We had the chance to visit The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, in the fall of 2017 for one of its Tiger Day events. The museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of armored fighting vehicles, but Tiger Day adds something special: the chance to see historic vehicles actually running in the arena. It was a great day even for the non-WWII nerds on the trip, and the museum does an excellent job of preserving this history while still making it entertaining.
Check out their website for more info: The Tank Museum
Tiger 131
Tiger 131 is one of the most famous surviving German tanks of the Second World War and the centerpiece of The Tank Museum’s collection at Bovington. A Tiger I heavy tank, it was captured by British forces in Tunisia in 1943 after being disabled in combat. What makes Tiger 131 especially significant is that it is the only running Tiger I in the world. After an extensive restoration by The Tank Museum, it returned to operational condition and now appears at selected events such as Tiger Day, where visitors can see and hear the 57-ton tank moving under its own power.
Fury
Fury is the name given to the American M4A2E8 Sherman featured in the 2014 film Fury. The tank used for the movie was drawn from The Tank Museum’s collection and represents the late-war “Easy Eight” version of the Sherman, with improved suspension, wider tracks, and a high-velocity 76 mm gun. In the film, Fury serves as the tank commanded by Brad Pitt’s character, Staff Sergeant Don “Wardaddy” Collier, and has become one of the most recognizable Sherman tanks in popular culture.
For filming, the Museum’s M4A2E8 was dressed to represent the very similar M4A3E8 that would have been used by the U.S. Army in Northwest Europe.
Little Willie
Little Willie was the world’s first working tank prototype and represents the starting point of armored warfare. Built in Lincoln in 1915 by William Foster & Co., it was created to test whether a tracked armored vehicle could cross the broken terrain and trenches of the First World War. Its boxy design proved inadequate for the battlefield, but the experience gained from Little Willie led directly to the development of the rhomboid Mark I tank that entered combat in 1916. Little Willie never saw action, but as the only example ever built—and the oldest surviving tank in the world—it is one of the most historically significant vehicles at The Tank Museum.
Videos from the Arena
Chieftain
Britain’s Cold War main battle tank in the arena.
Panzer III
The Museum’s North Africa veteran on display.
Tiger 131
The world’s only running Tiger I in action.
Around the Tank Museum
