Any easy modifications to move the default On/Off switch on the Tiger 1 or Sherman? Or a new kit turret somewhere?

Hi Danny, for my Tiger I, the on-off switch was very handy inside the driver's hatch.

But for my Sherman, I put the on-off switch in the ammo hatch of the turret.
I cut a working hatch off a 21st Century (Walmart) static Sherman and mounted it on my resin turret.
The switch is VERY handy to get at there. -Dana



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Here is were I put the switch for the HL Tiger l under the exhaust stack

John

<div>This works out as a good location.</div>

See, dlobmwm3?

Just a bit of imagination. Any hatch makes a great hiding place. Or even hidden under an ammo can or a ration box.

To hold the can/box/whatever down, use a scrapped fridge magnet, or some of that magnetic-tape stuff (more dollar Store finds) Many pharmacies and other places have fridge magnets for their advertising. Cut up and glue inside the camoflage detailing. Presto.

You could even hide the switch under the central armor plate for the engine intake on the Sherman (just aft of the turret ring) or under the matching piece on the Tiger (where the two black air-intake tubes from the feifels meet)


WhiteWolf

All very good ideas.  :-)   So if I wanted to make a hatch, how would I allow make the hinge after cutting open the hatch?

Use some plastic to form your hinges and wire or a track pin to pivot on. Sheet plastic is available at most hobby shops and they also have shapes that may be better suited to your application.

dlobmwm3:

Well... the hull hatches on the Sherman aren't exactly easy to cut open neatly, and then make operable. Honestly, I'd suggest hiding it under the armored intake plate on the engine deck, and holding the plate down with magnets. Barring that, making one of the other panels on the engine deck removable (like the one the track adjustment wrench rests on) would be my second choice - nice straight lines to open up. OR... if you really want easy, hide it beneath the loader's hatch (you want the commander's hatch clear for a battle unit of whatever make, right?)

On the Tiger, well, the Driver and RTO/Gunner hatches on the hull are designed to operate, right? and so is the commander's hatch. The Loader's can be hinged if you ~carefully~ drill both hatch and upper plate for a hinge pin. I used a piece of piano wire about 1/2 to 2/3 as thick as a track pin. Do it by hand with a 'pin vise', not with an electric drill. Another spot would be in the bustle storage bin area, with the top again held down with magnets.

Those are the easiest... beyond that, you have to do some careful cutting...

As for hinges, I did the ones on my Pershing engine deck with metal foil and piano wire. I'll try to pull my hull out and take some pics tomorrow. All of my engine hatches open on her... not that they NEED to...

If the Tiger Hatch is made to open, then like this...