The Imperial War Museum Duxford houses the largest collection of military and historic aircraft in Europe. Duxford itself is a historic airfield, being first established in the First World War. It was a major fighter base during the Battle of Britain, then becoming a bomber base through the Cold War. Several of the hangers housing exhibits were in use during the Second World War. Some of the barracks and control rooms have been restored as part of the Battle of Britain exhibits. The site is so large that it will take several hours to visit it all.
The aircraft collection is featured in a separate post, here - https://militarymuseum.blogspot.com/2020/04/imperial-war-museum-duxford-uk-aircraft.html This collection of photos covers the Land Warfare exhibit (8 on the map). The exhibit was very professionally laid out with great diorama displays and very informative plaques.
9.2 inch naval guns in a shore battery mounting. These guns were originally used in protected cruisers of the HMS Blake class of 1890. By the time of the Great War in 1914 these ships were obsolete and were stripped of guns and used as depot ships. The guns were set up as shore batteries.
The gun is mounted among the administration huts of the Duxford Airfield.
Administration and barracks building from the Second World War.
The Operations Room exhibit. Duxford was a frontline airfield during the Battle of Britain, 1940.
German V1 buzz-bomb.
Looking towards the Second World display
Great War artillery and transport
Truck from the Great War
Interwar anti-tank artillery and Morris tender.
Interwar light tank and Great War era truck,
The Great War saw extensive use of cars and trucks for transport.
Matilda tank?
Bedford truck
"Bren carrier"
Soviet T-57, the best tank of the Second World War. http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_T34-76.php
Soviet T-57
German Panzer IV. http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer_IV.php
Lee-Grant tank - http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_Lee_Grant.php
Soviet T-72 heavy tank
DUWK amphibious truck http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/GMC_DUKW.php
American M2 half track http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M2_Halftrack.php
German Jagdpanzer'Hetzer.' The Hetzer used the chassis and running gear of an obsolete Czech tank.
German soldiers
American trucks
Bren Carrier and American half track
German PAK anti-tank guns and a Panzer 'Stug' II Jagdpanzer http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Sturmgeschutz-III.php
The Jagdpanzer reduced complexity in construction by dispensing with the turret and mounting a heavier gun in the front of the hull.
The king of German tank killers, the Jagdpanther. http://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Jagdpanther.php
This is a Tatra built OT-810 copy of the German SdKfz 251 half track. Tatra built half tracks for the German war effort and for some years after the war. They were not a very successful copy. Most of the SdKfz' you see in war movies are post-war OT-810s that have fitted and painted in German livery.
http://www.sdkfz251.com/
This looks to me like a Sherman tank hull, perhaps a recovery vehicle.
American self propelled howizer
Tank hauler
Ferret scout-car. I can recall when ex-Australian Army Ferret's were readily available for sale in the classifieds.
Soviet four-wheel armoured personnel carrier.
When size really does matter.
Soviet BMP1. For my driving experience, check out my post here - https://militarymuseum.blogspot.com/2020/03/soviet-bmp-drive.html
Russian GAZ truck. Absolutely unkillable and still in use today.
Soviet anti-aircraft platform from the Afghan War.
Looking back towards the airfield.
For more information about IWM Duxford, check out the museum's website here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford
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