Post Cards from the old Patton Museum

I hope they all get preserved and properly looked after. They deserve it. Some great images there. Thanks for sharing them.

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Exactly!
Ken

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This when these private collectors should step in and even if its so they take them on loan to keep them clean and in good order.

I just think they don’t care. The Patton Museum was nice, but actually kinda small. (I loved his Cadillac)
The equipment inside was in good condition, but also showed a lot of hard use. Just think they could have done a better job. The guy that ran the place was an ex Marine (figure that one out), and he’s the one that told me about the impending move to Ft. Benning. They even went so as to truck everything down there rather than by rail which seemed strange. Then he owned up to the fact that it was purely politics.
gary

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Well Gary I have to take issue with all your comments.

The Patton Museum had an extremely active Volunteer support group plus two full time restoration specialists on the payroll. Besides the Museum Director, there was a full time Curator, an Exhibits Designer/Builder. Add to that the Museum housed an extensive research library focused totally on Armor with a full time Librarian and a Gift Shop.

Also they had an active Foundation/Development Group TRYING to raise money to expand the Museum Buildings.

Admittedly the best items were kept at the Museum proper but there was an extensive Motor Pool complex and several storage warehouses spread throughout the base. Many exhibit vehicles were “rotated” throughout the year between the main Museum Building and the Motor Pool so at least parts of the exhibit would appear fresh and new. The Museum was also charged to maintain the LST building on base, a building which is now listed on the National Registery of Historic Structures.

Outdoor vehicles were faithfully maintained by the volunteers (in proper paint colors and markings) and any number of vehicles were restored to running condition both by the full time staff and the Volunteers.

Further the Museum sponsored at least two large reenactment events per year plus a monthly “operations day” open to the public. The Patton and their public events also served as a recruitment tool for the adjacent large metropolitan city of Louisville.

The Patton was truly a “Living Museum”!

It seemed the Museum staff was almost always in conflict with the CMH (Center for Military History) which officially “owns” and ultimately manages all the military base sponsored Museums and Displays throughout the Nation. The CMH Charter clearly states that no vehicle or weapon shall be used for its’ original intended purpose. The Patton Museum took that to mean they could not be used for WAR. However the CMH interpretation was that no vehicle should even be started or driven under its’ own power. The CMH very much has a “look but don’t touch, don’t start, don’t operate” policy! A policy which certainly fits in better with how the collection is being handled now at Ft. Benning/Moore.

Submitted Respectfully
Mike Koenig
165th Signal Photo Reenactor Company

The problem has always been money. The conditions of the Patton Museum go as far back as I can remember. It was the same way back in 1976. There was never enough funds allocated. I do not know if that was an Army or a congressional thing.

Can;t help but to point out that this is NOT a real Hanomag, but an OT-810. I know everyone knows it is not a real 251/1, but close enough to fake the funk.

1_Zippo
The Museum paid to have a Hollywood flame thrower specialist brought in to recreate the flame thrower Sherman for this event.
Dis here ain’t no image manipulation! It’s the real deal!


Running Stuarts from both the Patton Museum and 14th Armored out of Shepherdsville, Kentucky.


All Photos Copyright © Michael Koenig 2023 ~ All rights Reserved

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Yes I know and you know it is a post-war copy* but these are reenactment photos showing Patton Museum vehicles AND privately owned vehicles. So I’m not going to “kick this one out of bed for eating crackers!”

Besides, the PAK38 is real and the P-51 is real . . . . . .


*Vehicle built in the same factory using the same original tooling just with a different engine and exhaust system.

If it were me I would always reroute the exhaust thru a single muffler on the left side even if I had to fabricate that muffler from scratch.

I’m not against the OT-810. It’s a good vehicle to convert into a 251/1, given how hard it is to find running originals. Plus, the OT-810s were diesels, contrary to the originals, which ran on petrol.

Heck! If I could find a good ondition OT-810, I’d convert it into a 251/1 Ausf. D for the exact same reason. :grin:

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Me too! ~ Would happily use the OT!

But I would be using a single exhaust muffler mounted on the left side only.

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And redo the fenders , so that the exhaust sits vertically. There would be a lot of metal work to be done, but I think it’s doable with the right amount of reference imagery.

image

Also an OT-810 (you can tell by the drive sprocket)., but with modded fenders and added stowage boxes.

I do also willingly accept the Museum’s G-13 that had been back-dated to resemble the original Hetzer! (Heck, I helped do it! - Though I only made a very small contribution on this one.)

IMG_0530sm

IMG_0692sm
The camo netting here was simply intended to look good. NOT trying to hide any details!)

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Absolutely doable!

Here is another visitor to the Museum that has a more correct form:


If you want an original, fully restored, running vehicle owned by the Patton Museum then here is the 251/9. Sadly it never got to be used in an active event before the end. Restoration work here performed by both the full time restoration folks and a LOT of hours from the Volunteers!

251x196_zps1258e1fa
Don Moriarty Photo

Some of my “under restoration” photos:

251d_1_zps222982d7

251d_2_zps597b2bcb

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I would love to volunteer in helping rebuild vehicles like this. It would be a dream come true for me.

For me it WAS a dream come true!
But I was just in the right place at the right time.

The very first time i ever toured the Motor Pool the guide took me around a corner and here sat a Jagdpanzer IV which happened to be the very first armored vehicle moddel I had ever built and which I was working on at that very moment.

I was immediately hooked!

ROLL1DX-14A 2

ROLL1DX-17

ROLL1DX-21

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A once a month public “operations day” at the Museum.
There was a large gravel “race track” oval built behind the Museum where vehicles would be exercised, exhibited and rides given. (With the help of a metal staircase for climbing safety

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Thanks for making those photos… All very interesting and informative.

I was at the Armor School in 1950. Never knew there was a Patton museum there.

And that is why I called BS on the Army moving the Museum to Ft. Benning/Moore. Museum attendance was never on any required training curriculum at the Armor School at Knox. Could have saved $$Millions$$ of taxpayer dollars by NOT moving the Museum.

(As you say; you didn’t even know the Museum was there!)