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MP40 stowage
The Tiger 1 carried an MP40 machine-pistol for the defence of the crew if they were forced to leave the vehicle in combat. This weapon was clipped into a metal frame in the turret rear [1] .
This sketch shows two views of the L-shaped metal frame.
It had wooden rests for the MP40, and near the top it had a clip to grasp the barrel. In this photograph, on the right of the frame there is a hanger for an MP40 ammunition bag [2] .
The frame sat on the turret ring cover plate.
The frame was oriented forwards [1] .
This diagram shows how the Tiger conveniently had enough room (660mm) for the MP40 (629mm).
This frame was very probably present over the complete production run of the Tiger 1. The earliest evidence is the frame in Tiger #31 (the surviving 'APG' vehicle). The frame is in Tiger #122 (the 'Bovington' vehicle), and it is drawn in the Turret Manual for a 'mid' vehicle with a 40mm roof.
In Tiger #31, the frame is screwed to brackets that are welded to the turret wall [3] . In Tiger #122 it is fixed to a vertical metal strip that is welded to the roof and the turret ring. This change was made in December 1942 [4] to all the turret stowage, so that projectile impacts on the walls would not hurl items around.
The metal strip is indicated in the above diagram. Notice that it collides with the aiming ring at the end of the MP40 barrel, and prevents the weapon being pushed fully into its holder. This problem was fixed at some unknown time, by putting a bend into the top of the metal strip.
The Turret Manual draws this frame supported about 30mm above the turret ring, not sitting on it as we see in the surviving tanks. It states "Cover for MP40 is clamped underneath the MP40 holder". But I'm sure that there was never enough room to raise this frame by 30mm.
By the end of the production run the frame had been moved slightly. This diagram shows its second position, pushed up against the support leg of the turret floor [5] . I don't know when this move happened. It may have been when the turret was redesigned with a new cupola, because extra bolts were put in the top of the turret ring. But the holder did not collide with the new bolts. The Turret Manual draws it in the original position. So the move probably happened later, when storage bins were added to the turret ring.
Although the frame is missing from the 'Saumur' vehicle, the metal strip survives. It has bolt holes in exactly the same positions as the other surviving tanks. This suggests that the metal frame was not significantly changed throughout the production run.
Sources
[1] Survey of vehicle 250122, Bovington, by David Byrden
[3] Survey of vehicle 250031, by Stephan Vogt
[4] DW to Tiger 1
[5] Survey of vehicle 251114, at Saumur, by Jean-Charles Breucque
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Copyright © David Byrden 1998-2007 except where indicated.
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