As far as I can tell, almost every nation in the 2nd World War fielded at least some kind of open topped vehicle, from tank destroyers to self propelled guns.
How did these vehicles deal with the harsh weather conditions across the varied fronts they were deployed in? Were the crews provided with tarps to shield the interior during a rainstorm? If so, would these be kept on during combat? How did they fare in winter fronts where the interior and crew would be exposed to the freezing air?
Finally, do we know if these vehicles required more maintenance then their fully enclosed counterparts due to the exposure of certain equipment?
Thanks in advance!
While I'm not able to guarantee it applies to each and every open toped vehicle used in WW2, all of the open topped vehicles I can think of were issued a canvas cover to keep the elements out of the fighting compartment.
For example, here are some photos of common open topped vehicles with their covers on:
As for cold - crew would wear winter uniforms with gloves and warm jackets. Just like the infantry they fought alongside, they might be a bit cold; but warm gear would certainly help mitigate the worst of the winter cold.
