Tank features

The_Chieftain: It is also useful for holding things that the driver wants held, instead of letting them roll all the way to the ground so the driver has to dismount the tank and get his feet muddy to pick it up again. This includes, also, crewmen.   You'll see it on other vehicles as well as a field mod, such as on an M60. But, yes, as others have said, it's primarily a splashboard.