The Wheatcroft Collection.

I see they've begun work on a second Panther...
Film of a 251's delivery too, freshly (and apparently very well) restored from France.

Wonder where these Dora railgun Cartridges are coming from?

 

Looking up who owned this beautifully complete M4a1 E8 Sherman named 'Barney II' that was at the Victory show:

Go on... Guess...
Bet you can't. :mellow:

 

Chatting about how the internet has changed the way we live with mollusc, he is still narked as he'd ordered part of a KT from Poland, he never got it.
He's sure it ended up with someone else.

Well if it wasn't for the internet I wouldn't sell any models for starters.
And Mr bloody Wheatcroft wouldn't have stolen my....

 

I see from that Shadock page on 'large parts':
http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers_parts.pdf
(Mollusc might spot his 'missing part' on there )
That Mr Wheatcroft also seems to have the bulk of a Jagdpanzer IV/70 sat in his yard...
Will it ever end?! Seems like with King Tiger, 2 Panthers, Pz IV's, talk of Tiger replicas etc. we're eventually going to see an accurate representation of an armoured Kampfgruppe parked up in Leicestershire... with the necesary allied gear to counter it.

One more picture of the JgdPzr mantlet here:
Display Jagdpanzer IV - Saukopf

 

More from HMVF,
A brief interview with the man himself... not 2, but 3 Panthers (March/April completion for the first suggested), Terrapin underway, And an interest expressed in more German armoured cars. There seems to be a serious interest in a museum one day which I find very good news, particularly as he's local.
Historic Military Vehicles Forum - Kevin Wheatcroft by Rick Whyte

 

He's the son of Tom Wheatcroft, A nottinghamshire builder who made it big with Donnington park racing circuit and East midlands airport. His father also owns the Donnington Grand Prix collection, which has to be one of the world's foremost collections of Grand Prix cars:
Donington Park Online
So restoration of vehicles and the money to go with it is something of a family theme. Look them up on the web and their names are intimately associated with significant restorations, even Donald Campbells Bluebird speedboat.

If you find Mr Wheatcroft's collection interesting DB you may also like Jaques Littlefields Military Vehicle technology foundation in the states, another private collection put together by the efforts of one man:
Military Vehicle Technology Foundation
Jacques Littlefield Military Vehicle Collection. Page 1 of 3
Jacques Littlefield Military Vehicle Museum: 6 January 2007

Cheers,
Adam.

 

Some of the sites that always turned up when googling the Wheatcroft name (down to their involvement in restoration of Donald Campbell's boat) were relating to powerboats, well it seems they've bought an S-Boat!
S-130

And a visit to the news section of their website also reveals that 2 Stugs and a Charioteer from that Finnish auction have found their way there, along with 2 more Shermans (a 105 included) and an M10.
Wheatcroft Collection
Lots more new stuff in the Hi-res galleries too. The Stugs are in more complete form than they looked from other photos, (I'd hope that at least one was restored to represent it's service with the Finns).

Should the government be watching this corner of Leicestershire for fear of a small army (with fledgling navy!) being mobilised?

 

Research squad book on the restoration of Aberdeen's Tiger at the collection is imminent:

The Tiger Project - Brian Balkwill, lee Lloyd, & Alisdair Johnston.
The Research Squad - Books
The Tiger Project - Military Modelling News

Twice as thick as the excellent panther volume and by the looks of it up to the same standard.

 

Hi Levien,
Where the Arlon vehicles went - The states: Kruse WWII Victory Museum

(On the Overloon vehicles, many/most were originally a collection by one Jaap de Groot, a Dutch construction magnate - WWII vehicles collection finds new home in Overloon » The Windmill news articles » goDutch )

~A

 

Having switched Friendface back on for uncertain reasons, I've had a proper mooch through what's going on with the Wheatcroft Collection.
Blimey...
They truly have broken cover on there.

Dozens of vehicles being farmed out to various different restorers.
Progress towards the museum seemingly barrelling on.

Two King Tigers.
Two Tigers.
Four Hetzers.
A Beaverette.
Panzer III
Panzer IV (possibly several? 4? )
Four Panthers.
Multiple M4s. (10 mentioned for restoration.)
Merc 170 VKs/770K
A Panzer I (!)
Elefant (!?)
Hotchkiss H39
Stuka (WTF... thoughts of two 'into flying condition'...)
KM10.
Another FAMO.
Terrapin talk.
Etc. Etc.

Very much worth a pick through:
The Wheatcroft Collection

 

Devon Dry Dock purchased to 'birth three historic boats'.