Hi: I just was at the Ordnance museum at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, in Maryland U.S.A. I saw a notice that they are moving to Fort Lee Virginia U.S.A. The move will take place over the next few years. They are going to build new enclosed buildings for the outside collection. This is really a great thing, some of these pieces have been left out in the elements for over 90 years. The British Mark 4 and Whippet are rusting into pile of scrap iron, some of the W.W.2 stuff is not far behind. Some pieces have been restored but are left back outside. These pieces of history deserve a proper home. I believe the money for the museum only comes from donations and not the government or the army. Thanks, Chris Anderson
This is typical of the misfortunes of BRAC (Base Re-Alignment and Closure) instituted under the former administration. It's a very political type of policy in which collections are being uprooted, re-distributed and new facilities being built at new locations instead of at the original sites. A BIG waste of money. For example, the Patton Museum's research collection (its heart and soul) are being moved from the home of armor (Knox) to the home of infantry (Benning) so that the NEW home of armor can be established... Now, what great winter training they can get in GA! A better move for both would've been Fort Carson, Colorado, since there are good training environments for the types of conditions our troops are facing. Hell, even Fort Riley Kansas or even FT McCoy Wisconsin would've been a better choice than Benning!
Okay, I could rant all day on the stupidity of the high brass and the money they've wasted. Suffice it to say that political cronies are being well cared for and the wheels are in motion... at the price of the museums.
Well, I just hope that the WW1 vehicles survive the move intact, and end up in a better display area, ie Indoors and climate controlled. And perhaps they could put more of their vehicles on display; I think they have some early, pre-WW1 American armoured cars that I have never seen in photographs of the museum. Maybe they could give that Chicago museum a kick in the behind and get their Davidson armoured car on display too!
Wouldn't it be great to see one of The History Channel's 'Tank Overhaul' documentaries done about one of APGs WW1 tanks?!
__________________
In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
I heard by the way, that the Swedish museum at Axvall will move to Strangnas (close to Stockholm and easier to reach) and will be joined by two regimental museums collections. This should take a year or so.
