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Ft. Snelling Military Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

The Ft. Snelling Military Museum is a collection of armor, military vehicles, and related equipment, much of which is operational and in running condition. Staffed entirely by volunteers, this is a no-frills museum and the collection is mostly stored outdoors. Still, despite this, the museum does have a restoration facility and office and the collection is well worth a visit.

Located on the grounds of historic Fort Snelling (adjacent to the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport), the museum operates under the aegis of the U.S. Army’s 88th Regional Readiness Command. As such, the museum is on the property of an active military organization and security measures are in effect. Visitors will need photo ID and will have to submit to a vehicle security inspection at the gate by military police.

The museum is open to the public on a limited basis, and while admission is free, donations are cheerfully accepted (tax-deductible). Once through the gate, a short drive brings you to the parking area for the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum, and you’ll walk about 100 meters from there to the FSMM gate. You’re free to visit both museums and photography is unrestricted.

Since the museums are immediately adjacent to active runways of an international airport, noise abounds in abundance. If, like me, you’re an aviation fan, then this only adds to the ambiance of the occasion.

Surely the crown jewels of the collection are a pristine M4A2E8 Sherman and an M5A1 Stuart, both of which look and run like the day they came out of the factory. Perhaps better.

How often are you presented with the opportunity to stand in amazement as a twin-diesel M4A2 clanks somewhat quietly by? Or to photograph the like-new components of an M5A1 laid out on the restoration facility floor (controlled differential, final drives, removed front armor plate, etc.) while new brake bands are installed?

All of the volunteers I met were enthusiastic, courteous, and more than helpful. A wonderful visit of a fascinating collection during which I was unaware of the passage of time.

Contact information:

Ft. Snelling Military Museum
511 Constitution Avenue,
Ft. Snelling, MN 55111-4027
(612) 713-3291

Nick Goodwin, Director.
John Hutterer, President

Ft. Snelling Military Museum: www.fsmm.org
Be sure to download your free copy of “The Towbar� in pdf. format. Back issues of ‘The Towbar’ in hard copy form may be available by writing to the museum. If you do this, I’d guess your gesture of a donation would be much appreciated.

Minnesota Air National Guard Museum: www.mnangmuseum.org/

Not part of the museum, but located on the grounds of the U.S. Army Reserve, it was impossible to drive right by this without taking photos.










Also on the Army Reserve grounds, but inaccessible except by telephoto lens.


The museum's "Field PX", a mobile gift shop. (Note the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum in the background.)


Entrance to the gift shop. Picnic tables are under camouflage netting so you're safe from aerial observation.....)

nice pics thanks

Grat photos. Thanks! Any idea how old that semi trailer is? It might be as old as the Shermans.

Hi Bob...Great pics but...

No luv for the M-41?





D.

- Doug_Kibbey

Hi Bob...Great pics but...

No luv for the M-41?





D.

Douglas, me lad,

There are more photos on the way, just as soon as I tweak 'em with MS Office Picture Manager. I'm sort of presenting them in chronological order and the M-41 comes later. There are a number of shots of the FSMM's really nice W/B in the series.

In fact, there are so many shots coming that's you'll all beg to surrender.

But.......I take no prisoners.

- MarkHolloway

Grat photos. Thanks! Any idea how old that semi trailer is? It might be as old as the Shermans.

There are more trailer and equipment shots in the series to come, Mark, and some of 'em even have signs with specs on them.

- A-109E

In fact, there are so many shots coming that's you'll all beg to surrender.

But.......I take no prisoners.

...and we'll never surrender!

- MarkHolloway

Grat photos. Thanks! Any idea how old that semi trailer is? It might be as old as the Shermans.

Yeah,

that's about right, it's an M15A1, built from 1944, IIRC- usually pulled by the M26/M26A1 and later by the M123. I could be wrong, but I think the last of those trailers were retired sometime in the late 60s or so, somebody had a shot of one carrying a damaged AVLB in Viet Nam... Doug?

