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Aberdeen Proving Grounds in MD

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  • Member since
    November 2005
Aberdeen Proving Grounds in MD
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 8:31 AM
I used to go all the time as a kid, but I've seen some pics in some new books from there, and the armour is in pretty sad condition.

Has anything been done to fix this, or are they just letting the tanks rot?
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 8:37 AM
ive read somewhere that theres fund raising to rescue the tanks by making a cover for them
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 6:46 PM
I'm about an hour away, need to go back also.
Anyone wanna join me for a pic taking session?

Many of the tanks are in much BETTER condition than the last time I was there.


  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 6:47 PM
oh, and another thing... http://www.ordmusfound.org/
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Racing capital of the world- Indy
Posted by kaleu on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 7:04 PM
I haven't had the pleasure of going to Aberdeen (soon hopefully), but I've been able to do the next best thing and go to Ft. Knox several times.
Erik "Don't fruit the beer." Newest model buys: More than I care to think about. It's time for a support group.
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Fort Knox
Posted by Rob Gronovius on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 8:35 PM
I sat through a briefing last fall by the museum curator. The vehicles are undergoing restoration. I believe it cost something to the tune of $35-40,000 a vehicle to restore. Besides money, there are some environmental issues and water usage (only so many thousands of gallons of water that the recycle tanks can hold at a time, many HAZMATs in the paint, like lead and old POL products).

The old paint schemes were applied only to slow down the deterioration process. Many modelers complained that the old colors were not accurate, and they were right. But it kept the vehicles in one piece until the money was available to do t right.

Currently, they are doing a beautiful job in restoring and repainting the vehicles in accurate markings. The vehicles do have a gloss finish, but that's just to make the tanks more weather-resistant.

APG no longer has the famous "mile of tanks". This was a strip along one of the main roads where many tanks were displayed in the grass median in between the inbound and outbound lanes. Apparently a woman went off the road and hit one of the tanks in her car. She sued (don't know the outcome) so the post removed the tanks from that area.

Many tanks are at a warehouse near the ordnance school awaiting restoration. A few have been placed at various locations throughout the post. Several are on the south side of the road where the mile of tanks were. Bad news to scattering the tanks around the post is that non-military folks are only being allowed to visit the museum and not able to wander the post to see all the newly restored vehicles.

Since Aberdeen was where many vehicles were tested and developed, there are plenty of "one ofs" and prototypes not found anywhere else. Down side to this is that many of their vehicles are prototypes and not production models. Also many captured vehicles that were evaluated in the states are located at APG.
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