Tiger 1 driver's vision port

[cupoftea]

Thanks for posting the video wibblywobbly.

[jackalope]

I guess after the tank is in gear and under way the driver could have put a brick on the gas peddle and then climbed up to sit on the ledge and hang out of the hatch and steer with his feet in the steering wheel but other then that I'm not sure how the driver would have been able to drive while his head was out of the hatch.

Anyone figure out any other way then I described I'm all ears.

[jarndice]

Most military vehicles of the 40s/50s/60s had a hand throttle and most Armour used an automatic or preselect gearbox so as long as the driver could reach the steering he could stand up and drive,
The trouble with the Tiger 1 was that it had a manual gearbox,
I suppose the driver could engage gear, then advance the hand throttle, release the hand brake and stand up whilst steering, but you would be close to losing control cross country,
A further drawback with most Tanks although not the Tiger was they were usually steered using a two handled tiller system which needed the driver behind the controls and seated!
shaun

[DavidByrden]

Yes, I was in the Tiger, but it was taken to pieces so I could not test the driving arrangements.

If you check the diagram that I posted, you'll see that a person sitting on the ledge could rest their arms on the hull roof. The people that we see apparently driving Tigers are not quite so high up.



Also, I have never seen somebody driving a Tiger like this cross-country. It's always on a road.

David

[jackalope]

I'd say that driver would have to be sitting on a booster seat so he can reach the controls and peak out.

But after watching that video of 131 with the gentleman explaining how to drive the Tiger the driver would have to keep ducking in to operate the tank but I'm sure in the summer cooking inside a tank you'd find any way you could to get some fresh air as often as you could. I have no doubt I'd do the same thing cause I can tell you from working in the summer in a locomotive it gets ungodly hot inside of a metal box out in the sun!

[Sub]

Hi.
I think the driver relies on commands via the headset from the commander quite a lot of the time as they are usually stood in the commanders position or looking out through the 360 degree slots built into the capolla.
Plus i think the driver wouldnt last long as when the turret moved ir would probably take his head off...has happened to our chaps in the pazt plus the hatch
coming down or swinging across decapitating the driver.
Regards
sub.

[Sub]

Re above
plus i think the hatch is purley a means of entry egress.
Regars
sub.

[Sub]

Going back to the original post.
If you mean the two holes in the turret above the drivers hatch seen when the turret is facing the front...then they are nothing to do with the driver they are the binocular gunners aiming optics as far as i am aware.
Regars
sub.

[mike1268]

Could be the loader sat with the driver, while not in battle conditions?

[DavidByrden]

i think the driver wouldnt last long as when the turret moved ir would probably take his head off..

When I find a photo of a Tiger with the driver apparently driving head-out, it's not travelling cross country (as I said above). It's always making a road journey. Therefore the turret is locked and will not swing around.

David