South African National Museum of Military History

 Working in Johannesburg last week presented me with the opportunity to make a lightening quick tour of the South African National Museum of Military History.

This museum's website gives an excellent overview of what can be expected if you should visit - https://ditsong.org.za/en/our-museums/museum-of-military-history/

Wikipedia gives an potted story of how the museum name has changed over the years - The South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg was officially opened by Prime Minister Jan Smuts on 29 August 1947 to preserve the history of South Africa's involvement in the Second World War. In 1975, the museum was renamed from the South African National War Museum and its function changed to include all conflicts that South Africa has been involved in. In 1999 it was amalgamated with the Pretoria-based Transvaal Museum and National Cultural History Museum to form the Northern Flagship Institution. In April 2010 Ditsong was officially renamed Ditsong Museums of South Africa and the SANMMH was renamed the Ditsong National Museum of Military History.

Me262 Night Fighter/Interceptor

The museum comprises a number of different halls with many of the larger exhibits displayed outdoors, but protected under cover. This is a serious museum, very well laid out, fascinating exhibits of real quality, a good half-day's worth of viewing.

88mm Anti-Aircraft/Tank gun

Olifant Mk1 (Centurion)

There are uniforms and weapons from the Zulu war to the present day as well as AFVs and aircraft from WW2-the Bush wars of the 1980-90's. There are more artillery pieces in one place than I've ever seen before dating from the Boer war to now. 

G6 155mm Wheeled SPG

This vehicle is enormous!!

There is also a research establishment within the museum's library and an impressive war memorial within the grounds.

Dassault Mirage

Buccaneer

It cost less than £2.20 to enter, which for something like this has to be a bargain. Where else would you get to see some of the exclusively South African AFVs like the Olifant Mk1, G6 wheeled SPG and Rafel IFV?

Marmon Herrington Armoured cars from WW2

FW190

Pom-Pom

G5 155mm Howitzer with auxiliary motor

Rafel IFV

Panhard AML 90mm

Panhard AML with 60mm Mortar

Saracen APC

Thoroughly recommended.

Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen - Part Two

 A second work trip to Remagen has given me the opportunity to take a look around the Museum in the western towers.

Nice aerial view of the collapsed bridge and two pontoons built alongside

Lt. Karl Timmermann who first spotted the bridge was still standing from a  nearby church

The view he got is recreated here.

Several emotive paintings are displayed as part of the museum's collection

The museum opens 10-5 every day in the main holiday seasons, but less frequently out of season and charges 5.50€ entrance fee.

The five scapegoats who were tried and sentenced to death between 9-13th March 1945 for failure to destroy the bridge. Only one escaped his sentence to become an American POW.

V2's were launched from the Netherlands in an effort to destroy the bridge. Several fell on civilian areas the closest to the bridge fell just 250m short. Here are pieces of V2 debris from the attack.

Personal German Infantry equipment - mess tins, pouches etc. found in the area.

There are a nice selection of artifacts dating from the time of the battle as well as some displays that high-light the sufferings in the town of Remagen itself - which was largely destroyed.

Engineers with their sign 1945

The original sign welcoming US Army bridge users

A contemporary painting of the Western towers as they are today

There was a fascinating display based around the 1960's movie and how the film's use of surplus US Chaffee tanks in the former Czechoslovakia may have helped Moscow justify the 1968 invasion!

Stills from the movie set

Promotional material from the movie

If you get an opportunity to visit I would recommend you give it a go.

Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen - Part One

 Recently I was visiting one of my sites for work which just happens to be in the town of Remagen, in Germany.

View from the Western bank. The railway line went through a tunnel in the mountain on the left of the picture

The history of the bridge is well publicised and a good summary can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Remagen

Looking from the towpath back inland

Today the bridge towers on both West & East banks (all that remain of the original bridge) have been turned into museums. Sadly the museum on the West bank doesn't open until March so I was unable to visit. 

Looking from the viewing point on the flood dam, back towards the river. The eastern towers just visible in the centre of the picture

As the Bridge was never replaced, it is something like an 80Km round trip to drive to the Eastern towers, but there is a foot ferry you can use to get across if you wished. The Rhine at this point is probably 500 or so metres wide!

Another very good account of the battle for the bridges can be watched on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdy1IAJvCNM

I'll leave you with the other pictures I took.

A piece of the original bridge, dredged up several km downstream from the collapse

Loser Shed Make-Over

 After talking about it for probably 5 years, I have finally got around to getting a new laminate floor laid in the loser shed. Together with a space-age insulation underlay, I'm hoping this will make things a little more warm through the winter.

Tilly the terrier seems to approve!

 I've also treated the Loser Shed to some posh draught excluder around the door and a super-efficient ceramic fan heater which allegedly only costs 15pence an hour to run ..... we will see.

All this has led to a delay in progress with the 15mm pirates and their ships. All the figures are now finished, but there's still a bunch of cannon to paint and four resin ships.

The ship at the very rear was picked up at a Bristol Bring & buy some years ago and in storage until now. The two in the centre are Peter Pig ships bought at the IPMS show and the painted example is Colin's ship from those original starter sets.

Here's my original ship bought from Peter Pig many years ago.

The remaining ships require the addition of the small metal details that came with them (Cannon sticking out of gun-ports, ships-wheels and the like) before I prime them and finish them with speed paints of one type or another.