Thun Tank Museum

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Thun Tank Museum
Tank destroyer G 13
Panzerjäger G 13 (2011)
Data
place Outside area of ​​the Thun arsenal
Art
History museum, technology museum
Number of visitors (annually) 6600 (2011)
management
Swiss Army Museum Association
Website
Thun Tank Museum on the HAM Foundation website

The Thun Tank Museum is a museum in Thun in the Swiss canton of Bern . Foreign and Swiss tanks as well as Swiss tank artillery and artillery developments are exhibited in the museum area .

description

At the end of the Second World War there was a tendency among the military experts of today's RUAG who were working towards the in-house production of a tank for the Swiss army . For this reason, the first and oldest exhibits, partly with the help of French armed forces , were brought from the battlefields of the Second World War to Thun for expert inspection . Later, more and more follow-on products and new developments from well-known tank manufacturers around the world were added. The exhibits are in the open air on the Waffenplatz in Thun and can be viewed during the office hours of the Swiss Army Museum Association inside the Dufour barracks , at the military road entrance. Since the more than forty exhibits have been in the open air for a long time, a large number of them are slightly restricted in their ability to drive and function.

Exhibits

The following exhibits can be seen on the exhibition grounds :

designation Type - year of manufacture - procurement features image
Vickers-Carden-Loyd Light combat vehicle (GB), manufactured in 1934, 6 pieces were procured for the Swiss Army (2 1934, 4 1935) 2 men, 1 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 3.8 tons Vickers-Carden-Loyd Light Tank Model 1935
Renault FT Light fighting vehicle (F), manufactured from 1917, 5 units were purchased (2 1921, 3 1939) 2 men, 1 × 3.7 cm cannon, 6.7 tons Renault FT-17
Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger II "King Tiger " Königstiger B, battle tank (D), manufactured in 1944, handed over to the Swiss Military Museum Full in 2007 as a permanent loan . 1 × 8.8 cm L71 cannon, 3 × 7.92 mm machine guns, 5 men, 68 tons Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger II
Staghound Spähpanzer (GB), manufactured in 1943, 64 units were procured (early 1950s), never introduced, used as target vehicles 5 men, 1 × 37 mm cannon, 2 × MG, 12 tons Staghound
Crane armor M3 Special tank (USA), manufactured in 1941/42, converted from an M4 battle tank 6 men, dummy cannon, 27 tons
Tank 68 Panzer 68/88, Swiss battle tank (CH), manufactured 1988–1993, 195 pieces 4 men, 1 × 10.5 cm cannon, 2 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 41 tons Panzer 68/88 Swiss Main Battle Tank (CH)
Panzer 57 (Centurion) Centurion battle tank (GB), procurement 1958–1960, 100 units procured 4 men 1 × 10.5 cm cannon, 2 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 50 tons Centurion Main Battle Tank (GB)
Relaxation tank 65 Prototype special tank on chassis Pz 61 (CH), one copy procured 4 men, 40 tons Relaxation tank 65
M48 (main battle tank) Patton Main battle tank (USA), manufactured in 1954, exchange item 4 men, 1 × 9 cm cannon, 1 × 7.62 mm machine gun, 1 × 12 mm machine gun, 45 tons Main battle tank M48
Melee cannon 1 Self-propelled gun (CH), manufactured in 1943, prototype on an extended Pz 39 chassis 5 men Melee cannon 1
7.5 cm cannon later 10.5 cm howitzer 42 10 tons
Melee cannon 2 Gustav Sturmgeschütz (CH), year of manufacture 1942–1945, prototype in four versions, no series production 5 men, 7.5 cm anti-tank gun, 24 tons Melee cannon II
HS 30 infantry fighting vehicle Armored personnel carrier (D), production from 1956, two prototypes without turret in a troop test, barter item 2 + 8 men, 1 × 20 mm cannon, 14.6 tons HS 30 infantry fighting vehicle
Panzerwagen 39 (Praga) Light combat vehicle (CSR / CH), year of manufacture 1938–1939, 24 units procured 3 men, 24 mm cannon 38, 2 × 7.5 mm machine guns, 8 tons Armored car 39 'PRAGA'
Universal Carrier T16 Transport vehicle for Panzer Grenadiers (GB), year of manufacture 1944, 302 pieces bought, sold again in 1965 2 + 6 men, 4.7 tons Universal carrier T16
Tank destroyer G13 Self-propelled gun (CSR / D), year of manufacture 1944–1949, 158 pieces purchased 1 × 7.5 cm anti-tank gun 1940, 1 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 4 men, 16 tons Tank destroyer G13
Light tank 51 Spähpanzer (F), year of manufacture 1953–1957 Bought 200 pieces
7.5 cm tank cannon 51 1 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 3 men 14.5 tons
Self-propelled howitzer AMX 13 Panzerartillerie (F), year of manufacture 1956, bought 4 pieces for troop tests
10.5 cm howitzer L30 1 × 7.5 mm or 7.62 mm machine gun, 5 men 16.5 tons
Medium tank 1958 Main battle tank (CH), year of manufacture 1958, 2 prototypes, 10 pre-series vehicles 1 × 8.4 cm Panzerkanone 58, 1 × 20 mm cannon, 1 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 4 men, 35 tons Tank 58
