Sherman "Split hatch" turret cupolas (2-pieces hatch)

   

Here are shown two types of early "split hatch" turret cupolas. These cupolas are usually found on "Low bustle" 75mm turrets. Note that the hinges are identical on these two types of cupolas. The cupola on the left side doesn't have hatch locks, while the one on the right side is equipped with this system. The positive hatch locks & counterbalancing springs were introduced around Spring, 1943. These were to be installed at the factory, & depots were mandated to install them on tanks they processed.




"Turret hatch D69993 with equilabrator", equipped with integral springs on the hinges. They appear to have entered the production lines in November 1943, on low bustle turrets. They equipped then the high bustle 75mm turrets (photo courtesy of Chris Hughes).


   

A fourth and fifth type of "split hatch" cupolas. These ones do have hatch locks, and the hinges are different from the three cupolas shown above.

The cupola on the left side is sometimes called the "problem hatches" cupola. Some period documents mention that the loader's hatches on the first M4A1(76)s did not open up much past vertical. This interfered with the operation of the Anti Aircraft machine-gun, so the hatches and hinges were modified (as seen on the right-side cupola)  and a field correction was ordered. Apparently, the field modification was not done on every "problem hatch" cupola.

These kind of cupolas are usually found on T23 (76mm) turrets with a loader's cupola instead of a loader's hatch (a.k.a. D82081 turrets).


Sherman Vision cupolas (1-piece hatch)

    

Here are shown two types of "vision" turret cupolas. The cupola on the left side doesn't have hatch locks, while the one on the right side is equipped with this system. These cupolas are usually found on T23 (76mm) turrets and 105mm turrets, they can also be found on some remanufactured tanks with 75mm turrets.


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