Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

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grenadier181
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by grenadier181 »

I wish I had thought of that!
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Walther
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Walther »

Some more action shots from our embedded Kriegsberichter who came in with us on Sunday :)


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DAS MEDIC
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by DAS MEDIC »

A great weekend.

big crongrats to the afra team who created this weekend through hardwork before and during the event (pd, stig, bryn, karl, bob,emma, rich...and jordan :wink: ) all did a sterling job..
this was obviously a taster for things to come with this event and location.and can only get bigger -and better (except the bangs which would probably blow out the museums windows :lol: )
was supported well by the public despite the shaky start with the weather. and the response be the public well to me anyway portraying galland was very positive (even the local bobby came and commmented how he was one of his favourite pilots of ww2 and how much i was like him)- think the famous person idea has got legs, rommel looked ace too.
finally the weather broke and we had everything from frostbite to sunstroke :lol:

the effort to detail and displays by all involved was tremendous.. all looked excellent and gave the mops a real sense of the living history side of re enactment .

just a shame the museum didnt release a bit more armour for the battle. although from our side looked great. i remember seeing the fixed bayonet charge coming through the smoke wishing i could have captured it on camera. and jon philips panzer ALWAYS looks great

and bryns tower of.....er wood 8) did its job and worked a treat :wink: , a bit of a difficult battlefield (it is REALLY a tank display arena but the afra pyroteam brought it to life and the troops made the most of the area, the public seemed to lap it up.

thanks to das reich and lou for looking after micky and giving me a base to relax. micky really enjoyed herself...including the icecream.

looking forwards to seeeing more pics, neil the gd pics on the hill look so real,,,excellent work.

pd. sorry for pestering you guys but i must make sure ..WATER.. SUGAR ..SALT. - i wont go away till you have :wink:


a long trip but well worth it

big thumbs up for alll involved


but

if i see another bean chewing sandal weaving muddy welly wearing car packed piss smelling pot smoking fookin hippe i shall bloody scream (we got stuck for 2 hours in a 9 mile tailback from glastonbury on monday morning) :twisted: :lol:
"every dog has its' day"
"never pi$$ a guy off who works in a tall glass building who owns a high powered rifle"
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emma.b
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by emma.b »

Thanks to all involved in this wonderful event in great surroundings. I am honoured to of been involved in this wonderful event. A big thanks to all my AFRA friends who continue to believe in and support me in reenacting and to all my reenacting buddies, was great to see you again! xx

Right off to put some more washing in.......

Emma...xx
(pryo girl)
farby but nice!
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LAH650
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by LAH650 »

Tankfest 2011…

Well back in the day I first went to the Tank Museum back in 1981… just after the last ice age according to today’s kids that is…

It was then a few years one marriage and a couple of kids later before I retuned funnily enough they still had them tank things ok some had been painted in a different colour and moved about just to confuse me …. And the ice creams cost a fortune (but that’s another story)…

Then along came 2011 and the need to plan an expedition to the southwest, well after planning routes with my globe and sextant I drew rations from stores including some cold weather rations (with it being that far south I hoped to see penguins) rations… the ice creams where free!

ETA Friday 19.00, there was little enemy activity and the locals appeared to be asleep or in the public house and good time was made.

It appeared that we had arrived in the southern hemisphere during the rainy season but as forward elements where already entrenched locating a suitable billet was not difficult, unlike the 3k walk to the car park….

Anyway summer duly arrived and after the trench foot of Friday heat stroke and sunburn was a luxury I have not enjoyed since the summer of ‘76 …

Again someone had repainted the tank thingy’s and moved them all around…

Yes a long way to go but well worth the effort….


Oh yes… our display… well it was the dogs… what do you expect…. :wink:


Thanks to the TFH management team, the tent erectors, the cooks, the comedians and the drunks…

Thanks to the AFRA team for the pitch, support, ice cream, company and acknowledgement…

The Museum for the halftrack and their support

To our pitch neighbours for their company around the camp fire and during the day…

:D :D :D :D :D
G43
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by G43 »

From myself and Thunder from Heaven, a big thank you to Paul and the first team from AFRA, for last weekend. From the moment we arrived, all was ready for us on our area a pleasant surprise from other events. From our "German Farmyard" it seemed to work very well .
Nice to meet some old friends during the weekend, from the Marines, FJR 2, GD Recon and in particular Meditteraneo. Meeting Feld-Marschall Rommel was also a surprise and what a nice guy he was too.
Thanks also to the Tank Museum for letting borrow the "Meat Chopper", for our Remagen scenario, and many thanks to Rob and Mick for getting the beast into our display area.
A big pat on the back of the members of TFH for their work over the weekend, and especially the cooks, both at lunchtime and the evening. Chris and Mike excelled in their construction of the "Third Reichs finest Outhouse".
Finally thanks Paul for the Ice creams, spying the queue was well worth the wait ! ! !

