M4 Vision Blocks

The majority of 1/35 kits have them molded in a closed position.

I've opened vision blocks in 1/35 with a small drill and jeweler's saw. You should be able to do the same in 1/16. I'd use clear rather than tinted, since all of the Sherman blocks I've seen are clear in spite of their thickness.

Ron

Ron,
yeah I was planning on the dremel, just was curious if I was going to far. Does it add a lot to the overall appearance?

ausf:

I've used it on the M4, M60's and am going to use it on the M88. A kit like the M551 and M48's with 'vision risers' really look good with clear blocks. It's a fussy little operation, but it does look nice. I think a real vision block is around four inches thick on the Sherman, about eight on the M48's 'riser'. I use clear acrylic sheet... you can get it from most glass supply places and it's optically clear even in 1/35 scale (I cut the blocks out with a jeweler's saw, then file them until they fit snug in the hole. You can white glue them in place.

Ron

Ron;
I have some acrylic sheet I use for framing, great idea, thanks. There's a Sherman with HVSS about 10 mins from my house but it's on a pedestal and I can't get close enough to the cuppola to see details (I'd climb up but the MPs at West Point don't have a lot of patience these days, which is of course understandable). They really are that thick? I know the German blocks were thick, but they were verrtical popped out, I figured the Sherman's were more 'window like'.
Thanks again

In 1/35 scale, Fine Molds makes clear periscopes for Sherman tanks (among others).