Friday 9 December 2011

Big Picture : A39 Tortoise

This picture was taken a long long time ago, back when I was just a "wee-nipper". A copy is in the About Me page above but here it is full size. This is the Tank Museum in Bovington about 1977 and the hansom young man standing on the tank by the turret in the red track top and blue shorts is none other than yours truly. Looking out from behind me (in a matching track top non-the-less!) is my little sister and the older gentleman in the blue shirt and dark coat to the left and below us is my Grandfather.


The tank we are climbing all over is the A39 Heavy Assault Tank or Tortoise. The initial designs for the Tortoise project dates back to 1943 but was not ready until 1947 and was never accepted into service. This particular vehicle is still in running order and was given a gallop round the paddock at this years Tankfest.

8 comments:

  1. I wonder if you are allowed to climb all over them today? Missed on getting to Bovi twice already, don't you just hate Monkey World

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  2. No climbing allowed on the tanks now. I guess it really is an accident waiting to happen and nobody want's to see a kid get hurt... but I'm an adult dammit, why can't I climb on them!! :(

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  3. So the title of this photo is Little Lee?

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  4. Nice stuff but what happened to you?

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  5. Excellent! I have one of me at the same age crawling over a Centurion Tank at the Australian War memorial

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  6. Angry... I was about to answer "I grew up" but then I remembered that I still play with toy soldiers.

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  7. I remember those days and going to Bovvy when you could climb all over the tanks. Somewhere I must have a B&W photo of me doing the same thing.

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  8. What more do you want, great fashion, tanks and grandad/grandson interaction!

    Lovely post.

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