Colin

www.thunderfromheaven.co.uk
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Reich Crispies
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Reich Crispies »

After a bit of a shaky start, the show panned out to be very enjoyable.
Big up to AFRA/Museum for providing the food and to FRAU and the lads for cooking it.

I've always dreamed of doing Bovie, and thanks to PD , I finally have.
I'm sure this show will go from strength to strength, but the distance required to and from might make this difficult for me to repeat (729 miles round trip and 2 1/2 days holiday!)
Again well done to the AFRA team and the museum staff (who we found friendly too) for a very impressive event.
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Schäfer
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Schäfer »

Blimey, was that a battle featuring Afrika Korps troops? the pics look fantastic!
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Hoffman Grink »

Schäfer wrote:Blimey, was that a battle featuring Afrika Korps troops? the pics look fantastic!
told ya Kev. Just sorry you couldn't make it.
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Schäfer
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Schäfer »

Hoffman Grink wrote:
Schäfer wrote:Blimey, was that a battle featuring Afrika Korps troops? the pics look fantastic!
told ya Kev. Just sorry you couldn't make it.
I know, but I had to keep a promise. That said, with your permission the DAK ranks will be swelled next year :wink:

I have to say that the pics make a nice change from Normandy battles, featuring mainly pea dots, etc.
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Hoffman Grink

Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Hoffman Grink »

Well I hope someone will port this over - We just received yet another email in praise of our efforts at Tankfest - This one is addressed to the Museum but it mentions contributors to the LH component and vindicates our approach and decision to go with the people we chose......
Dear R***** S**** and N**** C****,

I am writing to express my wholehearted appreciation for the splendid day's 'Tankfest' entertainment you and your staff laid on last Saturday week.

My colleague and I have attended most of the 'Tankfest' occasions, over the past six years, and are unanimous on the fact that this last one was the best to date.

Specifically:

1. The decision to move the Tank-Park to the LH side and the Living History Encampments to the RH side of the showground made for better accessibility - and prevented the previous problems of 'start/stop' access to and from the Museum and West/North Bank Viewing Terrace.

2. The granting of permission to the Living History Encampments to excavate trenches, dugouts and sunken defence works - and the inspired idea to supply them with plank scantlings - was instrumental in giving these 'dioramas' an authenticity not seen on their previous, well mown encampments. The mounds of loose earth, broken timbers and scattered equipment gave a frisson of reality, especially on 'The Road to Dunkerque', where, in addition, the abandoned domestic trivia lent a perceptible stench of fear. Just one issue: Foreign troops would be 100% more realistic, if they spoke at least some of their 'native' tongue - Nicht whar!!

3. The initiative of at least one group - representing the US. 101, Screaming Eagles, Regiment - to instruct the public as to the efficacy of various weapons and kit, was a fine idea. Although it broke the 'suspension of disbelief', it helped to bring into focus the reality faced by those young, airborne men who, as the speaker said, were raw troops -rookies - despite the apparent toughness of their appearance. The young [and not so young] audience were held, spellbound.

4. The ever brilliant commentary by David [he of the magnificent moustache] whose unrivalled knowledge and evident geniality provide such an informative and delightfully English touch to the 'Tankfest' afternoon menu.

But, one criticism:

1. With the construction of new banking on the 'display area' end of the Kuwait Arena, please could the Loudspeakers be uprated to the effectiveness of those serving the West and North Banks. It was great to see the Tanks showing their paces, but we just could not hear the [morning's] commentary.

In summary, therefore, thank you again for a distinguished display. We now await the next Winter Season's 'After Hours' Lectures - with anticipation...


Kind regards, ***********
I am so pleased to be able to report a successful Tankfest and not entirely because of our efforts - But of the efforts of all our groups and people who came together to form what the Museum is calling and (as evidenced by this sample email) the public are calling "the best yet". We aimed for it but we didn't think we'd hit it. We will be pitching for 2012 and already have some radical ideas to put to the Museum. We will again be calling upon you to come and do your bit.
Bauer
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Bauer »

Good news to see that Paul, pleased that your team's attitude and efforts have been acknowledged.
Transferred to 17 Kompanie, Infanterie Regiment, Großdeutschland....
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Hoffman Grink »

A photo by Karl Walls that sums up Tankfest 2011 for me.
Tunisia.jpg
Tunisia.jpg (25.21 KiB) Viewed 6258 times
One photo does not an event make - but it sure as hell captures the essence of what we tried to achieve.

Thanks Karl.
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Schäfer
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Re: Tankfest 2011 – The Most Explosive Weekend In History!

Post by Schäfer »

I know I'm biased but it's refreshing to see a totally different theatre of war re-enacted at a public show. It's also a fantastic photo, well done to all concerned.

Just to confirm, with your permission I will definitely be taking a small DAK contingent next year. Can I please confirm the dates as 30th June/1st July 2012?
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