Com-Central.net

Sound of chin hitting the floor!

"I was particularly interested in the numbers of Panther variants visible, more than on the inventory of the museum now, but I understand from SP that some were dispersed to other collections over the years. "

one Panther went to the Overlord Museum in Colleville (former Falaise museum). You could easily find old pictures showing the same tank in Saumur, it has the same bullet splash marks on the front hull. One Panther and one Bergepanther went to the Cadmans (the Berge still has "saumur" painted in white on the back). That's what I have in mind for the moment.

P-O

When I visited on a rainy day last year I wondered to the far end of the car park and found a reasonable collection of wrecks, including a DD Sherman. There was a half hearted attempt at a temporary fence and a little sign in French which was probably saying the area was prohibited. But I can now say I have inspected a DD

about that tank :
"The large hatch M4A1 DD at Saumur "partakes" of the turret swap myth in that it has a 76mm turret. Some have speculated that it is not a real DD, but was mocked up for the film "The Longest Day". Our examination found that it has 75mm ammo bins and an E8550 upper hull casting. It is definitely real. Unfortunately, the serial number has been lost to time. A staffer at Saumur reported that the US provided the DD to the French Army after WW II for examination and test purposes. When it was transferred to the Museum in the 1970s, it was missing its original "high bustle" 75mm turret. The Museum retrofitted the 76mm turret simply to make the tank look complete."

I managed to go inside !! strictly forbidden, but I don't care, lol



P-O

- horrocks

I was particularly interested in the numbers of Panther variants visible, more than on the inventory of the museum now, but I understand from SP that some were dispersed to other collections over the years.

Most of them should be in the list at the top of the page:

Preserved Tanks at Saumur

The list is getting out of date though - I hoped to update it with help from P.-O. and using his photo's, but we discussed the issues with that above. With hindsight I wished we'd just gone ahead anyway.

...the damaged Panther hull visible in one of the pictures near to the Brummbär first went to the WTS in Koblenz to donate some parte to their Panther projectes and now is in a pricte collection in Düsseldorf (can be seen in P-Os files)

Jens

I would say that Panther #108 on this photo looks identical to one of Kevin Wheatcroft's wrecks, the cuts in the front hull are identical :




P-O

Can anyone tell me what happened to the Panzer IV numbered 105 in the above picture.

Regards

Richard

And Centaur/Cromwell hulls: hull #71 and the hull next to it ?

The Panzer IVs at Militärhistorisches Museum, Dresden & Auto + Technik Museum, Sinsheim both came from Saumur, they're currently restoring another themselves & I'm guessing that the Cadman's would have been from there too. So it's possible that it's one of these.

Thanks for the information, must visit Saumur one day.

Regards

There is an awful lot of history in those images...

Very pleased that the photos are of interest. I wish I had taken more. It did occur that, but for the buildings in the background, they bring to mind the photos of those collection points in Normandy.

Forum members are most welcome to copy and use them, would be grateful if you could acknowledge me (Toby Webster) should you repost or publish them.

If anyone would like full resolution versions don't hesitate to PM me.

I have heard weird rumors of Saumur closing!?

Massimo

well, I don't think it will close, but as the French government cuts costs everywhere in the French army, I think that they will not be able to keep a so large collection, so they may try to part of some items they have..