Sherman tank: pistol port locking mechanism - photos wanted

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jakko Westerbeke

They did paint the interior, for exactly that reason. That’s why they cut all the parts off: to make sure they could get paint everywhere on the actual turret wall. I still consider it unnecessary destruction of things that survived for eighty years, though.

Good to hear they painted the interior and indeed sad they destructed it to do so

[Patrick Johnson]

Thanks to all for answering my inquiry, and to Tim for finding the clearest photos of this handle and locking mechanism I've ever seen. Thank you! I can only hope that this is the interior of your 17pdr, which would tell me it's in great shape.
Cheers, Patrick

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

sad they destructed it to do so

Here’s the other side of the turret as it was back then:

IMG_7386.jpeg

And five months later:

IMG_7921.jpeg

(I took this photo to show the thinner sections of armour on the right front, but it shows the paint well, too.)