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#1: Bastogne Barracks Author: Walter, Location: Arnhem

Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 6:50 pm
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I was in Bastogne Barracks and saw this Cromwell in the workshop
According to P-O it is not yey documented in the PDF lists
Does anyone has more info about this one ?

Walter

#2: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Massimo_Foti, Location: Lugano, Switzerland

Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 9:06 pm
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What's the current status over there, is the collection open to the public on a regular basis?

Massimo

#3: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Walter, Location: Arnhem

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 1:19 pm
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Open from Tuesday till Sunday
Guided tours only
departures 9 a.m - 10 a.m - 13 a.m and 14 a.m

#4: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Massimo_Foti, Location: Lugano, Switzerland

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 1:36 pm
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Better than nothing, it's just that guided tours aren't good for taking pictures...
Do they have enough space around vehicles? How about light conditions?

Massimo

#5: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Walter, Location: Arnhem

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 5:54 pm
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The space around the vehicles is reasonable
The light condition is not that good
It is one big Hall were your flash would disapear

#6: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Costas_TT,

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 6:46 pm
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There's something very fishy about the turret ring of that Cromwell... I think the tank is essentially a Charioteer backdated to a Cromwell.

Note the bolt groups on the turret rings in these pics:
farm3.staticflickr.com/2110/2219393229_c28d9186f2_o.jpg

1.bp.blogspot.com/_yRN...rMaybe.JPG

military-vehicle-photo...m/5419.jpg

#7: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: the_shadock, Location: Normandy, France

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 7:24 pm
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- Costas_TT

There's something very fishy about the turret ring of that Cromwell... I think the tank is essentially a Charioteer backdated to a Cromwell.

Note the bolt groups on the turret rings in these pics:
farm3.staticflickr.com/2110/2219393229_c28d9186f2_o.jpg

1.bp.blogspot.com/_yRN...rMaybe.JPG

military-vehicle-photo...m/5419.jpg

Hello,

you may be right, but a Charioteer should have a welded armor plate over the BESA hull machinegun mount. I can see on Walter photos that the hull do have the machinegun munt, and no armor plate, so I'm not sure it is a former Charioteer...

P-O

#8: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Costas_TT,

Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 9:14 pm
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Maybe it was removed and the BESA refitted as part of the backdating process. The other possible alternative, a conversion of a Cromwell ARV seems unlikely, given the different configuration of the plating covering the turret opening. It wouldn't have the ring with the bolts.

If it turns out to be indeed a Charioteer, I'll hazard a guess as to its origin and go with Finland (a bunch of Charioteers were sold off recently) as the most likely source.

#9: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: ajmac,

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:11 am
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It must have been a charioteer, they had a larger diameter turret ring and it looks like this was a budget conversion, I just hope the turret is a replica and they didn't wreck an original! On hmvf you can follow a charioteer to Cromwell conversion using an original Cromwell Turret ring and turret, this too had an original besa mount installed when the welded plug / plate was removed.

#10: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: the_shadock, Location: Normandy, France

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:04 pm
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Hello Alastair,

glad to see you on this forum !!

Pierre-Olivier

#11: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Costas_TT,

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:18 pm
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- ajmac

It must have been a charioteer, they had a larger diameter turret ring and it looks like this was a budget conversion, I just hope the turret is a replica and they didn't wreck an original! On hmvf you can follow a charioteer to Cromwell conversion using an original Cromwell Turret ring and turret, this too had an original besa mount installed when the welded plug / plate was removed.

So, there is a precedent for this. Thanks for confirming.

#12: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: Massimo_Foti, Location: Lugano, Switzerland

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:45 am
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Renault UE in Bastogne:
www.flickr.com/photos/...467793178/

Massimo

#13: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: the_shadock, Location: Normandy, France

Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:03 pm
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this should answer the question :

"About 18 months ago, a Cromwell (Charioteer converted back) weekended outside my workshop, it was being transported to a museum at Bastogne if I recollect. Came from Norfolk way."

Richard Farrant, F.V. Restorations & Repairs - Specialising in Military Vehicles

P-O

#14: Re: Bastogne Barracks Author: the_shadock, Location: Normandy, France

Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:53 pm
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two new Sherman tanks at Bastogne barracks, they were previously at Vissenaken :

P-O

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