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That's one ticked off the bucket list!

Discussion in 'Everything Else Heritage' started by Duty Druid, Apr 5, 2016.

  1. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    I don't have a bucket list as such, BUT, one place I've always wanted to visit was the tank museum at Bovington as one of my Granddads was a Tankie & served with Monty in the desert & Italy, he died when I was but young & never spoke about what he went through. :(

    So the chance to visit arose last weekend, and boy I'm glad I went - an absolutely fascinating place! :)

    Obligatory photo's below........ :rolleyes: But if they help those who have yet to visit..........

    Oh, and I've stuck this in the heritage bit, as I have no intention of doing anything crazy & have no desire to go jetting off, as there's plenty of heritage stuff to see in this country. ;)

    So what's next on the bucket list?........ I don't know - yet!

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  2. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I have always wanted to go there, it's just a bit out of the way for me.

    Came close to buying a Centurion tank a few years back ... Quite sorry I didn't.
     
  3. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    Its been well out of the way for me too, but the chance came up!

    Only thing I didn't get to see was the live tank displays as they only do them M-F as the squaddies have weekends off! :rolleyes:

    If you're thinking of doing it, once you've done there you can drop down to Norden for the Swanage - 2 birds, one stone........... I can hear a holiday being booked............. ;)
     
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  4. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    That Königstiger is rather tasty.
     
  5. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

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    My father qualified to drive Churchills - basically on & off his Tank Transporter.

    In my late 20's (Ie about 1989) I wondered about buying a DUKW & asked if he would teach me to drive it as he had driven them. He suggested that this was very unlikely, in terms he appeared to have learnt in the army rather than The Midland Bank. This leads me to think that they are not easy to drive.
     
  6. bakabung

    bakabung Well-Known Member

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    Any particular use in mind on here? :)
     
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  7. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    I would not have liked to look down the gun barrel for real from the wrong end!
     
  8. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Too right. Outgunned anything the Allies had. Good job that a) it was a tad unreliable and not that fast and b) never tilt in anywhere near enough quantity to have a real impact on things.
     
  9. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    I know..................... blame A Dolf for the deficiencies..............

    But one thing that struck me was, you stick a German tank against anything else and compare the two, they're like chalk & cheese/ little V large - the German offing looks so brutal compared to the 'puny' offings we had & you think, how can we get passed that.......... but history tells the story that they were more than fallible. :)
     
  10. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I believe that the 17pdr as fitted to the Sherman Firefly and Comet tanks was equal in range and hitting power, though obviously the tanks themselves were nothing like as well armoured.
     
  11. Footbridge

    Footbridge Member

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    Great military vehicle display at Duxford, as well as the flying stuff.
     
  12. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    In theory yes but that variant had its problems that degraded its effectiveness.
     
  13. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    I wasn't aware of any major issues with it, apart from the difficulty in actually finding room for it in the turrets (Hence no Cromwell tank ever carried one), what else was wrong with it?
     
  14. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    According to what I've read - Lower rate of fire than a standard Sherman. Kicked up a lot of dust that revealed its position so the tank would have to move after every few shots. Same dust making it difficult for the gunner to see fall of shot. Lack of a decent HE round for the 17 pounder made it less effective against other targets.

    Edit : I should have added that in spite of the above, the 17 pounder could penetrate thicker armour than the legendary 88 and that was something I didn't know.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2016
  15. andalfi1

    andalfi1 Well-Known Member

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    I did it the other way round, over 2 excellent days and also missed the display...
     
  16. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Had seen the bit about muzzle flash and poor HE, I think in the circumstances the allied armoured forces were just happy for a gun that killed Panthers and Tigers and worked around the other issues.
    Noticeably it didn't stay in service too long and was rapidly replaced postwar by the 20pdr/105mm as fitted to the Centurion.
     
  17. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I agree. Anything that could stop a Tiger would be forgiven its foibles and it was only ever intended as a stop gap anyway.
     
  18. 242A1

    242A1 Well-Known Member

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    The Musee des Blindes at Saumur is also worth a visit and the products of the local vineyards are worth taking an interest in too (don't take a small car).

    You could go so far as to say that any weapon is only a stop gap, one moment you are ahead and the next you are playing catch up. The reputation of the 88 owes much to "fanboyism" - those who talk about it usually have little idea of the capabilities of the 17 pounder or the QF 3.7" AA gun.

    Anyway, congratulations on ticking one off your list. What's next?
     
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  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    The 17pdr also had the advantage, from 1944, of APDS rounds; basically firing a dart at high speed at the enemy tank.
     
  20. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I doubt the troops and tank guys who had to face the 88 could be accused of "fanboyism" though. Took a heavy toll in North Africa that's for sure.
     

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