Heng Long Tiger 1 question (updated and added to 8th Feb)

[SimonCornes]

Hi,
A simple question, the box to the left of the machine gunners hatch, what is it? I am in the process of repainting my tank from Panzer Grey into the 3 colour scheme and I'm painting all of the tools and equipment - metal blades, wooden handles? But what is that box? It seems to be wood and comes in a tan coloured finish with grey straps but a lot of people seem to blast such things over with the hull paint. When you know what something really was, its easier to decide how to finish it! I have a copy of the Osprey Tiger book in the post but its not going to arrive in the UK until late February so any help you can give me now would be appreciated!!
Thank you

Simon

Some more queries, this time about the modifying the kit:

1. Is there a better way of filling the smoke system? A pair of clear plastic tubes out of the back of the tank doesn't seem ideal. Taigen have a rubber tube with stopper accessed through the machine gunners hatch. Can the HL system be modified to something similar?
2. The battery - I am thinking of attaching a fly lead to the battery pack so that I can charge it in situ. Might be better to join it internally on the battery side of the on/off switch? Any thoughts or suggestions on this?

[Model Builder 4]

Hi Simon, that box would be the jack block, it is wooden with metal straps, hope this helps

Cheers,Lee.

[SimonCornes]

Ah, so its a solid block of wood to use with the jack fitted to the back plate? The moulded in strapping goes right to the end, would that be a binding all around the block then, not attached to the hull, and would the end grain of the block therefore be exposed? No photos of the real thing to refer to I'm afraid so I'm working blind!! But thank you!

[Jofaur86]

Hello
it is indeed the wedge (wood) used to put the jack on it, for a better base of this one in any terrain, the two straps were to prevent the box subjected to bad weather, from cracks, there was generally a handle, easier to lift, it was fixed at the front of the tank on the upper frame, between the two hatches, held by a small piece of vertical welded angle iron, and held in place by a removable metal strap, with a hooking system
[attachment=0]2BCF9C84-52A4-42B8-8655-33A2B3AB2D4C.jpeg
[attachment=0]3E1F0730-AE31-4D18-9F76-FC802E2E6FE2.jpeg

[SimonCornes]

That’s lovely detail! Thank you

[Martin2556]

Found this, thought it may help.

[SimonCornes]

Perfect!! Thank you. I'm sure its very obvious in contemporary photos but, as I dont have my reference material, you have all helped considerably!
This is all good fun!!