Need help with my Tamiya M1A2 OIF

I believe those plates are thermal identifiers for IFF purposes. But I believe they are really stickers to stick to the front of the turret.

Looking at the instructions online you use the styrene sheet provided in the kit to make the CIP panel.

Yep, use the diagram as a template to cut out these panels from the sheet of supplied plastic card. The dimensions are 16.5mm x 23mm.

In real life the CIPs (Combat Identification Panel) are attached to the turret front faces using Velcro strips. These are represented by the dark corners on the sample diagram.

Not stickers, the two flat panels are held on by Velcro tape at the four corners of the squares. They provide a cold spot on the turret so when a gunner looks at this tank through his thermal sights, he can quickly identify it as a friendly tank. The panel is coated with a thermal tape on one side. They are held on with Velcro so that the panel can be pulled off and turned around thus turning "off" the panel. In the photo below, the panel is in the "off" position.

nice, I never knew about flipping the panel. thanks!