Tank Tour: World's Largest Private Collection of Historic Military Vehicles (BB Video)

In today's edition of Boing Boing Video, guest-host Todd Lappin explores a massive collection of historical military vehicles tanks collected by an eccentric Silicon Valley multimillionaire. The recently-departed Jacques Littlefield amassed one of the world's largest and most significant collections of this type, and his collection is now overseen by the nonprofit Military Vehicle Technology Foundation. Snip from their description:

"Our goal is to acquire, restore, and interpret the historical significance of 20th and 21st century military vehicles. Domestic and foreign combat vehicles such as tanks, armored cars, self-propelled artillery, and other technically interesting mobile platforms are the focus of the collection. We also maintain an extensive technical library that describes many vehicles down to the part level. Aside from the vehicles, there are towed artillery, antitank, and antiaircraft guns. Military support equipment, inert ordnance, and accessories round out the collection."

The foundation is supported by public donations, and you can make one at their website if you dig what they do. To make arrangements for tours, you can email tours.mvtf at gmail.com. To arrange access to the collection for commercial purposes: permissions.mvtf at gmail.com.
The "tank tour" BBV shot for this episode was organized by BB pal Karen Marcelo and Dorkbot SF.

BOING BOING POST: http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/06...

• Category

  Science & Technology

[supra4mn]

ultimate zombi rescue team !!!

[Microglia1]

is it legal to drive these on American roads? If I ever feel the urge to visit Compton, CA this is the way to do it.

[spizzardo]

The ancillary armour on a Sherman was to cover the vulnerable fuel tank, not the ammo stowage.

[William Paasche]

me too =(

[billace90]

What a beautiful Matilda. Thanks for posting.

[cory prid]

now you need people to drive your tank team...

[darthspeaks]

This is the ultimate boyhood dream.

Owning a real life honest to gosh tank collection!

Wow.

just wow.

[darthspeaks]

You know the Soviets sure did know how to mass produce armor. You have to give them that. If they invaded Europe in the 1970s we would have been up shit creek without a paddle.

[ShawnCFarm]

I wish I had the money

[RICKtheFRICK]

You can own a working tank, as for driving it on roads......I think if it's private or under supervision of police, or you probably can do it freely if you have one hell of a difficult to get license :D

[highlandcorp1]

wow i can name all of those

[luke johnson]

@HaoWenXiang shut up mr chinese industrialist. you screwed up your nation's history. if I catch you using a cuting torch on an old panzer, I will use that torch to cut your car, and your cardboard construction house.