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Saumer Tank Museum wow!


Wolfy

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I was there in 2007 - a great day out!! Have a look here:

 

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What I really liked was if you paid the additional photographers fee you could get as close to the vehicles as you wanted and the staff were both very knowledgeable and very helpful. Would love to go back again...

All my favourite vehicles were there - Conqueror, S-Tank, King Tiger, Merkava etc....

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I've never been, but one day I will drag the family along. If you like German armour it looks like the place to visit, it would be nice if Bovington could organise to borrow the KingTiger for a Tankfest event.

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Years since I've been (Pushing 20?) there wasn't that much there (Or I didn't find the other buildings!) at that time. I do remember the JpIV L70/A, with its holed & fractured armour and a shell still embeded in it.

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Saumer has a much older claim then tanks. It is the home of the Cadre Noir. If the Spanish Riding School at Vienna is the purist 'Classic' school of riding. Saumer is the home of modern riding. They do clasic riding, but most modern techniques were developed at Saumer

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A really good tip is to join the 'Association des Amis' when you visit. It costs around 35 Euros, which sounds a lot but you will find it a good investment....

 

There are approximately 200 armoured vehicles (Blindes) on display at the museum. You cannot help notice that there are large amounts of armoured projects around the side of the main building....and there is a very large shed (about as big as the museum itself) in which there are all manner of delights.

 

I was told by a senior member of staff that there are approx 400 vehicles in their reserve collection (some of which I believe are at another site!).

 

Being a 'Freind' of the museum will enable you to arrange a guided tour of these reserves.

 

Incidently the correct spelling from my menbership card is 'Saumur'

 

I have been several times, and intend to go again this year.

 

 

 

 

 

I have a particular interest in the Panhard VCR

It is fitted with 4 Euro2 missiles and 100 were sold to Iraq before the 1st Gulf war.

They were a real threat to the Challenger 1s and had to be destroyed at the start of the invasion. One was brought back to Bovington for evaluation and is now resident in this country. Possibly the only one surviving from the 100.

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