"Patton" movie anachronisms

[armoredman]

Just went to the Kubinka website - what has changed, here?













Someone doing some rebuild work, or did the mysterious third prototye show up? Front glacis damage covered up? Original paint scheme, as shown in the trial photos, on tank in museum, but not now? Hmm....

Edited to add it is the same vehicle - look at the damage under the 128mm gun barrel.....but why change it to what it wasn't?

 

[DTLoken]

holy ????, how much did that Maus tank weigh?

 

[Lord Grey Boots]

I didn't know they actually built the Maus. I understood it weighed 1500 tons (or something equally huge) , way too much for any bridge in Europe.

 

[Trebor]

I just read an article on the Kubinka museum in a back issue of "Armor" magazine. "Armor" is the professional journal for the U.S. armor community.

The article mentioned the Maus and said the tank at the museum is made up of pieces from the tank that was destroyed by the Russians and pieces of a second unfinished example. Since it isn't exactly any of the original prototypes, that might explain why they feel it's OK to change the paint scheme.

 

[armoredman]

The T1 prototype apparently suffered an engine explosion, and the museum example is the T1 turret with the T2 hull. There was one photot that showed the two of them together once, wish I could find it again....
I'd like to see someone build a working replica.....

 

[armoredman]

entropy, forgot to tell you the white PZIV was in the middle of restoration - that is also why the gun looks so short, as the recoil mechansim had broken, and the tube slid in. That one has been fully restored to running condition, though I don't remember where it is now.... But, I do know the UN doesn't have it!
Dirty UNdies wouldn't know what to do with it, anyway.....

 

[entropy]

I just figured it was a 'snubnose' version, Yeah, the UN would use it as an APC probably. I like the juxtaposition of the tricycle in front of the Maus in the picture with the guy standing there....

 

[4v50 Gary]

I thought the Maus weighed 150 tons. BTW, thank you Gewehr44 for the link to the Royal Tank Museum. I tried to go there once but wound up 20 miles away and there was no interconnecting bus line between the two counties. I had to go back to London.

Next trip to England & I'm going to Leeds (Royal Armoury) and to Bovington Camp. I've been wanting to see that Tank Museum since 3rd grade (tastes don't change that much).

 

[shep854]

A quick heads-up; The Ft Knox armor event has been moved to Memorial Day weekend, for cooler weather. I'm planning on flying up.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Oh No! That means I'll have to go to Fort Knox instead of seeing the Frazier Arms Museum on Memorial Day weekend. Then it's up to Vincennes for the 225th Anniversary of George Rogers Clark capture of Sackville. Oh, so many sites, so little time.

 

[Nando Aqui]

I saw the movie when it first came out and liked it. Later, the more I learned about Patton, and the more I see what is happening today, the more I appreciated the movie. The accuracy of the equipment, etc., doesn't bother me too much, as has been said, especially when considering when it was made.

Speaking of Patton, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND "General Patton's Principles for Life and Leadership", by Porter B. Willimason. It should be required reading for all managers, leaders, etc. It speaks not only about Patton, what he did, how, and why; but also about his views and opinions. And talk about anachronsisms! He said things back then that you could swear were been said about what is happening today. I guess history does repeat itself.

As far as anachronisms in movies - one that really drives me up a wall is the biplane used in the opening of "Pearl Harbor" (2001). The movie starts sometime in the 1920's, and they show a Stearman PT-13, 17 (or similar variation) that is so old at that time that it has been abandoned in a barn for the kids to use as a giant toy.

The PT-17 history starts around 1934 with the Model 70, and its first variation, the PT-13 Model 75, did not appear until 1936. Yet the movie has a well used and no longer operable PT-13 (-17) appearing in the 1920's!

Alex

 

[Rob1035]

i wish more of the pics in this thread still worked

 

[Stickjockey]

The jeeps were post-war M38s. The German half-tracks were actually U.S. M3s. Still a cool movie though.

And as for Military vehicles? google up Beltring War and Peace show. Those Brits sure love their armor!