Sour tartaruga Combat infantry fighting vehicle (CH), year of manufacture from 1959, an exhibit bought for tests 1 × 20 mm MK, 3 + 9 men, 18.2 tons (with tower) Sour tartaruga
Mowag pirate Combat infantry fighting vehicle (CH), manufactured in 1962, an exhibit bought for tests 1 × 20 mm cannon (turret dismantled), 3 + 9 men, 18.1 tons MOWAG Pirate infantry fighting vehicle
35 mm Flab tank B22L Special tank (CH), year of manufacture 1977/78, 2 prototypes 2 × 35 mm Oerlikon KDA cannon, 3 men, 46 tons 35 mm Flab tank B22L
15 cm heavy howitzer 1942 L28 Howitzer (CH), manufactured in 1942 Ready to fire 6.8 tons
76.2 mm anti-tank gun Anti-tank gun "Ratsch-Bumm" (USSR), year of manufacture 1938 2 tons
4.7 cm anti-tank gun on Renault R35 Panzerjäger (D), year of manufacture 1941–1944, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 4.7 cm anti-tank gun (CSR), 3 men, 10 tons
Assault Gun III Sturmpanzer (D), year of manufacture 1943–1945, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 7.5 cm L48 cannon, 1 × 7.92 mm machine gun, 4 men, 24 tons StuG III
Jagdpanzer 38 (t) Panzerjäger (CSR / D), year of manufacture 1944–1945, gift from F, tests in CH, predecessor of the G13 1 × 7.5 cm anti-tank gun 39 L48, 1 × Flab MG, 4 men, 16 tons Jagdpanzer 38 (t)
Jagdpanzer IV / 48 Sturmgeschütz (D), year of manufacture 1943–1945, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 7.5 cm L48 cannon, 1 × 7.92 mm machine gun, 5 men, 24 tons
Panzerkampfwagen IV type H Main battle tank (D), year of manufacture 1937–1945, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 7.5 cm L48 cannon, 2 × 7.92 mm machine guns, 5 men, 22.4 tons Panzerkampfwagen IV
Jagdpanzer V Jagdpanther Panzerjäger (D), year of manufacture 1943–1945, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 8.8 cm L71 cannon, 1 × 7.92 mm machine gun, 5 men, 46 tons
Panzerkampfwagen V Panther Main battle tank (D), year of manufacture 1943–1945, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 7.5 cm L70 cannon, 3 × 7.92 mm MG, 5 men, 44.8 tons Panzerkampfwagen V Panther
8.8 cm PaK 43 L71 from battle tank VI Tiger II (D), manufactured in 1944 Bullet cover Tiger II from battle tank VI Tiger II (D), manufactured in 1944, thickness 150 mm 8.8 cm PaK 43
M7 priest Self-propelled gun (USA), year of manufacture from 1942, gift from F, tests in CH 1 × 10.5 cm howitzer, 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun, 7 men, 24 tons M7 priest
Hotchkiss armored personnel carriers for short Armored personnel carrier (F), manufactured in 1951, barter item, special equipment for radio operators 1 × 7.5 mm machine gun, 2 + 5 men, 8 tons Short armored personnel carrier Hotchkiss
Main battle tank M47 "Patton" Main battle tank (USA), manufactured in 1950, purchased for tests in CH 1 × 9 cm L70 cannon, 2 × 7.62 mm machine guns, 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun, 5 men, 44 tons M47
M4 Sherman Main battle tank (USA), manufactured in 1942, purchased for tests in Switzerland 1 × 7.5 cm cannon, 2 × 7.62 mm machine gun, 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun, 5 men, 32 tons M4 Sherman
Centurion bridge layer Bridge laying tank (GB), year of manufacture 1961–1963, 2 exhibits bought for tests in the CH Chassis such as Pz 57 Centurion 3 men, 50.8 tons
Centurion Mark III Main battle tank (GB) manufactured in 1948–1952, purchased in Canada 1 × 8.4 cm cannon, 2 × 7.6 mm machine gun, 4 men, 50 tons Centurion Mark III
T-34 /85 main battle tank (USSR) Year of manufacture 1943–1953, barter item 1 × 85 mm cannon, 2 × 7.62 mm machine gun, 5 men, 32 tons T-34-85 model 1945
AMX-VCI Armored personnel carrier (F) (Vehicule de Combat d 'Infanterie), year of manufacture from 1955, purchased for tests in Switzerland 1 × 7.62 mm machine gun in rotating turret (removed), 2 + 10 men, 12.5 tons AMX-VCI
T-54 Main battle tank (USSR), barter item 1 × 10 cm cannon, 2 × 7,62 mm machine gun, 4 men, 36 tons T 54
Leopard 2 Kampfpanzer (D) M + 77101 was the first of 35 Leopard 2s delivered from Germany in 1987, and 345 Leopard 2s were manufactured in Thun until 1993 4 men, 120 mm smoothbore gun, 42 rounds, 62 tons Leopard 2

literature

  • Martin Haudenschild: The history of the development of the Panzer 68 , SAM, March 2006 edition, ( online PDF 4.17 MB )

Web links

Commons : Panzermuseum Thun  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport: Reference on the website of the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport to the Thun Tank Museum ( Memento from May 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
  2. ↑ a b Documentation Panzermuseum Thun (PDF, 22.5 kB) ( memento from September 23, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), viewed on April 30, 2018
  3. ↑ History of the King Tiger in Switzerland

Coordinates: 46 ° 45 '28.2 "  N , 7 ° 36' 58.9"  E ; CH1903:  613,578  /  178532