Just a selection of the photos from my trip down to Bovington with Lincolnshire Tom. Lots of stuff built in that fair county to swell the heart of a Yellowbelly like Tom. It’s fair to say we had a full day!
We didn’t get a proper chance to explore it fully. There were a few sections we glossed over. The museum now has lots of exhibits based on interviews with veterans. We didn’t do this justice. A return trip is in order.
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| Google has messed up the order of the pictures. The information board is below. Captured T34/76 on loan from the Sotamuseo, Helsinki. |
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| Munitions have gone full circle it seems. Smoothbores and canister. |
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| Back of the 251 (below) |
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| Italian tankette next to a Sdkfz 251 (itself not a large vehicle). Apologies to river counters if I got the number of the half-track wrong). |
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| Inter-War tankette. |
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| Stug III. Deadly little bugger. |
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| Not sure what this soft toy is for |
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| ‘Cute’little Italian tankette. I say cute but that flamethrower isn’t very friendly |
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| These cutaways are very enlightening, showing both the cramped conditions and thickness of armour. There’s a couple of WWI AFVs that you can climb in. Impossible conditions! |
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| Anyone remember or have this? |
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| This is a big beast. The Jagdtiger, not him. Only 85 built. |
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| The real thing (this should be with the Action Man picture). Old School Tony’s Uncle Alf (a former trooper in the 17/21 Lancers) will tell you, this is not a tank, it’s an armoured reconnaissance vehicle. |
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| Insides of a Buffalo |
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| Ooooh! |
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| I was a lucky little boy and got this the Christmas it came out. |
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| This should be with the T34 picture. I don’t remember seeing this at the Sotamuseo in Helsinki when I went about 19 years ago. |
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| Early Centurian. Very successful development. |
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| Der König! |
Post Script: JBM’s ‘lidl tenk’
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| Was this the Hetzer of Herr Leutnant J. Brümann fame? It is small at just over 7feet high. |
You used to be able to climb into the cutaway panzer 3; got trapped in there when a load of kids got in after me.
ReplyDeleteThere is very little room to manouvre without damaging yourself on something sharp and metallic sticking out. You cannot see much through the vision blocks either so can appreciate why commanders stuck their heads out of the hatch!
Neil
Even sat out the top I wouldn’t want that gun going off next to me.
DeleteI’m not the ‘broadest’ person but I would struggle. I looke through the slits in the WWI tank and it’s hopeless.
I went there 5-10 years ago with a friend and we had a great day out, but as with you, were unable to take it all in in one day. Also they open the 'storage shed' for an hour or so, which we were unaware of. Seeing your pics a trip there again beckons as some of the exhibits have changed.
ReplyDeleteWe also went there in the '70's and there used to be a Sherman parked outside that you could climb in and out of. My parents still have the photos somewhere. I doubt I could get in it now with my bad back and being nearly 6' tall! The WWI tank was bad enough.
Apparently it was refurbished a few years ago. My last trip to the museum was in the late noughties and it was different I’m sure.
DeleteI think there’s a saucy drawing in the Pz3 too…
ReplyDeleteOoh I missed that!
DeleteWhat struck me about the WW1 tank is the noise and fumes you would be exposed to before any "spalling" from people shooting at you! It's hard to know if the carbon monoxide would get you before the enemy!
ReplyDeleteI was always struck by how cramped the Italian CV33 tankette is; you would have to be small just to get in!
Neil
Walking through it, bent over trying to avoid putting my hand down, realising how difficult it must have been of it was moving and under fire. It’s impossible.
DeleteThis is a wonderful outing. Maybe one day, I can visit?
ReplyDeleteHopefully Jon. Hopefully.
DeleteHello there nundanket,
ReplyDeleteI used to have a copy of Tank Battle although the UK release had both sides using Panthers. There was a version that had Shermans and Panthers. As a source of useful bits and pieces it was pretty good!
All the best,
DC
Excellent David. Was it a good game? Any useful mechanics?
DeleteHad a behind the scenes visit with my eldest lad who was in the QRH at the time and posted to Bovington (2011 I think). Had a sit in a Jagpanzer Hetzer which was very very cramped (never subsequently saw it on display in later years so I don’t know if it belonged to them). That said it was not as cramped as my lads driving position in a Challenger 2, he drove the damned thing half lying down from what I could see.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Hetzer. Got a picture of it but I didn’t post it. They are quite small. I think the reclining position for the driver is common to most MBTs now (since the Chieften) to allow the Hull to have a low profile. That would just add to the sense of claustrophobia for me.
DeleteBack in the 90s I visited Bovington camp in a work related capacity and we got given a ride around the driving range in the back of an open topped APC. It was cramped but it was noisy and dusty.
A splendid day out! I enjoyed the pictures especially the tankettes.
ReplyDeleteI always liked the ‘funnies’ like those and the Universal Carriers.
DeleteI like all the interwar tiny tanks,haven't made it down to Bovington,really should some time,nice T34 too!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain