On the 27th Feb The Wheatcroft Collection will have its own website where the public can for the first time view many of the items in the collection and also see details of onging restoration projects. The launch of the site will be simultaneous with that of the new Military Modeling site, where editor Vinnie Branigan will be featuring the collection in a lead article.

The collection currently consists of 200 plus major items forming a wide variey of subjects, which will be of interest not just to armour fans, but softskin, artillery, cars, motorcyles, trailers etc. It also contains of great numbers of documents as well as large stocks of original equipment from radios to blow torches, spark plugs to Star Antennae.

The collection is being brought into the public domain in a variety of media by The Research Squad, who have been working with the collection for the last 9 months to this end. The Research Squad, consisting of Lee Lloyd, Alasdair Johnson, and Brian Balkwill will co-ordinate specialists on a project-by-project basis whose purpose is to investigate in great detail all aspects of the vehicle collection. Correct research will raise the accuracy of the collection thus the public profile. This will benefit the collection so that its contents can be enjoyed by everyone, Accurate research will encourage the exchange of ideas, spares, projects etc. with other restorers, collectors and interested parties.

For its part The Research Squad will:

1. Maintain the Wheatcroft website with regard to content and updates.

2. Document items in the collection that are of interest both in historical and modelling contexts, for publication in print media.

3. Document in photographic detail current and future restoration projects, both at the collection and overseas, for publication in print media.

4. Aid in the research of items in the collection both from a historical and restoration perspective.

All publications will be full colour, high resolution on high quality stock. The first series will cover the restoration of a Demag Panther A (Late) and the first book in this series details the restored drive train and hulll floor, and includes many items never before photographed.

Future projects include the restoration of two more Panthers and a King Tiger, the second of which is 80% complete (parts), and for which the collection are actively seeking any items available.

The Research Squad would like to thank The Wheatcroft Collection for this opportunity and the access granted to the vehicles.

Links:

Wheatcroft Collection

The Research Squad