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Massimo_Foti · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:35 pm Post subject: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

I've been in Thun, visiting the well know, outdoor Panzermuseum. Thanks to Tobias and Martin Haudenschild, I also visited the much less know SHP, a smaller collection, stored indoor, containing AFVs who served in the swiss army. I'll post more details within a few days.

Some pictures from the SHP surfaced over the years and has been seen on the internet (see shots from Stephen Drew). It's a very cool collection, including an FT-17 in running order. In fact the only vehicles that isn't in running order is the Vickers 34, but this is going to change in the near future!

6 Vickers 34 were bought by Switzerland in 1935. Nowadays two of them still survive

s/n: 825 (r/n: 7305) has been stored indoor in the last few years. Currently its engine has been removed, since the plan is to make a runner out of pieces coming from both tanks

Serial number: 824 (registration: 7304) has been stored outside for a very long time. And was still outdoor until last summer.

Right now it's under restoration at Swiss Army's workshop in Thun:

As you can see, they've fund empty cartridges inside the tank:

Massimo

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:51 pm Post subject: Re: Vickers 34

Great photos, Massimo!

Massimo_Foti · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Vickers 34

@Trevor, try to set apart some spare time, because I am assembling quite a bunch of material for you, including some pretty cool stuff Laughing

I also hope to visit the place again next year, to try and follow how the restoration goes. Kind of like I've been doing with the Kingtiger in Full.

Massimo

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: Vickers 34

Excellent - I'm feeling snowed under at the moment, but in a good way!

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

I have updated the original VCL34 information and added Massimo's latest pics:

UID814: Thun VCL34

and added the new one and pics:

UID1202: Thun VCL34

That was straightforward, but knowing they were both built at the Vickers-Armstrongs Elswick works I have also written up the factory site over the weekend and added a link to it from both of them.

Massimo_Foti · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:34 am Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

I plan to keep checking the status of the restoration (once a year or the like).
BTW It's not clear yet which of the two tanks will be restored to running condition. Most likely it will be the one currently in the workshop (Unique ID 814 for Trevor), while the other one will donate some parts.

Massimo

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

Do you think they'll bring that one up to the standard of the other one? Currently it looks a long way from being a runner.

Massimo_Foti · Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

From what I've heard, the current candidate to become the runner is the tank in the workshop, but it's not set in stone. Seems like the logic is "since we are working heavily on it anyway, let's make it a runner".

Tank 7305 was in a similar status just a few years ago, and the FT-17 was even worst.

Massimo

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

Understood. Updated.

zemsi · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:45 am Post subject: Vickers Burgdorf

Here's an update on the 2nd unrestored Vickers Panzerwagen 34/35 from above. She's now in Burgdorf and completely stripped down.

zemsi · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:47 am Post subject: more pics

... some more pics

zemsi · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:48 am Post subject: pics

... the last one

Massimo_Foti · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:59 am Post subject: Re: Thun SHP. Vickers 34

Great news! Thanks

Massimo

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