The Tank Museum Announces First Round of ‘Special Guest’ Tanks for TANKFEST 2022
The Tank Museum has revealed the first list of tanks scheduled to grace the arena at TANKFEST 2022 in Bovington, England from June 24-26.
TANKFEST is The Tank Museum‘s annual showcase of military vehicles dating back to World War II and the Cold War, with some still in use by the British Army. Along with playing host to a number of historic and modern tanks, the event also features a lecture series and a living history battle.
“At TANKFEST, we are proud to be able to display what is the greatest display of historic moving [armor] in the world,” said museum curator David Willey in a press release. “We aren’t able to run everything in our collection – and therefore we are fortunate to be able to bring in some ‘guest stars’ to treat the audience and keep the show fresh.”
Among the most notable vehicles on the 2022 lineup are the world’s only running Valentine Duplex Drive (DD) and a Japanese Ha-Go tank. The DD was developed by the British to be an amphibious tank, with the distinction typically afforded to the variant of M4 Sherman used during the D-Day landings in June 1944. The Ha-Go, often considered one of the worst tanks of WWII, was effective against infantry, but failed to hold its own against other tanks.
Two additional Sherman tanks will be making an appearance: the M-50 and the M4A1. The M4A1 is a variant of the most widely-used medium tank driven by the Allies during the Second World War, while the M-50 – also known as the “Super Sherman” – primarily saw use by Israeli forces from the 1950s to the early ’80s.
Tank enthusiasts will also be allowed to get up close and personal with an AMX-13, a French light tank that was exported to 26 countries and produced between 1952-87. It’s considered a relatively reliable tank, with over a hundred variants produced to include the likes of anti-aircraft systems and self-propelled guns.
The final name to feature in this announcement is the Panhard AML-90, best known for its use as a reconnaissance vehicle.
This list of military vehicles will feature alongside those already within The Tank Museum’s own collection. This includes a newly-refurbished Churchill tank, a WWII-era tank used by British infantry, and the M4A2E8 Sherman, which featured in the 2014 film Fury, starring Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman and Shia LaBeouf.
The museum will also be displaying more modern tanks, such as the Challenger 1 and M60. These will be alongside the British Army’s contribution of “Theatre Entry Standard” vehicles, including the Challenger 2 MBT.
Additional guest vehicles will be announced in the coming weeks. Additional details regarding TANKFEST 2022 can be found via The Tank Museum’s website.
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