Here are a few pics I found rummaging through an old hard drive. I took them at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 2008. Just a few vehicles they had off to the side by the armor museum they were restoring. Somewhere I have pics of the rest of the vehicles.

In no particular order.

Why do a few have nice paint and holes in them?

The holes were real from shots they took in WWII; they restored them and left the holes, adding some silver paint to make them stand out.

I visited there in 2003. A few tanks were restored. Mostwere falling apart in the field. I am so glad the Army is taking the time to restore them and move them to Fort Lee, VA. I have not been there, but I hope the museum is more accessible to those without CAC cards.

thanks for sharing.

I remember as a kid my parents taking me to the Navy Yard in DC. Back then they had some tanks you could climb into. As it kid it was one of the coolest things we could do.

I also remember in a museum they had old anti-aircraft guns. The type with the open seats. There was one or two you could sit on and move turrets.

quote:

Originally posted by IrishWind:
I visited there in 2003. A few tanks were restored. Mostwere falling apart in the field. I am so glad the Army is taking the time to restore them and move them to Fort Lee, VA. I have not been there, but I hope the museum is more accessible to those without CAC cards.

Have you been to the AAF Tank Museum in Danville, VA?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/...s/72157631991057902/

flashguy

Very cool. The tank in the first couple photos is a rare one.

Known as the M6, it was a US heavy tank produced during WW2. However, the design had some serious flaws, and it was already deemed to be obsolete before production even really got into full swing. So the M6 was cancelled after only 40 were produced in late 1942/early 1943, and they never saw any combat or even any overseas use.

The one you photographed at Aberdeen is the only one left in existence. The other 39 were all scrapped.

I remember going there in the '70s with my father. Thanks for the memories.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Very cool. The tank in the first couple photos is a rare one.

Known as the M6, it was a US heavy tank produced during WW2. However, the design had some serious flaws, and it was already deemed to be obsolete before production even really got into full swing. So the M6 was cancelled after only 40 were produced in late 1942/early 1943, and they never saw any combat or even any overseas use.

The one you photographed at Aberdeen is the only one left in existence. The other 39 were all scrapped.

Excellent! I was wondering if anyone wound guess that one. As a tank guy myself I like the old ones. I figured it would be you .

Those double sprockets are monsters! That tank was kinda a shit sandwich.

I have not been to Lee yet but I was at APG as they moved the collection. Sucked driving into work and seeing more and more vehicles gone from the pads. One weekend two friends of mine got to meet William Atwater. He gave them a tour of the basement collection of small arms they had. From all accounts it was amazing! My dumb ass was off chasing tail in White Marsh.

Can anyone identify this tank (extra credit; PS it's not "a 60" as all the kids keep saying; it does have a rifled 120)






Or for extra EXTRA credit identify these vehicles (LOL) NOT photoshopped!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mbinky,

MBINKY: M103 Heavy tank.

FLASHGUY: I have not been to Danville. The pics you posted looked interesting. There is a new one between Quantico and Manassas. Their hours are screwy, but I am interested in seeing it someday.

quote:

Originally posted by IrishWind:
MBINKY: M103 Heavy tank.

FLASHGUY: I have not been to Danville. The pics you posted looked interesting. There is a new one between Quantico and Manassas. Their hours are screwy, but I am interested in seeing it someday.

Well, I'm not officially a "Tank Aficionado" but I always enjoy looking at big guns. In 2005 I did an 85-day 11,750-mile auto trip over a lot of eastern North America and was kind of "winding down" when traveling down the eastern seaboard before heading west back to Dallas. I wasn't in any real hurry, just lazing along, with a few friends yet to see before making it home. On the Interstate I saw a sign flash by that advertised a Tank Museum at the next exit, so I said to myself "Why not" and did it. I had a great time there. (Fortunately, it was one of the times it was open.) In 2014 I visited a site in Bellefontaine, Ohio and was told that the AAF Tank Museum was planning to move to nearby West Liberty, Ohio. I was kind of excited about that, because it would have meant there would be several military/aviation sights to see in the area. However, I later learned that the proposed move did not happen--presumably the museum is still in Danville, Virginia.

flashguy

Nice pictures!

quote:

Originally posted by IrishWind:
MBINKY: M103 Heavy tank.

FLASHGUY: I have not been to Danville. The pics you posted looked interesting. There is a new one between Quantico and Manassas. Their hours are screwy, but I am interested in seeing it someday.

M103 is alive and well in World of Tanks. Case of instant recognition.

Danville is excellent and worth the trip - been there twice. I got to Aberdeen (late 1970's) once and got to tour Jacques Littlefield's gem in Portola Valley and meet the man. It was a real shame his MVTF collection got sold and mostly broken up when he passed.

I'm hoping the new home for the Aberdeen collection in Fort Lee opens soon.

If anyone is interested, there is an on-line database of museum tanks, with locations and some pictures. http://preservedtanks.com/Default.aspx

Nice pictures! Is the little one a Renault R35? The Elefant is also pretty rare.

quote:

Originally posted by sigamt:
Is the little one a Renault R35?

Yep.

Found a few from my 2003 trip

If I had my Jeep then, attaching the 88 to my trailer hitch would be tempting.

Tanks are where you find them. This one is at a little roadside monument at Lakin, Kansas.

DSC_2074.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_2077.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_2079.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

And this one is in McAuliffe Square in Bastogne, Belgium:

07-007-Bastogne McAuliffe Square by David Casteel, on Flickr

And these near Arromanches, France:

DSC_0382-2.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_0445-2.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

DSC_0383-2.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

Just a few seen outside museums devoted to Armor.

flashguy

Those are great! Thanks!

Thanks for the photos! I was stationed at APG, Edgewood Area in the early 1980's and spent my lunch hour visiting the heavy metal. It was really somthing to see all of these unrestored. You could climb all over them, look inside etc.

The place looks the same as 1994 when I was there.

I was there several times in the late 80s and early 90's as a kid. Definitely a cool place to check out if you're in the area.