Good grief! That engine hatch must weigh over 50 kilos!It’s not an M10 but a Matilda, but this serves to illustrate Richard’s point pretty well:
(video starts at the relevant bit)
I was able to find the hatch hinges that KarlW mentioned in his post. They look like they will do the job. The length is similar to the ones you post above except they are rectangular, long and skinny.
If you watch some more of his videos, you’ll notice quite soon that most tanks have engine deck hatches that require this much or more effort to open. Those on the M10 are fairly open, being essentially large grilles, but they’re also pretty deep so there’s probably about as much material in them as if they were simple plates of the thickness of the engine deck. IOW, they’re unlikely to be light either.Good grief! That engine hatch must weigh over 50 kilos!
I did not know that about the crew hatches. In all of the movies they just pop them open like they are made of aluminum.Even crew hatches are heavy, and they're smaller.
Thank you Richard.Aircraft panels are the direct opposite. That's why they need extra ribbing for strength. Good for you you found your hinges...looking forward to your workable doors.
Cheers,
Richard
A lot of them are spring assisted.I did not know that about the crew hatches. In all of the movies they just pop them open like they are made of aluminum.
InterestingA lot of them are spring assisted.
Didn’t the m10 driver’s hatches open kind of like a Lamborghini countach door? Kind of slide up sideways somehow?Those on the M10 were not, though — neither the driver’s hatches nor the engine deck hatches had springs on them. About the only hatch that was easy to open on it, would be the escape hatch in the floor, behind the co-driver’s seat
Based on the angle of the hinge you basically pushed forward at a 45 degree angle. Like pushing something out of the way as opposed upward. The problem with hatch lying in that position I can guess the turret would be in the way.IIRC the hinge was/is at an angle so the hatch open position was almost vertical.
Edit: Here is a picture.
View attachment 402019
See the photo Karl posted above: it’s got a hinge at the front outside corner and opens to a strange, almost vertical position. There’s a hook on the outside (not visible in that picture) that should be fastened to keep it from knocking out the driver in rough terrainDidn’t the m10 driver’s hatches open kind of like a Lamborghini countach door? Kind of slide up sideways somehow?
It looks in the video as if the periscope is part of the hatch locking mechanism?Another detail that Karl’s photo captures well but many modellers don’t, is that there should not be a periscope in an open hatch (this goes for M4 medium tanks as well). American practice was to remove the periscope before opening the hatch, then re-inserting it after the hatch was closed.
Thank you VERY MUCH for the picture. That explains much of my confusion on the driver's hatches. I have several reference books on the M10 and I still didn't know how the driver's hatches opened. I love it!IIRC the hinge was/is at an angle so the hatch open position was almost vertical.
Edit: Here is a picture.
View attachment 402019
Yes, Richard, you are correct. The driver could not open the hatch when the turret was facing directly forward. I learned this on the YouTube show Inside the Captain's Hatch.Based on the angle of the hinge you basically pushed forward at a 45 degree angle. Like pushing something out of the way as opposed upward. The problem with hatch lying in that position I can guess the turret would be in the way.
Cheers,
Richard
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