The Tank Museum

An M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer.

This photograph was taken in Luneville, between Nancy and Strasbourg in Eastern France, on 22nd September 1944. The vehicle belonged to the 603rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, part of the 6th Armoured Division.

The M18 was designed to be fast and agile, with thin armour and a powerful engine. It was armed with a 76mm gun and a .50 calibre machine gun (shown here on the pavement). This firepower, combined with its mobility and speed, gave the Hellcat the ability to outmanoeuvre German heavy tanks and fire on their weaker side or rear armour.

The Tank Destroyer’s intended role, defending against attacks by massed armour, was required only rarely. In reality they were mainly used to provide fire support for the infantry.

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The Tank Museum

What’s your favourite Modern tank?

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The Tank Museum

Despite the reputation that early war German tanks gained after their lightning war in France, they were not ahead of their time. British and French tanks were more impressive in many ways, often fielding better armour and better guns.

Where the German tanks had the advantage, was in their strategy, their experienced crews, and their radios that gave them the ability to closely coordinate with other tanks.

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The Tank Museum

The Museum’s BRDM-2-RKhb Radiological/Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle is a Scout Car designed to detect polluted ground and mark it with flags.

The ideal reconnaissance vehicle should be quiet, fast, and above all - inconspicuous. However, the Russians require many of their combat vehicles to be amphibious and this means that they have to be large. Thus, although the BRDM-2 is designed to fulfil a similar role to that of the British Ferret, it is almost twice the size. This additional bulk means that the vehicle will float without any special preparation.

The BRDM-2 first appeared in 1966. In its basic form it is a four-wheel drive scout car with a small machine-gun turret on top. It is powered by a rear mounted GAZ V8 petrol engine which also provides power for the ducted water jet that it uses when swimming. Looking under the body, between the main wheels, one can see a pair of smaller wheels on each side. These are chain driven from the gearbox and can be lowered to help the vehicle to negotiate rough country.

Many versions of the BRDM-2 have been produced and our exhibit, which was captured from Iraqi forces during the Gulf War, is a chemical reconnaissance vehicle. It is equipped to locate areas of the battlefield contaminated with nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons and to mark a safe path through such areas. This is done by deploying yellow flagged markers into the ground as it goes along.

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The Tank Museum

Caption this!

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The Tank Museum

20th September 1918, Bellicourt. The Australian Infantry have reached the Hindenburg Line in the closing months of World War One.

In the background you can see tanks belonging to the 8 Bn, Tank Corps - 3 Mk V tanks – identifiable by the Cribs carried on their roofs. These can be deployed to help them cross wider trenches and obstacles placed in the Hindenburg line specifically to hamper the movement of tanks.

The other tank in the picture is a MkV*. MkV* tanks were elongated MkV’s designed specifically in order to assist the crossing of those trenches which had been widened into what were effectively tank traps.

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The Tank Museum

Panzer IV vs KV-1 - which would you choose, and why?

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The Tank Museum

A33 ‘Excelsior’ Heavy Assault Tank was a Second World War prototype designed by English Electric of Stafford, it was based upon the design of the Cromwell Cruiser. It shared the same engine and transmission and looked similar, but boasted superior armour.

Although Rolls Royce and Vauxhall also produced designs for a heavy tank based on the Cromwell, the English Electric design was the only one to reach the prototype stage.

The A33 was designed to be a replacement for the Churchill Tank, however when the problems with the Churchill were ultimately resolved, this project was dropped. Only two prototypes were produced and trialled in 1943. The Museum’s example, which arrived in 1949, is the only survivor – and now sits in our Vehicle Conservation Centre.

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One week from today is Tiger Day here at The Tank Museum. Thousands of tank fans will join us for a day dedicated to the most famous tank in the world.

Tiger 131 is preparing for its final outing in the arena for 2026.

There still a few tickets left – come and join us!

tankmuseum.org/events/tiger-day-autumn

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The Tank Museum

🚨 TANK PERSON CHECK 🚨

If you've ever:
✅ Identified a tank from a blurry photo
✅ Watched Tank Chats instead of what's currently trending
✅ Said "actually..." during a conversation about tanks

Congratulations!

You are exactly the sort of person who should be a Friend of The Tank Museum.
Join the ranks, enjoy exclusive benefits, and help preserve the history you love.

tankmuseum.org/support-us/friends-of-the-tank-museum

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