A visit to Deutsche Panzermuseum at Munster

Condition of many of the vehicles is remarkable too. That Panzer IV looks a fearsome peice of kit.

Kev

Kev,

I have to agree that the Panzer Mk IV looked absolutely pristine in its Afrika Korps colour.

Looking at it, I can understand why it was kept in production so long.

Regards
Tom

 

The MG42 does not look like a design from 60 years ago, thats for sure. Beautiful weapon and no mistake.

 

Gotthard,

I have to agree with you, but the Bren Gun was also a good weapon and here is the Czech version which the Germany Army used.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachments/weapons-technology-equipment/17626d1245073616t-visit-deutsche-panzermuseum-munster-100_3117-large-jpg

Regards
Tom

 

Tom, many thanks for posting all these photographs it must have take you some time to do
much appreciated

 

Pegasus,

Thanks for your kind comments.
Resizing the photographs takes most of the time before posting.

It was only when I viewed the photos that I saw that a visitor to the museum had deposited a discarded Twix foil down the barrel of one of the exhibits.

Anyone spot it!

Regards
Tom

 

Not so easy but here it is.

Regards
Tom

 

Munster Panzers in the sun and on the move.

 

Much better seeing these beasts in proper daylight, under way.
Regards
Tom

 

When I visited the Museum last year this text near the entrance is what struck me most ... "Der Reitergeist" (the spirit of the horseman), or how to use these machines in the best way:

 

Some impressions of my visit last summer:




whatever you may think of these clumsy early tanks ... they had nice doorways


A Pzkw I. It is striking how small/tiny and lightly equiped these first German tanks were. Though initially intended only as a training tank, the Pzkw I saw action in Poland, France and Russia. "Die Maus" (the mouse) would have been a proper nickname for this tank, but that name was already destined for the super heavy Pz VIII, which was far from tiny. See: Panzer VIII Maus


Tiger I with Museum Guide in front. Though it looks menacingly realistic, this tank is a plastic replica!


A tank kit size 1:1 .... I'm afraid it takes a lot of glue to build...


An even bigger Tiger II ... but this one is real; the guide pointed out the obsession of the German Army to produce bigger and bigger tanks, which was uneconomical and inefficient. The heavy Tiger II is a tank you least expect to see in action in the waterlogged polderland of the 'The Island', to the south of Arnhem, yet they were involved in the assault on the 7th Green Howards' positions near Bemmel on October 1st, 1944: NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944
Below a Sturmtiger, of which only 18 were build. Six of these saw action near Cleve (Pfalzdorf) in Feb 1945. See: VERITABLE 1945: 15th Scottish & 43rd Wessex Divisions in the Reichswald battle





Jagdpanther ... tanks of this type were active around Cleve in Feb 1945. See: VERITABLE 1945: 15th Scottish & 43rd Wessex Divisions in the Reichswald battle




Panzerjäger IV with a short 75mm gun

 

Oh no! 1:1 kits - dont let VP know otherwise he will be starting his own museum somewhere in his back garden, although for the man who has just about everything it would be a cool present at Xmas

TD

 

My latest visit to the German Panzermuseum last week:

Panzer I



Panzer II (turret)

 

Jagdpanzer 38 (t) Hetzer

 

Jagdpanther

 

Sturmtiger

 

Nashhorn, Wespe & Brumbär

 

Great photos and a fantastic museum. The info boards in front of each vehicle has prompted a memory - I was last there with a handful of German eastern front veterans, all in their nineties by then. One old chap in particular was carefully reading each board, and I was able to elaborate a little for him. He was very interested and asked lots of questions. Eventually I said 'Sir, you were there, how do you not know more about these tanks - they are famous!?' His reply: 'Back then I had no interest in who made what tank or what calibre it was or how many links there were on the tracks. That didn't matter to us. All we knew was this - If it had a black cross, it was one of ours. If it had a red star we got ready to fight.'