the driver, assistant driver, and loaders hatches are rotatable vision viewers. These are long and usually have an eye piece on them. Someone may chime in to correct me, but I think I am on safe ground here. However, given the expertise available here, may be standing on a solid bed of quick sand.
DJ #:-)

Agree.....the drivers and asst.drivers could rotate and tilt a little, the commanders had vision blocks around his position, plus his hatch had one.At times these were removed depending on the situation. These periscopes on the that hatch had a piece added to them so he would not crack his head when he opened the hatch. You will also see periscope on the turret themselves depending on the production.

Sorry guys ,I guess I wasn't clear in what I'm asking. I know the location of the periscopes. I'm wondering as to whether or not the periccopes in the hull just forward of the driver's and co drivers were commonly used by crews. I ask this because a quick study of Israeli shermans ahows only the periscopes in the hatch covers pesent and being used.Would the hull mounted pericopes be redundant for the crews using the hatch mounted ones or is this simply an ISraeli thing?

Josh Weingarten aka shiryon

If I am not mis-taken the M51 used a late M4A1 hull, in this case those vision blocks would not of been used, if you are using this hull. I looked in Warmachines No 4 (good color pictures) and they show no vision blocks on this style. Hope this helps, if not post again and I will do some more research.