▁some ▁problems . ▁The ▁hot ▁ro cket ▁exhaust ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁vent ed ▁into ▁the ▁fighting ▁compart ment ▁nor ▁could ▁the ▁bar rel ▁with stand ▁the ▁pressure ▁if ▁the ▁g ass es ▁were ▁not ▁vent ed . ▁Therefore , ▁a ▁ring ▁of ▁vent ilation ▁sh aft s ▁was ▁put ▁around ▁the ▁bar rel ▁which ▁ch anne led ▁the ▁exhaust ▁and ▁gave ▁the ▁weapon ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁pe pper box ▁appearance . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁bulk iness ▁of ▁the ▁am mun ition , ▁only ▁four teen ▁r ounds ▁could ▁be ▁carried ▁internally , ▁of ▁which ▁one ▁was ▁already ▁loaded , ▁with ▁another ▁in ▁the ▁loading ▁t ray . ▁The ▁rest ▁were ▁carried ▁in ▁two ▁storage ▁ra cks . ▁To ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁loading ▁of ▁am mun ition ▁into ▁the ▁vehicle , ▁a ▁loading ▁c rane ▁was ▁fitted ▁at ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁super structure ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁loading ▁h atch . ▁Even ▁then , ▁the ▁entire ▁five - man ▁crew ▁had ▁to ▁help ▁with ▁the ▁loading . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁intended ▁that ▁each ▁St ur mt iger ▁would ▁be ▁accompanied ▁by ▁an ▁am mun ition ▁car rier ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁T iger ▁I ▁ch ass is , ▁but ▁only ▁one ▁car rier ▁was ▁completed . ▁ ▁Loc ated ▁at ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁loading ▁h atch ▁was ▁a ▁N ah verte id ig ungs wa ffe ▁launch er ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁close ▁defence ▁against ▁inf antry ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁a ▁front al ▁mounted ▁ 7 . 9 2   mm ▁M