I never got round to putting these pics on the old place, but thought they might be of interest. We went to India a while back (Rajasthan) and while out west towards the Pakistani border we came across the Jaisalmer War Museum (map https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Jai ... 71.0261611)
It covers the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. It was surprisingly a really good little museum, run by the Indian Army. I think they were a little bemused at our turning up but were very welcoming. There was even a little gift shop.
The main highlight was the range of captured Pakistani kit:
A Sherman of some flavour (others will know better). When looking at the photos again I could see the there was a serial number on the outside. (C) 1486 1A2949 LG BU. Google tells me the (C) means the hull was made at the American Steel Foundries Cast Armor Plant, East Chicago, Indiana (http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minu ... emarks.pdf. The gun mount/shield was from National Roll & Foundry, Avonmore, Pennsylvania. Long way from home.
An Indian Army T-55 (I least I think it's a -55)
Another Pakistani Sherman (again not sure on variant - any ideas?)
Soviet P-15 air defence radar on a Zil (at least that's what the caption says)
Chinese Type 59 (T-54 knock-off) in Pakistani service
Embarrassed to admit I don't know what this is - British?
Another Indian T-55 with gratuitous rear detail shot.
Indian BTR-50. I was struck by how big this was - a large solid target, especially side on.
Czech Topas OT-62 - BTR-50 copy
The caption claimed this was a BTR-60 but that seems unlikely. Any guesses?
All in all an interesting little museum if you happen to be on holiday in that part of the world.
Jaisalmer War Museum - India
- chairborne
- Site Admin
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:45 pm
-
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2018 8:01 am
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
The Sherman looks like a mixture - Others may give more detail on the actual bits but the "gun" looks like a bit of pipe and the platform around the hull looks like frame base for a Duplex Drive Sherman. If you have a rear view there may be propellers.chairborne wrote: ↑Sat Mar 17, 2018 7:34 am
Another Pakistani Sherman (again not sure on variant - any ideas?)
Embarrassed to admit I don't know what this is - British?
The caption claimed this was a BTR-60 but that seems unlikely. Any guesses?
All in all an interesting little museum if you happen to be on holiday in that part of the world.
The aircraft is certainly British - a Hawker Hunter.
The armoured car is a Humber.
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
Shame on you not knowing what the Hunter is. Wheeled vehicle is a Humber Armoured Car.
IanS
IanS
Anything bigger than 6 is too big
- chairborne
- Site Admin
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:45 pm
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
Great find there Greg, most interesting, thanx for posting....
Greatness is not in where we stand,
but in what direction we are moving,
we must sail sometimes in the wind,
and sometimes against it,
but sail we must, and not drift nor lie at anchor.
but in what direction we are moving,
we must sail sometimes in the wind,
and sometimes against it,
but sail we must, and not drift nor lie at anchor.
-
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:48 pm
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
Some good stuff there the second Sherman looks like a DD to me too look at the fitting on the rear wheel as well as the shelve around the lower hull. Thanks for sharing.
Stewart
Stewart
-
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2018 7:29 pm
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
The first Sherman is a 76mm M1 armed M4A1E6 (originally a 75mm Sherman dry stowage), The Americans did test the 76mm in the smaller turret during WW2, but it did not go into production because the larger turret was the better option. However, there are a few rare photos of them in WW2, which would have been field conversions. Post war this conversion was carried out on a variety of M4 hulls, same conversion as the Sherman in Kelly's Heroes, which, I think were Yugoslavian and they are also seen being used by Pakistan.
"E4/E6 Shermans - Two of what would become the last of the US-produced Sherman tank variants. During the early 1950s, US Ordnance military depots and/or outsourced private civilian contractors equipped the 76 mm M1 tank gun in the older small-type turret (designed for the original 75mm M3 tank gun) of M4A1 and M4A3 Shermans. The USA provided these M4A1E6(76) or M4A3E4(76) Shermans to its various allies and friendly and pro-USA states in Europe and Asia (Denmark, India and Yugoslavia received M4A3E4s and Pakistan received M4A1E6s)."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post–Worl ... rman_tanks
I wonder if the DD Sherman was used as an ARV to assist in river crossing just a guess but might explain the dummy barrel.
Some more post war Shermans here:
http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Po ... ermans.pdf
"E4/E6 Shermans - Two of what would become the last of the US-produced Sherman tank variants. During the early 1950s, US Ordnance military depots and/or outsourced private civilian contractors equipped the 76 mm M1 tank gun in the older small-type turret (designed for the original 75mm M3 tank gun) of M4A1 and M4A3 Shermans. The USA provided these M4A1E6(76) or M4A3E4(76) Shermans to its various allies and friendly and pro-USA states in Europe and Asia (Denmark, India and Yugoslavia received M4A3E4s and Pakistan received M4A1E6s)."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post–Worl ... rman_tanks
I wonder if the DD Sherman was used as an ARV to assist in river crossing just a guess but might explain the dummy barrel.
Some more post war Shermans here:
http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Po ... ermans.pdf
- chairborne
- Site Admin
- Posts: 475
- Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:45 pm
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
Thanks gents, some helpful nuggets there. I am now better informed about Shermans (and British aircraft...). Glad you found the photos of interest.
Re: Jaisalmer War Museum - India
Depends what you define as "too early in Cold War?" Hunters were still doing sterling service up to 1990s including as ground attack birds in the Swiss Air Force. The Brits used them as a ground attack aircraft up to 1970s (replaced by Phantom and Jaguar) and used them in a variety of training roles up to 1980s.chairborne wrote: ↑Sat Mar 17, 2018 11:06 amI am suitably admonished. My weak defence being that it was a bit too early in the Cold War for me....
Still loved seeing these pics and thanks for sharing! It's not often you get to see this kit from rather obscure but very important and very interesting wars.