I’m doing the Dragon M4A1 and I usually like to try to make things work so I was wondering, do the hatches on the turret rotate?
I’m not sure which Dragon M4A1 you are working on, but since you said hatchES I’ll guess that it is the M4A1 76mm Wet Stowage “Operation Cobra”. The answer is mixed - the hatch ring with MG mount that is over the gun loader’s position DID rotate on ball bearings. This was similar to the gun-ring hatch on early 75mm gunned tanks. The rotation allowed the MG mount to be positioned around as needed (but they usually ended up at either in front or back - I think due to the lock that prevented unwanted rotation). The Commander’s hatch did not rotate, the hatch cover had an inner piece that COULD rotate to allow positioning of the commander’s periscope. There are some photos from the ETO that showed either 1) the commander’s cupola rotated slightly to allow the hatch cover to be at a different angle, or 2) the commander’s cupola and loader’s gun-ring hatch cover swapped (i.e. on the “wrong sides”), but this usually involved a FEW tanks from 3rd Armored Division. Either of these modifications could be done, but would require the services of the division’s maintenance battalion and the tools they had.
Hope this helps,
Gary
29 August 2006
Thanks so much for the quick reply. You are right, I’m doing the “Operation Cobra” M4A1(W). Actually I have made the loader’s hatch rotate already so this confirms it as well as my suspicion about the commanders hatch. Thanks again!
Constructor