Let's face it, inside a tank there really isn't that much room. Between all that machinery, ammunition, crewmen, and fuel is almost no space whatsoever. Unfortunately, in order to maintain as versatile and as easy to maintain as possible, a large amount of "stuff" (spare roadwheels, spare tracks , and special equipment) must be carried. If not inside the tank, where could one store all this equipment?

The answer seemed fairly obvious to many of the tank engineers and commanders. The equipment was strapped and jerry-rigged onto any flat surface of the tank's exterior that the crewmen could access. A favorite place was on top of the mudguard - the piece of metal that protects the top of the tank's treads. Other external storage favorites included the sides of the turret and the front of the tank.

As the war progressed, such was the importance of external storage that metal storage boxes and cases were welded to the outside of many German tanks at the factory in anticipation of their use for external storage.

HOW TO FIND EXTERNAL STORAGE

Look for equipment on the outside of the tank. The crewmen of WWII were pretty creative about where they put all of that stuff, so you should be able to find external storage areas just about anywhere on the tank. Metal boxes and storage cases can also be found on several types of German tanks.