silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman) (04/13/91)
From: silber@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Ami A. Silberman) Having built a large number of tank models, I have some knowledge of what goes on the vehicle. Aside from integral parts such as headlights, searchlights, eyebolts (for lifting the turret out for repair) and whatever you call the thing that clamps arround the gun barrel and holds it steady for transportation, you can usually find: 1) Tool kits. These often include shovels, picks, lug wrenches etc. On some tanks (mostly older ones) you can see the shovel etc. 2) Cables. In WWII the Germans, especially, liked to have a couple of steel cables available for towing. 3) Small arms. Various nationalities have included a couple machine pistols or SMGs for the crew to use if bailed out, these are often held in brackets on the side of the turret. 4) Gun barrel brush. This is probably the mortar like thing (if it was long, and on the hull.) Used to clean out the gun barrel. 5) If what you were talking about was really short, they were probably smoke projectors of some kind. ami silberman