Collings
11-24-2020, 09:09 AM
#2
I said it before and I'll say it again, there's a difference between making a fair profit and ripping people off. It really disappoints me that these scumbags are using Littlefield tanks for this. If Littlefield were alive today I'll bet he would have objected to this. From what I've heard, Littlefield was pretty cool about taking people for free rides in his tanks. I can't imagine that he would approve of such a ridiculous price to drive a tank. I know, Fuel and maintenance cost money but $1,500 to drive a Sherman? Maybe if they let me drive it for about a month.
11-24-2020, 09:18 AM
#3
There are actually a few others in the US where you can drive a tank. Some of them are much cheaper than there.
in Minnesota: https://www.driveatank.com/
in Texas: https://www.drivetanks.com/ - can fire live tank guns
in Nevada: https://www.battlefieldvegas.com/ - can crush cars and shoot machine guns also
in Georga: https://tanktownusa.com/ - can crush cars and shoot machine guns also
in Florida: https://www.tankamerica.com/tank-driving/ - can crush cars
in Alabama: https://combatpark.com/services/drive-a-tank-spartan/ - can crush cars
in Massachusets: https://www.americanheritagemuseum.o...g-experiences/ - this is the link you posted
Personally I learned to drive a Sherman for free at the now closed Fort Snelling Military Museum as a volunteer. There are other museums around the country with working tanks so if there is one in your area you could ask if they have a volunteer program. That is if you like to get your hands soaked in 50 year old grease and diesel, feel the need to help, and feel the need to preserve our military artifacts. You don't need to be a mechanic to help. I had very little experience with that kind of stuff. A lot of the work was breaking bolts loose, sand blasting, general maintenance, cleaning, painting, and light fabrication. Of course saying that I learned how to pull the pack out of an M60, how to remove the turret of a Sherman, how to replace glow plugs in a duece, how to tension track on an M114, how to break track on Sherman, how to load a Sherman on the back of an M26 Pacific (Dragon Wagon), how to drive an M26 Pacific hauling a Sherman, how to drive an M114, how to drive a Sherman, how to drive an M42 Duster, and countless other things. All as a civilian.
in Minnesota: https://www.driveatank.com/
in Texas: https://www.drivetanks.com/ - can fire live tank guns
in Nevada: https://www.battlefieldvegas.com/ - can crush cars and shoot machine guns also
in Georga: https://tanktownusa.com/ - can crush cars and shoot machine guns also
in Florida: https://www.tankamerica.com/tank-driving/ - can crush cars
in Alabama: https://combatpark.com/services/drive-a-tank-spartan/ - can crush cars
in Massachusets: https://www.americanheritagemuseum.o...g-experiences/ - this is the link you posted
Personally I learned to drive a Sherman for free at the now closed Fort Snelling Military Museum as a volunteer. There are other museums around the country with working tanks so if there is one in your area you could ask if they have a volunteer program. That is if you like to get your hands soaked in 50 year old grease and diesel, feel the need to help, and feel the need to preserve our military artifacts. You don't need to be a mechanic to help. I had very little experience with that kind of stuff. A lot of the work was breaking bolts loose, sand blasting, general maintenance, cleaning, painting, and light fabrication. Of course saying that I learned how to pull the pack out of an M60, how to remove the turret of a Sherman, how to replace glow plugs in a duece, how to tension track on an M114, how to break track on Sherman, how to load a Sherman on the back of an M26 Pacific (Dragon Wagon), how to drive an M26 Pacific hauling a Sherman, how to drive an M114, how to drive a Sherman, how to drive an M42 Duster, and countless other things. All as a civilian.
11-24-2020, 09:40 AM
#4
Thread Starter
I said it before and I'll say it again, there's a difference between making a fair profit and ripping people off. It really disappoints me that these scumbags are using Littlefield tanks for this. If Littlefield were alive today I'll bet he would have objected to this. From what I've heard, Littlefield was pretty cool about taking people for free rides in his tanks. I can't imagine that he would approve of such a ridiculous price to drive a tank. I know, Fuel and maintenance cost money but $1,500 to drive a Sherman? Maybe if they let me drive it for about a month.
I think they skirt the meaning of 'not for profit' (which was the supposed basis for the transfer of the collection) and while they focused on a glam display of the remnants of JL's collection I question their commitment to the spirit of it.
Jerry
Then there's this: B17G crash
