Gary, nice job on the hatch. Think you have the post too far back. When the hatch is opened, it rests on the rear two posts. You pull down on the hatch lever to raise it, swing it to the right and drop the hatch lever, so that it seats on the posts. The one closest to the hatch is a safety stop. For realistic look, the hatch should be seated over those posts. The red color is not that far off.....the internal lights have a 3 way switch....white-off-red. (Red used as it does not seriously interfere with night vision). At night with the individual station lamps on, that's what it looks like. It's hell to play chess on a standard chessboard on the breech with that red lamp directly above it. [:@]

Bill

Thanks Bill

The pictures you seeare before I finished it completely so the hatch is just resting there for the effect, it's been finished now for a few years and does lift, swingthen rest on the posts, I'll take a couple pics of it tommorow, I'm glad the red paint works though because I just looked at it to see if I had mounted it like your talking about and I still have the red primer inside, oops.

Gary

Ol' 41 is looking good. None of my reference material has any decent photos of the driver's hatch and I only have one of mine rolling. There have been a few questions directed to me about the hatch and I wanted to take a couple shots of our museum tank, but the driver and TC hatches are welded shut. I can get in for cleanup or install mock periscopes etc, but can't move the hatch. If I ever find one with a working hatch, I'll definately take some photos. Better yet to find one running and take it out for a spin. If I could get to Ropke's collection, he has a beautiful 41 and it's his favorite tank.