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Got a decent number of good pics despite the weather on Saturday. Also had a good time being a member of Bob's tour.

First off, here's the recently arrived M4A1(76) Sherman. I know Jeff has been interested in this Sherman.





This Sherman has markings from three different units - French army, 14th ACR and 11th ACR.

The French markings could well be the oldest and possibly date to WWII. As typical with Free French Shermans, this one is named. Its very hard to make out, but it appears to match up with a Free French Sherman named "Niederbronn." There was a Sherman by that name in the 4e squadron of the 1er Cuirassiers. Unfortunately, I cant find any other info to confirm if that Sherman was indeed an M4A1(76). The French often re-painted Shermans after the war in the colors of a notable wartime Sherman, so this may or may not be an original. It could have well been a French army tank monument at one time...



The turret sides have the insignia of the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment on them.





As you can also see, there are names underneath the 14th ACR insignia, but I cant quite make them out...



The Sherman also has 2/11 ACR on its fenders, I assume this was the last owners. Did the 11th ACR take over from the 14th in Germany?

Here's the Ordnance Museum's new M60A2 that just appeared.





The museum's Czech LT-35 has just come out of the refurb facility:





I am interested to see that the LT-35 has what appear to be bullet marks on the front hull - considering it was captured at the Hillersleiben proving ground (like many other items) in 1945. Maybe GIs shot at it to make sure it wasnt operational as the area was being seized?



The Somua S-35 also apparently about to go through the restoration facility, along with the Vickers Mk VIB light tank. The hatch to the S-35 was open, so I took the liberty of taking a few pics

BTW, the S-35 was also captured at Hillerslieben.



Engine



Gun Breech & Turret interior



Ammo Rack



The Mk VIB was mostly wrapped up, but has been stripped in prep for repainting.



Thats enough for now. More to come though. The museum's Matilda also had a hatch open, so I got a few interior pics. Also took some better pics in the museum warehouse of the Christie tank, T1E2 Cunningham light tank, M1920 75mm GMC (just came through refurb), etc.

Neil

Neil,
Yes, the 14th reflagged as the 2/11th ACR not long after their stand-down from Vietnam (that would be not long after Roy and I left it)...the markings make perfect sense.

Any idea where the M60A2 came from? Any numbers? (any trace of "test operation" to be found on sponsons or front glacis?...or "TEC-EBD" on lower glacis as "bumper markings")

Doug

Neil,
Damn straight I'm interested in that Sherman. I've done what I can though. I notified Neil Morrison, the museum director, (he's the man showing Doug the exhibits in the 11th ACR museum pictures I posted from Dougs visit here) and he's got the ball now. He told me he will have the post and 11th ACR commanders request the tank be sen to the NTC for display. That Shermans tread looks remarkably clean and free of rust. Was it replaced or refurbished somehow? I'll forward these pictures to Neil tomorrow.

Thanks. Curious about the names though...


Actually, I think it came from "behind the fence." The front hull has "demil," "sold" and "museum" written on it, as well as "S/N 136785." "Identified for Turnin" is also painted on repeatedly.

"Auto [?]ost" appears to be written on the lower right and left hull, maybe with arrows pointing towards the idler?

Here's a front pic.



Neil

Neil...
That is a great question that should be posed to the guys at www.eaglehorse.org Try Bob Stephanowisc (sp?) who's listed...post in the guestbook and a link to your pic. Somebody might well recognize the names from an old roster or they may well have pics in their extensive gallery there (which you can view, they have useful labels in most cases)

I think you'll find a number of names overlaying each other. Typically these gate guards are repainted with the names of the crew that won the annual or most recent gunnery competition or overall "tankmanship" type award.

KL

Neil,
Those four mounting points on the front glacis are interesting...I wonder what's up with that? Never seen anything like that on these before.

Ladder mounts which would make that vehicle an M60A1E1?

I dunno...the ladders looked like they were mounted right up against the left-side headlight guard. These are more centered?

Edit: It's also based on an M60A1 hull, so that would make it an M60A1E2 if it were one of the prototypes.

Agreed...the only ladder mounts I've seen were offset to the loader's side...and in very few pics at that...always of an early development version.
I haven't seen a pic of one center-mounted...which is why I asked.

Yeah, I looked at that too.

However, I'd note that the turret is an M60A2 model rather than a developmental model.

Neil

Yep, I'd already noticed and commented on that. This is either a full-on M60A2 or a vehicle cobbled together from gen-u-ine A2 bits (for what reason I really can't imagine). I've never seen any pic of an A2 that had a ladder mount on the glacis, or anything else for that matter. It looks too elaborate and heavy-duty to have been a plaque mount on a display tank.

Any kind of plows or blades ever been stuck on one of these?

As promised, some interior pics of the museum's Matilda.







Of course the Ordnance Museum's Matilda has a fairly interesting history. It was lost to the Germans in a battle at Sidi Rezag-Halfaya Pass in November 1941. It was re-marked by the Germans and used as a pill box at the same pass until recaptured by the British after the battle of El Alemein in October 1942. It was then sent to the US as part of reverse Lend-Lease scrap shipments in 1943 and diverted by COL Jarrett to the museum in 1944.

Now some pics from inside the museum warehouse. Sorry Don, the Ontos is gone. I assume its back at Quantico now - the new National Museum of the US Marine Corps is set to open on November 10th.

The long-missing M1920 75mm gun motor carriage has re-appeared in the warehouse after having gone through the refurb facility:





Some more pics of the T3 Christie Tornado:



The Christie's engine:



The T1E2 Cunningham light tank



The M1922E Mk X 4.7" Gun Motor Carriage (bad lighting)



Neil

BTW, the Christie's Liberty V-12 engine looks to be in relatively good condition (at least the front of it does). If there's one thing at the Ordnance Museum I'd like to see running it would probably be the Christie - if just because it could move! Supposedly up to 70mph on wheels?!

Neil

Folks, I want to sing Neils praises. I was there when he took the Matilda pics. I couldn't see as much detail by looking in the hatch as Neil has in the pictures! And those pictures were made with a handheld 'ctick the camera in the hatch' method. And the warehouse doesn't seem to be lit anywhere near as well as Neil makes it appear.

Neil Thanks for all the photo's I know I like them and I can see the subjects on a regular basis. For the folks who can't get to Aberdeen the pictures are the next best thing. Of course you don't get the inciteful commentary that you get on my guided tours So there is still a reason to make the trip.