What`s goes under here please

[The Smythe Meister]

Hi Chaps,
This is a bit of a long shot!
I`m in the Process of building a M551,on the front panel of the upper hull there is an additional panel and this has a rectangular cut out,with a piece of clear plastic provided to place in there.What i can`t find out is what was actually under that "Window"?! It just sits on top of the main upper deck on the kit.
The piece in question.......

Where it sits on the main upper bit......

And the overall look......

I`m guessing it`s some kind of inspection cover?.... I won`t be scratching whatever should be underneath it,but would like to either paint it a little to suggest stuff is there,or,just black to represent a void,just leaving it O.D. seems a bit pointless to me?!
ANY thoughts would be really appreciated,it`s been bugging me for nearly a week!!
Cheers for now,
Andy

 

[Jakko]

That plate with the window is the trim vane, for when the M551 is to swim across rivers and things. The plate is raised to a bit beyond the vertical and a flotation skirt is raised from its stowed position around the hull top — those rounded edges around the whole hull are rubber covers for the skirt. The window is there so that the driver can still see something from his position, because it’s pretty much impossible to drive an M551 while standing in the hatch.



Or to answer the actual question: what’s under the window is simply the glacis armour

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Well firstly Sir....
... I apologise for this short reply....
.... I'm already in the Pub, awaiting the England match !
Obviously on my thinking we're going to have our two best players nobbled !!.. and then we fail spectacularly as usual!!
BUT,I do want to say a MAHOOSIVE "THANK YOU" to Jakko....(I do admit that I was already hoping you'd spot this!!)
Very cool thanks guys!!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Well you probably need more beer by now then Andy!

 

[Mark1]

What Jakko doesn't know about tanks is about the same as what I do know about quantum physics

 

[Jakko]

Thanks, but it’s not that bad, I assure you

 

[rtfoe]

Jakko beat me to it. Just remember to pain the rounded rubber sides black or you can heavily chip it as the base color has difficulty sticking to the rubber. I don't know too much about tanks just that I have reference on the M115.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[The Smythe Meister]

WOW!!...... My head hurts......What an unexpected night that was!!
Anyway,.......
Jakko,thanks once again for that...... and a superbly clear description too ,
Tim.... I took your advice there...... a few too many times actually!!
Ha!! I know what you mean there Mark! BTW..... What IS the density of a worm hole`s inner sanctum ?!!
Richard,Thanks for that extra bit of info re the rubber on the sides..... VERY useful ,
Thanks again all..... I can now progress my build,
Andy

 

[Jakko]

Jakko,thanks once again for that...... and a superbly clear description too ,

Not a problem. The main reason I know this in detail is because I happen to own a copy of:—

]

which is well worth the (second-hand) price if postwar American tanks are your thing