Rlangham Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I spent the past weekend at the Bovington Tank Museum's 'Tankfest' event. As a living historian with the Great War Society, I was one of several members doing 1917 Tank crew during most of the day, then a quick change into 1917 infantry to match the rest of the group for the battle arena display in the late afternoon. Due to the large volume of public I didn't get a chance to look at much of the other displays, so my photos are confined to our WW1 display and a quick look around the museum. A superb event and I will definitely be back either in uniform or just as a paying member of public next year - replica Mk IV Male Tank on the move - 1917 Matchless Motorcycle and Vickers machine gun armed sidecar on the move As part of our display we had the replica Mk IV 'Male' Tank built for Stephen Spielburg's 'War Horse' film. The exterior is extremely accurate, and after inspecting it I could only find about two highly minor and nit-picking inaccuracies. It runs as well, and has been built so it even moves like the real thing when you watch archive footage of them Captured Maxim MG08/15 and anti-tank rifle Lewis Gun Cart (man-hauled cart for two Lewis light machine guns, ammunition and accessories) Matchless 8hp, 1000cc Motorcycle and Vickers machine gun armed sidecar. Ordered in 1916 by the Russian Government, built in 1917 and were never shipped owing to the revolution, so taken up by the Motor Machine Gun Corps of the British Army instead. It's the only Matchless Motorcycle + Vickers combo left (there are two others - both Clyno's, one at the National Motorcycle Museum and one in storage owned by the Imperial War Museum), and of the three motorcycle machine gun combos left, it's the only one running 1917 Lewis gun team Tank crew in a real WW1 Tank in the museum's collection, illustrating the cramped space between the sides and the engine Myself as 1917 Tank Corps 1917 Tankies Interior of the running replica (as mentioned, it was built for a five minute segment of a film and was only meant to be accurate for the exterior) 1924 Rolls Royce armoured-car, developed from the WW1 version Medium Mark A 'Whippet' Tank Mark II Heavy Tank 'Flying Scotsman', which served at the Battle of Arras in 1917 and still sports damage received Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nz2 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Do you have any more photos taken inside the replica tank? Particularly interested to see how the frame is constructed and the positioning of the engine and drive units Thanks Doug:undecided: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Fantastic pictures!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeferret Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Awesome pictures........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane.c Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Good photos thanks for posting, :cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.