Damnation - quite a puzzle.
I take it there is a tripod socket in the front part - a long shot, as it doesn't look promising, but might it screw out?
There is a long tradition of hiding screw threads behind things - but the only thing I can see is the little chrome name plate.
Another thought would be a press fit between the two front bits, but that seems unlikely. Is there any wiggle between the two?
I can see your concern about the wind knob - it looks like it goes through the inner and outer sheet metal and nothing is going to happen without it being removed. The knob might connect to the drive shaft with a left-hand thread.