Tiger ausf. E : Traverse indicator for gunner

Technical information about the Tiger tank

 

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Traverse indicator for gunner

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About this detail of the Tiger

Traverse indicator

The Tiger's gunner could check the position of the turret by glancing at a small dial next to his seat. This dial was graduated in 12 hours, like a clock. This example in Bovington has its original black paint.

Plate 15, Turret Manual

Plate 15 of the Turret Manual [2] shows the device in detail.

In the first kind of turret (high cupola), the dial was driven directly from the teeth in the turret ring. This required a drive shaft with three joints and a supporting frame welded to the bridge.

Drive shaft in late turrets

In the second kind of turret (low cupola) there was a simpler arrangement. A small box containing reduction gears was added to the top of the turret drive gearbox. From here came drive shafts for both the gunner's indicator dial, and the commander's indicator ring in the cupola. (In this tank, in Saumur, the commander's ring has been deleted)

Traverse indicator

The indicator dial itself was identical in all Tigers as far as I can tell. This example in Saumur has been crudely oversprayed with green paint, but the original colour seems to be ivory.

[1] Survey of Tiger 250122, at Bovington museum, by David Byrden

[2] Tiger Turret Manual

 
 

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