Pretty cool if you're a tank geek, and I am.

Tour a small portion of The Tank Museum at Bovington U.K. courtesy of google streetview at this link.

It took me a minute to figure out how to do this so let me explain. I clicked on the red pin for the museum opening the description and such on the left side of the screen. Then you just drag and dump the little yellow stickman onto the museum. You can get a pretty fair look at, 26 tanks, I believe it is.

There are some little circles on the building and if you drop on those you will find yourself in a fixed position 360 view. Drop in a space with NO markings within the building and you can move along wherever they walked just like streets they have driven on.

Pretty cool thanks!

Sofilein is a young woman who has a fascination with tracked vehicles and has done quite a few videos with the curators of the National Armor & Cavalry Collection museum. Check 'em out:

https://www.youtube.com/@Sofilein/videos

Wow! That is a huge collection of photos.

Curious about something. One older model tank had a bundle of sticks secured on top. What was this for? To conceal the tank? To be rolled in front for additional traction in mud?

Should have gone there when I visited the UK, it's going to be on the list when we go back...

There is the AAF Tank Museum in Danville, Virginia, USA. It's a pretty interesting place, too. Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/...s/72157631991057902/

flashguy

Thank you both - cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by markand:
Wow! That is a huge collection of photos.

Curious about something. One older model tank had a bundle of sticks secured on top. What was this for? To conceal the tank? To be rolled in front for additional traction in mud?

If it's what I think it is, yes. They roll them into an anti tank ditch and it gives you just enough support in the ditch to cross without getting stuck. At least that was the idea.

If you are ever in the western suburbs of Chicago (Wheaton) and love tanks, there is a nice display of several at Cantigny along with the 1st Infantry Division Museum. The tanks are outdoors and span the M1917 Light Tank to an M1 Abrams. People (read: kids) are free to climb on them. The indoor museum has an awesome full size diorama of trenches and war scenes. It is very well done. A must see for any military buff.

https://www.fdmuseum.org/exhibits/c/tank-park/

quote:

Originally posted by 83v45magna:

quote:

Originally posted by markand:
Wow! That is a huge collection of photos.

Curious about something. One older model tank had a bundle of sticks secured on top. What was this for? To conceal the tank? To be rolled in front for additional traction in mud?

If it's what I think it is, yes. They roll them into an anti tank ditch and it gives you just enough support in the ditch to cross without getting stuck. At least that was the idea.

They were called "fascines" and were carried by tanks that were part of "Hobart's funnies":


flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by markand:
Wow! That is a huge collection of photos.

Curious about something. One older model tank had a bundle of sticks secured on top. What was this for? To conceal the tank? To be rolled in front for additional traction in mud?

It's a called a fascine and is used to fill ditches and drive over them. One of the many 'Funnies' dreamt up by a guy called Hobart to get to, over and behind all the fortifications on the D-Day beaches for the Canadian and British troops.

There WAS also a 'carpet-layer' - it had a roll of flexible matting on the projecting framework sticking out of the front of the tank - usually a Churchill or Sherman.

quote:

Originally posted by tacfoley:

quote:

Originally posted by markand:
Wow! That is a huge collection of photos.

Curious about something. One older model tank had a bundle of sticks secured on top. What was this for? To conceal the tank? To be rolled in front for additional traction in mud?

It's a called a fascine and is used to fill ditches and drive over them. One of the many 'Funnies' dreamt up by a guy called Hobart to get to, over and behind all the fortifications on the D-Day beaches for the Canadian and British troops.

There WAS also a 'carpet-layer' - it had a roll of flexible matting on the projecting framework sticking out of the front of the tank - usually a Churchill or Sherman.

Dont' forget the floating tanks and the mine clearing tanks.

flashguy