Bovingdon Tank Museum

Had a lovely day out at Bovingdon Tank Museum. I went in the car as I had arranged to take a chap who lives in my flats and who has no transport of his own.

Like so many museums it's been updated since my last visit - 20 years ago - and is first-class.

There's a huge range of tanks, other tracked military vehicles, wheeled armoured cars, anti-tank guns and so on. There's even one of those German tracked motorcycles.

Naturally, most of the vehicles are from Great Britain, the United States and Russia but there are a few French and Swedish ones.

They have examples of the very first tank ever built (apart from the one designed by Leonardo Da Vinci and there's a life-size wooden model of that!) right through to the very latest although I don't think there's the latest Abrams one on display. Most of the vehicles are in running order and every afternoon there's a half-hour display of a selection in the outdoor arena.
They even have a working life-size model of a WW1 tank which was made for the film 'War Horse'. It trundled round, surprising the watchers with very loud 'bangs' and bright flashes from its guns.

I chose lots of 'favourites': I'm a great fan of half- and three-quarter-track vehicles and there's an American one of the first and a German one of the second there and also armoured cars including a classic Rolls-Royce one.

If you're every in the vicinity with time to spare it really is worthwhile.

http://www.tankmuseum.org/

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bovington+tank+museum&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZJ3GU5CkNqre7Aa5mYHQCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=984&bih=569

Mike,

IIRC, Waspie, late of this forum, used to work at Bovingdon camp, which I believe is close to the museum.
He used to take great delight in telling the Army bods that his service Veterans badge was from service in the Royal Navy, the Senior service!!

(Must admit, I'm no better - I live in an RAF county, and I make sure they all know I was also in the senior service!)

I think he still does and has connections with the museum - I think there are more tanks in there than in the British Army!

My 'service' connections were tentative and quite brief but I was a Civilian Instructor in the Sea Cadets when I retired and I have the epaulettes to prove it.   

I was a cub scout - 4th Bermondsey. Sadly, I lost my woggle.   

Sounds like a fine museum. One day , when I get back to England, Ill look this one up.

I love tanks would trade my Silver Wing for one in a heart beat.

I have a collection of stuff, I like to call my collection room my own museum.

Here is some video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAXFLPmPNX0&list=UUMYTJbykkzzbkCLZeLISysQ

I just shot this video for this post. It's a new piece that I have not yet moved to my collection room. IN the next two weeks I will get video of it all in one place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUIIQXfiT1I&feature=youtu.be

A very interesting and impressive collection.


A tip from someone who works in television. Rather than fly the camera round the room, zooming in and out and "whip panning" from one object to another, try starting with a static wide shot to establish the geography (layout) of the display. Then cut to closer shots to highlight points of interest. Insert other wider shots along the way as you move from section to section. Give the view time to see stuff.

 

Colin B wrote:

A very interesting and impressive collection.


A tip from someone who works in television. Rather than fly the camera round the room, zooming in and out and "whip panning" from one object to another, try starting with a static wide shot to establish the geography (layout) of the display. Then cut to closer shots to highlight points of interest. Insert other wider shots along the way as you move from section to section. Give the view time to see stuff.

 

I will try and remember that next time. The Camera was new and I had no prior experience with video.

I should note that my Grandfather and his buddies found the Nazi flag in Berlin and the signatures are from my grandfather and his army buddies. I got all the other stuff seen the easy way, with cash.