introduction Hello from Santa Cruz, California

[solipsistnation]

Hi, my name is Josh and I'm mostly in here as an enthusiast and out of curiosity. I spent the last 3 years of the MVTF (the Jacque Littlefield collection) giving tours and acting as a tour guide, docent and volunteer tank washer. I spent many pleasant weekends giving tours of the collection and talking tanks with visitors to the museum. When it closed last summer, I was there for the auction, but that was the last time I had a chance to climb around on any armor until recently.

 

I build model armor too, and I'm a computer administrator during the day.

 

I'm a big fan of CVR(T)s-- I think they're super cute. :cool:

 

I will probably mostly lurk and learn, but who knows?

 

Thanks! Hello!

[Tony B]

Welcome in. No doubt you can add to the collection of 'Stupid questions I have been asked'.

[shane.c]

Welcome Josh. :thumbsup:

[solipsistnation]

Welcome in. No doubt you can add to the collection of 'Stupid questions I have been asked'.

 

"No, your 3-year-old can't climb up on the Hetzer."

 

Thanks. 8)

[paul_bish]

Welcome on board, must have been quite an experience working with that fine collection

[solipsistnation]

It was pretty amazing. There was stuff there that pretty much didn't exist anywhere else vaguely public. The other tour guides were incredibly knowledgable, and I learned a TON. And I got to give tours to some really interesting people.

 

I also got to herd children, keep an eye on Cub Scouts, climb inside pretty much the best Panther in the world, dig around boxes of random tank parts, and, of course, sweep cobwebs off of tracks. If I learned nothing else, it's that spiders LOVE tracked vehicles...

[paul_bish]

It was pretty amazing. There was stuff there that pretty much didn't exist anywhere else vaguely public. The other tour guides were incredibly knowledgable, and I learned a TON. And I got to give tours to some really interesting people.

 

I also got to herd children, keep an eye on Cub Scouts, climb inside pretty much the best Panther in the world, dig around boxes of random tank parts, and, of course, sweep cobwebs off of tracks. If I learned nothing else, it's that spiders LOVE tracked vehicles...

 

Sounds great, nice work

[arcot1751]

Welcome to the HMVF

[datadawg]

It was pretty amazing. There was stuff there that pretty much didn't exist anywhere else vaguely public. The other tour guides were incredibly knowledgable, and I learned a TON. And I got to give tours to some really interesting people.

 

I also got to herd children, keep an eye on Cub Scouts, climb inside pretty much the best Panther in the world, dig around boxes of random tank parts, and, of course, sweep cobwebs off of tracks. If I learned nothing else, it's that spiders LOVE tracked vehicles...

So is there a secret stash of stuff laying around somewhere or is it all gone via the auction??

[robin craig]

Dear Josh,

 

welcome on board.

 

Do you have any contact info for Dave Marion who worked at the collection and if so can you send it by pm or email please?

 

Thanks

 

Robin

[solipsistnation]

Dear Josh,

 

welcome on board.

 

Do you have any contact info for Dave Marion who worked at the collection and if so can you send it by pm or email please?

 

 

I don't, sorry. He may have been around before I got there.

[solipsistnation]

So is there a secret stash of stuff laying around somewhere or is it all gone via the auction??

 

I believe that everything that could be hauled out of the various back buildings and sold is gone. The Collings Foundation kept some parts (stuff appropriate to the vehicles they were keeping and planning to maintain and restore), but the Littlefield family really wanted it gone so they could have their land and buildings back. There were three HUGE barns full of pallets of stuff to the ceiling-- I have photos from the back buildings of everything from multiple M4 motors of various types to crates of radios and intercom parts to tons of practice ammo, to entire track sets in pretty good condition. Oh, and some vehicles that weren't on display just hanging out back there. It was pretty incredible-- I'll post a link to those pictures later today if I get a chance.

 

Collings is keeping 80 or so vehicles that should be on display in Massachusetts when they get their building in Stow built. I believe they're going to get stuff running and drive it around a couple of times a year, too.

 

If there is stuff hanging around, the likelihood of the general public getting at it is pretty low. I know some stuff was bought by resellers, though, so keep an eye out.