For each MG in a Tiger, two boxes of accessories were provided.
The MG toolbox
One was the small MG34 toolbox. Two of these boxes were fixed inside each Tiger 1.
The toolbox for the turret MG was not kept in the turret, but in the rear right-hand corner of the fighting compartment. This museum Tiger's box is missing [1] , but we can see its fixing holes. It's attached to a main ammunition bin. By the time of the "Late" Tigers this box was moved a little higher, to halfway up the bin [2] .
When some Befehlstigers were converted to standard Tigers in November 1943, this box had to be added to them [5] . Because the feed for a Sternantenne was still in the lower corner here, the box was placed high up, close to the roof [4] .
The MG accessories box
The second box was larger and it contained accessory parts that the MG didn't need when mounted inside a tank.
If the crew needed to quit the tank in haste, they could grab the MP40, but if they had more time, they could use these parts to prepare an MG34 for outside operation. This box was not attached to the tank.
One of these boxes was stored in a frame on the right-hand turret wall, until about October 1943. Thereafter it was kept on the turret floor. The other accessories box was in the radio operator's sponson compartment. [2] [3] [1]
[1] Survey of Tiger 250031, by Stephan Vogt
[2] Survey of vehicle 251114, at Saumur, by Jean-Charles Breucque
[3] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington museum, by David Byrden