{"id":6781,"date":"2017-08-09T06:57:41","date_gmt":"2017-08-09T06:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=6781"},"modified":"2017-08-09T06:57:41","modified_gmt":"2017-08-09T06:57:41","slug":"a-visit-to-bovington-tank-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=6781","title":{"rendered":"A visit to Bovington Tank Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The entrance to the main hall of the Bovington Tank Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For me, a highlight of our family vacation in England was a visit to the tank museum in Bovington. \u00a0Somewhat off the beaten path Bovington is the armor (armour) school for the British Army and the site of the largest collection of tanks I’ve ever seen — and most of them have been repaired to working order. \u00a0We modified our agenda to make sure we were in Bovington on a weekday when they perform a tanks-in-action demonstration.<\/p>\n

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A model of DaVinci's tank in the queue to get into the exhibits<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The museum is actually a series of buildings, but we only had time for the main building. \u00a0We did not go over to the conservation building where they repair tanks to working order.<\/p>\n

The displays begin with a depiction of life in the trenches in WWI. \u00a0This helps motivate the need for the tank to help break the stalemate in the trenches. \u00a0This section of the museum then depicts the development and evolution of early tanks into the early 1930s. \u00a0There were several WWI tanks that you could walk into or where sections of armor were replaced by plexiglass windows to enable you to look inside.<\/p>\n

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Sam and Tom coming out of a trench<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A British Mark IV or Mark V tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This hall was very dark, so many of the pictures are a bit blurry.<\/p>\n

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An early tank with a cutout to allow people to look inside. They said that this tank is in running order. Many of the tanks had oil drip pans under them -- an indication of which were still able to run.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom and me in the Royal Tank Corps -- and my patient wife wondering how long she was going to have to pretend she was interested in tanks before we could leave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After viewing the WWI section, we went outside for the Tanks-in-Action demonstration. \u00a0They drove four armored vehicles around a track, which included a hill. \u00a0Each stopped in front of the audience so that the narrator could provide interesting information about each vehicle. \u00a0The Tanks-in-Action demonstration naturally focused on British vehicles. \u00a0The same type of demonstration in the US that focused on US vehicles would likely be criticized as jingoistic, because only in the US is it insensitive to highlight our accomplishments.<\/p>\n

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A Cold War era Ferret armored car. This was very fast and incredibly quiet. I had seen Scorpions and Scimitars before and even had a chance to climb around inside one with the crew, but I had never seen a Ferret before.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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An FV-234 armored personnel carrier. This vehicle is strikingly similar in design to the US M-113. The FV-234 is still in service.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Chieftain main battle tank. This Cold War era vehicle never fired a shot in anger and is no longer in active service.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After showing these three vehicles, they set up a mock battle involving these three fighting insurgents from Ruritania equipped with a Saladin reconnaissance vehicle. \u00a0The Ferret conducted reconnaissance to find the Ruritanaians and called in artillery, complete with pyrotechnic devices that were a crowd pleaser. \u00a0Then the Chieftain and FV-234 advanced. \u00a0Volunteers from the audience de-bussed the FV-234 and assaulted the Saladin, winning the day. \u00a0It is not considered insensitive in England for the British to root for themselves and to defeat the enemy.<\/p>\n

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The "Ruritanian" Saladin reconnaissance vehicle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the tanks-in-action demonstration (and some pasties and cider) we went back into the main building to look at the displays. \u00a0The hall depicting the evolution of the tank is breathtaking and includes a number of displays I have never seen in person, like the D-Day wading device on a Sherman tank.<\/p>\n

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A panoramic shot of the hall showing the evolution of tanks from WWI to nearly the present day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view of the history of the tank hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A French Char B tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each vehicle on display has a nice plaque next to it that describes the tank and also where this particular example of the tank came from. \u00a0Some of the vehicles had a very interesting story behind how they came to Bovigton.<\/p>\n

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German Pz II tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are over 300 tanks at Bovington. \u00a0It is mind boggling. \u00a0I couldn’t see everything and read everything if I had two full days there. \u00a0I MUST go back when I am not pulling the family along.<\/p>\n

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German Panther tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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British Crusader tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The US Army made many bad choices over the years regarding the extensive collection of armored vehicles on display at Aberdeen Proving Ground. \u00a0The collection is now scattered and no longer available to the public. \u00a0Even in its heyday the APG collection was open to the elements and deteriorating. \u00a0It was amazing to see such beautiful specimens at Bovington. \u00a0Some are claimed to be the only known example in the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Tom in front of a Pz III<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A Sherman Firefly along with obligatory derogatory comments about US tank design in WWII<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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German Tiger I in the "Tiger Hall," where they have one example of each Tiger variant except the Sturmtiger.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A US M-46 Patton tank. The M-46, 47, and 48 were all called "Patton"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sam in front of a cutaway view showing the interior of a tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This was a particularly interesting exhibit showing the interior of a tank. \u00a0The kids were very surprised at how cramped it is inside a tank.<\/p>\n

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The other half of the tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another view of the history-of-the-tank hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There were a number of simulators set up around the exhibit hall. \u00a0There were ones for rifles, a Bren gun, and even a PIAT. \u00a0Sadly the PIAT simulator was out of order, but in these next two pictures you see Sam and Tom firing a simulated Bren. \u00a0Neither of them “qualified.” \u00a0Both commented on how hard it is to aim the Bren with the site offset to the side because of the top-mounted magazine.<\/p>\n

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Sam firing a simulated Bren. If you look in the background of this picture you can begin to get a sense of scale for just how big the exhibit hall is.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tom firing the Bren simulator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are over 300 vehicles at Bovington. \u00a0This does not include all there other items on display like anti-tank weapons, comparisons of barrel lengths, tank crew equipment, etc. \u00a0While the story of the tank hall tells a story of the evolution of the tank, the largest hall is just filled with row after row of vehicles and other displays. \u00a0It is amazing!<\/p>\n

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A view of the largest exhibit hall that I hope provides a sense of the sheer size of the collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bovington was the only item on my must-see list for this trip to England. \u00a0I am very glad we went. \u00a0All the items on display are extremely well maintained. \u00a0Every vehicle has informative plaques. \u00a0Many still run. \u00a0Everything is under cover. \u00a0It is tremendous museum. \u00a0I need to try to talk a couple of my gaming buddies into coming here in June next year for Tank Days, when many of the vehicles are driven around and members of the public get a chance to get into some of the vehicles and drive them. \u00a0I have driven modern US armored vehicles, like the M-1 Abrams and M-2 Bradley, but I would love to drive one or two of the historic tanks.<\/p>\n

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A final view of the large exhibit hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite starting the day at a QuikFit to replace the tire on our rental car, a harrowing drive through goat paths led by our GPS and dodging a farm tractor, and a need to depart Bovington early enough to arrive in the Peak District before dark, I had a great time at Bovington and NEED to return for another visit.<\/p>\n