If they upgraded the A1 to an A2, then it could be one of those, but my memory is hazy, I think they didn't go further than M15A1 or if they did, the changes didn't amount to much.

Nice looking collection, now if they could get the plastic tank off the stowage board of the M4A3E8 and change the USA # from blue to white... <sigh>

Thanks for sharing, I'm looking forward to the rest (including the M41). And I'm officially green with envy.



Jens O.

- Jens_O_Mehner

- MarkHolloway

Grat photos. Thanks! Any idea how old that semi trailer is? It might be as old as the Shermans.

Yeah,

that's about right, it's an M15A1, built from 1944, IIRC- usually pulled by the M26/M26A1 and later by the M123. I could be wrong, but I think the last of those trailers were retired sometime in the late 60s or so, somebody had a shot of one carrying a damaged AVLB in Viet Nam... Doug?
Jens O.

Nope, not me...I have G29, a Sheridan on a lowboy trailer in Vietnam, but it isn't one of these. Nor one of Roy's I don't think, cuz' I've pretty much seen and got all his pics (unless he's holding out on me...).

- Doug_Kibbey

Nope, not me...I have G29, a Sheridan on a lowboy trailer in Vietnam, but it isn't one of these. Nor one of Roy's I don't think, cuz' I've pretty much seen and got all his pics (unless he's holding out on me...).

Methinks it was the gentleman whose dad was in the engineers and over in Viet Nam- if only I could remember his name. I've got the picture saved, but am not going to post it without his consent.

- Jens_O_Mehner

- Doug_Kibbey

Nope, not me...I have G29, a Sheridan on a lowboy trailer in Vietnam, but it isn't one of these. Nor one of Roy's I don't think, cuz' I've pretty much seen and got all his pics (unless he's holding out on me...).

Methinks it was the gentleman whose dad was in the engineers and over in Viet Nam- if only I could remember his name. I've got the picture saved, but am not going to post it without his consent.

Ahhhh....Steve Shannon. I think this is it. S'OK...I have his permission given previously. Thanks for the memory jog.

Hi Doug! Hi Folks!

- Doug_Kibbey

Nope, not me...I have G29, a Sheridan on a lowboy trailer in Vietnam, but it isn't one of these. Nor one of Roy's I don't think, cuz' I've pretty much seen and got all his pics (unless he's holding out on me...).

Me?

I have a small picture of an ARVN M41 on a low boy, but nothing on a M15A1 type trailier. I don't remember if I ever posted that picture. May not have sense it is a small picture.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

- Doug_Kibbey

Ahhhh....Steve Shannon. I think this is it. S'OK...I have his permission given previously. Thanks for the memory jog.

Yep, that's the one, thanks for posting...

Now, about that M47, anybody else think this is another Eyetalian returned into the fold? Any guesses as to why I think so?

Roy, you're holding out on us? And on an M41 to boot? Tsk tsk tsk...

Hi Jens! Hi Folks!

- Jens_O_Mehner

Roy, you're holding out on us? And on an M41 to boot? Tsk tsk tsk...

Sense you ask so nicely, I went over to my photo bucket account and reviewed it. This isn't the one I was thinking of, but hopefully it will hold you M41 lovers until I can get home and track that photo down.



That vehicle was C19, 1st Platoon, C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th ACR, very late 1970 or very early 1971. The bottom had been blown upward making the vehicle a combat lost. No major injuries with the crew. They cleaned the old C19 up, turned her in and picked up a replacement and returned to the field just in time to come back in for stand down.

Above done from work, following after I got home.



These two photos taken with a Kodak 126 little box camera.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Hi Jens! Hi Folks!

- Jens_O_Mehner

Now, about that M47, anybody else think this is another Eyetalian returned into the fold? Any guesses as to why I think so?

1. There is a data plate on the rear hull that looks like it might be one of the mod record plates that the Italian depots tack welded to vehicles they had overhauled.

2. Rain channels on the turret sides.

Close?
Sgt, Scouts Out!