In all of the photos I've seen the hatches appear to be positioned fore and aft which would suggest that the cupola was fixed but there appears to be a bit of a discrepancy between these photos…

which seem to show the view-port facing slightly rightwards (first pic) or directly forwards (2nd & 3rd).

So, it's hard to know for sure.

Jon

Edited By Jon Gibbs on 15/12/2017 15:26:27

Edit: Ahhh, Wikipedia says… "The Mk VIA had a return roller removed from the top of the leading bogey and attached to the hull sides instead, and also possessed a faceted cupola.[7] The Mk VIB was mechanically identical to the Mk VIA but with a few minor differences to make production simpler, including a one-piece armoured louvre over the radiator instead of a two-piece louvre, and a plain circular cupola instead of the faceted type.[7] "

So, perhaps the VIA faceted cupola has the two viewports (picture 1) whereas the VIB has the one viewport facing forward. 

Edited By Jon Gibbs on 15/12/2017 15:32:59

All the photos I've seen show the cupola pointing forward on top of the turret. That implies it's fixed.

I don't think the photos prove it though. The commander would normally want to see what was in front of the gun, making the 'cupola ahead' position most likely to be photographed. It's still possible that the commander was able to rotate the cupola to get an all-round view when necessary.

As I can only see one viewport in the cupola, if it's fixed, the commander would have to slowly turn the whole turret to see behind or to the sides. Not ideal in a vehicle intended for reconnaissance, therefore I guess the cupola rotates. On the other hand, you wouldn't want the cupola to come off under attack. It would be safer for the commander if it were firmly fixed.

Anyone live near the Bovington Tank Museum?

Neil, why not ask on our sister forum Mil Mod?

Don't forget you are Stubby on there and not Neil.

Don't spose you could ring up the nearest bloke who's got one lying around in the garage, go round his house and when you're sitting in the top see if you can shimmy from left to right and notice the whole ring move? I'm sure they've had these kinds of questions before.

In my plans for a Tiger 1 from Bovington Tank Museum (2003) is a list of other plans they keep, including:

Light Mk VI
Light Mk VIA
Light Tank Mk VIB
Light Tank Mk VIC

Ed.

Given how cool these photos are, I can think of worse ways to spend an evening

Michael W

Can we have an object in the foreground like a penny, to compare the size of this turret, (is it all 3D printed or a modified kit?) It looks pretty chunky on that worktop!

PS. with the position of those rivets it would suggest to me that the cupola was a fixed feature, possibly designed simply to give ample cover to anyone sitting/viewing out the top. 

Michael W

Edited By Michael-w on 16/12/2017 13:44:25

In the years leading up to and even during WW2 it was normal (the done thing) for the tank commander to have head and shoulders outside the turret or cupola at all times. That was the only way he could have 360* vision and situation awareness of the battle going on around him. If you could not see your enemy or your target, you would soon be dead.

If the tank came under direct small arms fire or a concentrated mortar bomb attack, then the commander could duck down inside. He would still need to put his head outside from time to time to identify his attackers and return fire.

A fixed cupola aligned with the main guns would have worked. Perhaps the cupola could be unlocked and rotated but straight ahead would be the normal position for it.

Mike the tank

British tank crews normally wore woolen berets, not tin hats during a fight. If you were hit by an anti-tank round, you never heard it coming and it did not matter much whether your head was inside or outside the turret. Small arms fire was all you protect yourself from, the rest of the time the commander was 'head out' and looking everywhere.

Mike the tank