Re: [MV] panzers

From: Richard Notton (Richard@fv623.demon.co.uk)
Date: Thu Jul 06 2000 - 07:05:26 PDT


----- Original Message -----
From: <PKubicz@cs.com>
To: "Military Vehicles List" <mil-veh@skylee.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2000 6:20 PM
Subject: [MV] panzers

> Can anyone tell me where I could get a German WWII Panzer, and what price
> range we'd be talking about(for, lets say, the average pzkpfw).
>
Now, just what is "The average Pz.Kpfw" ?

Have you in mind a virtually running tank that needs a strip-down and
refurbishment ? These you'd have to pry from the few museums that have
them, likely with no chance of success. Patton Museum, APG, Bovington and
Samur, there is Kubinka of course too.

For a running example perhaps Jacques Littlefield, Kevin Wheatcroft or Rex
Cadman spring to mind but you might have to offer a six figure sum to just
get any attention. None of these people actually need the money
incidentally.

If one could be found, a 50% complete dog makes some 250,000 USD and expect
to invest at least the same again in restoration.

It is true that Syria once had several modified Panzer IVs; the Hetzer and
Stug III were used post WWII by Scandinavia and compared to actual Panzers
the latter two are quite common, well they make up the fingers of two hands
common shall we say.

Effectively the Wehrmacht collapsed when the stock of Panzers were
exhausted, battle damaged wrecks were quickly re-cycled in the furnaces for
post-war re-building, a few were sent to museums. The British Military
actually completed some Panthers on the end of the factory line to have some
evaluation vehicles, having been tested to destruction and maintained by
cannibalisation, one went to Bovington and the hulks became range targets.
(This has been well covered in W&T by the curator of Bovington Tank Museum).

There are indeed several excellently restored Pz.Kpfw. in the US, however
these are in the hands of non-MV people as an investment asset and are
unlikely to ever see the light of day.

Finding any Panzer is not at all like trawling through Ebay or Supply Line
for a jeep, if it were, we'd all have one.

Good luck.

Richard
Southampton - England



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