Wednesday 28 August 2019

Cabin on the Tanks


"Mechanic-driver's station

The mechanic-driver is located to the left of the ammunition rack in the front of the tank. The driver's seat is immobile. The seat can flip back and its angle can be adjusted.

The tank is driven by looking through the open hatch in front of the driver, through the slit in the hatch protected by a vision block, or through the rotating MK-IV periscope in the top hatch.

These devices do not provide for good observation when the tank is driven with the hatch closed.

The pedals and levers for controlling the tank are positioned in front of the driver. The instrument panel, gearbox shifter, starter button, bow machinegun (the trigger is on the right control lever) are located to the right. The tachometer is to the front-left. 

The levers, pedals, and instrument panels are located in convenient places. Driving the tank is easy, with the exception of shifting gears, due to a small size of the shifter and close placement of the shifter to the batteries. The machinegun installed on the right also hinders the driver during shifting of gears. The mechanism that locks and flips back the driver's seat is inconvenient."


6 comments:

  1. What exactly was the reason they built these? Did the drivers want more head room or something without getting shot?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the idea was to give more headroom for the driver without increasing the overall height of the hull. Eventually it turned out that just making the hull taller was the easiest and best option.

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    2. But did they make the hull taller. The JS-3 is not as tall as the jS-2. But I can't tell how much difference was based on the turret and how much the hull. As far as the T-34 vs the T-44/54/55 , all I can say is the T-54 driving position wasn't exactly that high. I've never sat in the T-34, so I can't testify about their headroom.

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  2. If we take into account that Soviet union had 208 milion people in 1940. And typically one dwarf in 25000 people. That would mean there was around 8300 small people. Divide by half for males equals 4150. Let's say 1/3rd is fighting age small men. That is 1383 dwarf tank men. That's more then a tank brigade strength of miniature tanks they could have built. No need for head room. 👊😊

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    Replies
    1. me rn
      https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/288/150/85a.jpg

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    2. Lol
      I can't help it but the "1/3 reich" meme comes to mind 😁

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