Missing bit

[Meter rat]

Can any of you Tiger experts shed any light on the missing T shaped bit on the front hull.

Not missing him this photo.

C10A881A-1664-451B-8D58-1D367100AF75.jpeg (66.21 KiB) Viewed 457 times

But missing in this photo. They are both the same tank.

F23A5D47-A52B-482F-8E45-3E4433207FB6.jpeg (116.53 KiB) Viewed 457 times

[MrChef]

Totally guessing-

it looks like an edit possibly period blocking out for some reason. If you look very closely at the blacked out one you can see the white from the damage under the radio operators side near the tow hook just like the unedited pic but the black edit seems to cover the lighter colored damage.

The 'missing' or 'blacked out' part seems to be way too even and symmetrical almost like it was painted on or over something.

The black on the wheels looks extra dark as well. That could be the wheel hubs leaking grease. The contrast is striking for both observations.

Ya got me curious as well sir.

[jarndice]

Captured Tanks often had rude remarks scrawled upon them, The censor may well have blacked out such a slogan to protect the citizens back home from such crudity.

[HERMAN BIX]

Seems very constructed.
Note the muzzle brake is also out of kilter.
That missing patch may have been a unit marking of the group that got it, or, another strategic daubing that could reveal other details to an enemy intelligence team.
Or, the local forces spent some time firing at the front plate to see how they'd go, and the spall cuts in the Zimmerit did the job & contained the damage to the affected impact area.
I contend we will never know.

[Meter rat]

I think Mr C is correct and it is an attempt to hide something. I saw a different picture looking more from the front and it looked like a piece was missing. Of course now I can’t find it. The grease/oil stains are where the oil caps were damaged by the Sherman pushing it out of the way.

[Mithras]

Almost certainly something that’s been redacted. It matches others I’ve seen. The lighter edges indicate some sort of markings are covered to my eye, as others have speculated.