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vagabond

Hi All,

On a recent visit to the Tampa, FL area, we stumbled across this gem of a museum. We saw a flyer for it while visiting another area attraction.

What a terrific museum! They have a great collection of restored and running AFVs including:
M5A1 Stuart
DUKW
M4A3 Sherman
M3A1 Scout Car
M24 Chaffee
M16 GMC
Abbot SPH
Ferret
M47 Patton
M4 High-Speed Tractor towing an M1 8” Howitzer complete with limber
M59
M41 Walker Bulldog
M8 Greyhound
M103 Turret
M60 Gunnery Trainer

The Museum collection has many interesting artifacts including a case of items from Leonard T. "Max" Schroeder Jr - the first US soldier ashore on D-Day.
A few of the other exhibits include:
Chairs used by Yamamoto, German General Maus’ uniforms and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, a functioning type 92 machine gun, some of the ship models used in “Tora, Tora, Tora” and plenty of other items.

We had the pleasure of being escorted through the museum by the resident historian, Frank Correa, who did a tremendous job of showcasing the exhibits and sharing his experiences and stories. The museum is highly deserving of a visit - if not a special trip from wherever one lives.

www.vgbimages.com/AFV-...046_zMbkcz

M4A3 Sherman and M3A1 Scout Car

M24 Chaffee

M47 Patton

M59

Enjoy!
The VBs

bialy-r

FT-17 Replica

www.vgbimages.com/AFV-...53_RtMRS3x

panamadan · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 174

Anyone else notice the strange M4A3...
Dan

Pzkpfw-e · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jul 21, 2010 Posts: 1202

Looks like an M4A3E4 76mm gun.

en.valka.cz/viewtopic.php/t/83662

bialy-r

The MG turret on main turret.

panamadan · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 29, 2006 Posts: 174

It looks like there is a T23 turret on a small hatch hull and a tube in place of the 76mm and a cupola from a M48.
Dan

vagabond

I was told that the M4 hull and turret are from different sources. The hull was used as a tractor by a farmer. The turret came from somewhere else.

Neil_Baumgardner

Thanks for posting this - its new to me!

Neil

the_shadock

the bow MG ball mount and driver's + gunner hatches seem to have been refabricated and look a bit odd too.

P-O

Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Folks!

That odd ball Sherman in the first photo showed up here a couple of years ago when it was for sale. It was owned by a private owner who had put it together and did it his way using what ever parts he could find and used what he liked.

You know what is odd? I have a very old Revell Sherman tank model kit with a cuplo from a Monogram M48A2 Patton tank. THAT GUY STOLE MY IDEA! No, wait a minute, mine also has the 90mm gun barrel from the M48A2. I guess he only stole the top half of my ideas. If the IDF could mount a 105 in a Sherman, why couldn't I mount a 90 in mine?

Sgt, Scouts Out!

L.Delsing · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 960

Hi Vagabond,
off topic but the MiG-21PFM is interesting as it is a ''nuclear wired'' PFM for the Polish air force.

I quote Paul from scramble.nl;
Of the MiG-21PFMs delivered to Poland, aircraft up to batch 71 were type 94A, those in batches 78 and 79 (12 aircraft) were type 94N. The were divided between the three regiments in the 4.DLM (2.PLM at Goleniow, 9.PLM at Debzno, 41.PLM at Malbork) which is odd as I think these regiments were fighter escort units for the mud-movers of 2.DLM-B and 3.DLMB. Also the Czech Air Force received a number of these nuclear wired aircraft.