Well, Mike, I meant that this vehicle has a few unique features that makes it special. Guess you didn't see it that way?
I wonder if you even know what those special features are even?

Probably not. I'm in no way an expert - never said I was. I have been proved incorrect at least once in the just the brief length of this thread already. I am just trying to share with the group what I have been fortunate enough to have seen, witnessed and participated in first hand down through the years. I have the hope that it night be of interest or help to the group at large. As far as I know that is what we are all doing here in the first place.

Now if you have some special insights into this vehicle it would be up to you to share of not share those with the group - your choice, but let's not play twenty questions.

On the other hand you could have chosen the course of action just to apologize or rephrase your comment.

You and I have had a number of, up till now nothing but positive exchanges in the past but it is up to you to respond as you see fit.

If you have useful information to contribute here then I would suggest that you share it.

More odds, more ends:









All Photos Copyright Michael Koenig -- All Rights Reserved
For personal reference use ONLY

Some more "beauty shots":

Taken during a 5 day long reenactment event. (2 days transport in/set up, 2 days eventing, 1 day transport back to motor pool, cleaning, hose down and punching gun tubes.)

As it turned out, it was to be the biggest, and final, public event ever hosted by the Patton Museum.




All Photos Copyright Michael Koenig -- All Rights Reserved
For personal reference use ONLY

Mike -- did they move this to Benning or is she still at Knox?
Great photos, many thanks
DJ

Everything is at Benning behind closed doors except for a few Patton related items that remain at the George S. Patton Museum in the same Museum building at Knox.

His Command Truck, a Knox modified Parade Jeep that he used and I believe an FT-17 WWI tank are still there at Knox. Plus his iconic Limo that he had his fatal accident in and many personal items that are actually owned by the Patton Family - Pistols, Leica Camera, Olympic Fencing Uniform and a Prototype tankers uniform that he personally designed. (Never accepted for use.)

Since the removal of the main Museum collection I have not had the interest or the heart to go back.


Command CCKW


Patton's fateful Limo




R. Lee Ermey shooting a video piece for "Mail Call' on the Patton Revolvers


Patton's Leica

All Photos Copyright Michael Koenig -- All Rights Reserved
For personal reference use ONLY

Which really sucks as I live fairly close to Benning and would love to be able to see what they have locked away. I know the base has other higher priorities but would it really be so difficult to extend the museum grounds a little more so that a group of static vehicles could be parked out there for public view? It couldn't hurt attendance and would likely draw more in since German WWII vehicles are harder to come by in the U.S. I grew up in Pensacola, and yet it is the Me 262 the Naval Museum has in its collection that draws me back every time (that and the George). If they are planning on renovating them, that's one thing. I just hope the 'reserve stash' doesn't remain permanently hidden away.

Benning has just completed a new LARGE building to protect the Museum collection and equipment is being moved in as we speak.

If and when this will ever turn into an active, open, public museum remains to be seen.

I used to have a blast at the 4th of July demo when i was reenacting with the 1st. That was a fun day. I had no idea they moved everything out of there too. Sad

Great photos, Thank you for sharing!

Is there any info on which mark this is? I'm guessing J/L, though I'm no expert. I'm building a Dragon IIIM which has no escape hatches in the hull.

Interestingly, the extra tracks on the hull are late model with solid guide horns. Looking at the glacis, it seems from an even earlier mark. So I'm guessing this is really a factory refit of an earlier model, still.

Gary - sorry I can be of no help on your questions. I have to leave it up to the other folks on the site with way more knowledge of the "particulars" here.

Shell - I wish I lived closer to Benning - the "Museum Director" has a blog site on Facebook - I will try to post a link. He sometimes offers some very limited guided "walk throughs" of the collection.

Gary,
Its a ausf F with a G turret and has gone thru the uparmed/uparmored program and has been brought to current standards at the time. Probably a training tank when captured. Notice the interior of a hull hatch is in dark gray, which makes one wonder why the German didn't paint it? I also wonder when the tank was painted in the US?

Thank you, Dan! Certainly would be interesting to know it's complete story.

Exterior was repainted around 2008-2009 when vehicle was restored - due to not being deemed as in original paint at that time. All tanks considered "original" are preserved in that condition, not to be repainted. We were instructed that certain original tanks could only be entered in sock feet to better preserve the original surface,

Escape Hatch:
My estimation - As with many exterior hatches, the inside surface of the escape hatch was not painted interior color so as to not show a flash of bright color when open.

- BUMP -