Hawk Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Hi all, I was wondering if there are any sites dedicated to the M3 Grant that has been rescued from an army range and has been seen at many shows. It is the same one that is in my avatar and is in several photo's all over the site. If anyone has any info on it I would be most grateful. Cheers, Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Hi Luke, there is no website that I know of but I may be able to help. It belongs to Carl Brown and was recovered from Pirbrite. It was the first Grant received by Britain and was used extensively for trials both during and after the war. It's last duty was for the testing of armoured ammo bins and was stripped of paint for that trial so as not to obscure the observation of the hits with burning paint. The majority of the damage was caused by Panzerfaust and Panzershreck weapons captured at the end of the war. I did some of the work on the hull to get it a little more intact...... Hope this helps, Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Cheers Adrian, very informative I have seen it at several shows and have often wondered about its history, do you know if it will ever be fully restored? Slightly off topic- I must praise you for the amazing restoration job on your Sherman, I have seen it in the flesh and in several magazines it looks fantastic :yay: I see you have a Cromwell as well how goes that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 As far as I am aware, the Grant will be left in swiss cheese mode, because to restore it would mean creating an effectively brand new tank. Personally, I love seeing it as it comes, full of spider webs and history. I am glad it is increasingly more mechanically sound and hope it is at Beltring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Luke, as Mark said, it will remain externally as is though it may get more of an interior as time goes on. Thanks for the comments re the Sherman. The Cromwell is patiently waiting in the shed! I have to finish my M3A1 scout car first. I am looking forward to doing it but it will probably be some years before it is finished. Cheers, Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 Thanks for clarifying that, I was also wondering how would you go about purchasing something like that from an MOD range? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 You don't purchase them because they are not for sale! Sometimes, the ranges are cleaned up for various reasons and targets become available. It really is a question of being in the right place at the right time. Range access used to be easier but is almost impossible now. The other point is that all the interesting stuff is, with a few exeptions, long gone. Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 I cannot believe tht Army would put all of those old Shermans and Comets etc. on the ranges! Could they not just sell them to ther countries e.g Finland (Comets) instead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 The vast majority of vehicles were sold, often for scrap, soon after the war. Comet obviously lasting for some time after and was generally sold to other countries. Many of the range targets were put out when various establishments closed down or had a clear up. That is why there were so many German tanks and prototype or limited production vehicles on British ranges. If only someone had saved them....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 The vast majority of vehicles were sold, often for scrap, soon after the war. Comet obviously lasting for some time after and was generally sold to other countries. Many of the range targets were put out when various establishments closed down or had a clear up. That is why there were so many German tanks and prototype or limited production vehicles on British ranges. If only someone had saved them....! Like the only known existing Panther F Schmalturm at Bovvy - full of holes from being on the ranges at Lulworth for decades before anybody recognised it for what it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 Does anyone know if this will be at Bovvy at the weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 See http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showgallery.php?cat=772&page=2 for some pictures of this Grant's recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Cheers nice pictures after doloading the program there is no mention of it on the actual parade display but I suppose it was still a very important British used tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDonovan Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Hi all, I was wondering if there are any sites dedicated to the M3 Grant that has been rescued from an army range and has been seen at many shows. It is the same one that is in my avatar and is in several photo's all over the site. If anyone has any info on it I would be most grateful. Cheers, Luke I know this reply is a bit late but just wondered if you had seen my short video of the Tank in question moving at War and Peace 2005. I supplied the Continental R975 Radial engine powering it. " width="644" height="390">">Something went wrong... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODIgpdsIL-I And radial engine here... " width="644" height="390">">Something went wrong... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1xGnaqiU1I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
44GPW Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 When i was a kid i remember seeing what i think was a Grant being used as a Gate Guardian at Bassingbourn Barracks, Hertfordshire. It was there for many years. Love to know what happened to it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Restored to running some years ago and now with IWM in London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
44GPW Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Restored to running some years ago and now with IWM in London. Ahh...nice to know its still about. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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