Have you ever wondered what it takes to start up a World War II museum-piece tank? Surprisingly little, in many instances.
Curators at the SA National Museum of Military History regularly start up a selection of their restored fleet of armoured and other vehicles to keep them in running order.
Recently, it was the turn of a Soviet T34/85 medium tank of World War II vintage.
The tank had recently been returned to running order by a technical team including curators Richard Henry, Stephen Tegner and Mzwakhe Mabuza.
Henry said the T34 was in good condition when donated to the museum in 1989.
Although the tank’s individual history is unknown, it is date-stamped March 24, 1945, according to its manufacturer’s stamp — meaning it probably did not see action in the world war.
The tank was captured by the former SA Defence force in Angola but had by then been upgraded, with the engine and running gear fitted to the later T54/55-series main battle tanks.
”The Soviets made things quite simple,” Henry said. ”To take anything off is simple… the bolts are all cadmium coated and they don’t rust. There are no nuts, the bolts fit threading in the tank’s armour. This greatly eases maintenance.”
Henry added that it took two weeks to strip the T34/85 down. By comparison, doing the same to a similar vintage British tank, the Comet, took five months because of rusted bolts and hard-to-reach nuts.
About all that was slightly rusted on the T34 were its tracks. Henry said rehabilitating the outside of the tank was perhaps the easy task.
Tegner and Mabuza said the inside of the tank was a mess of oil, dirt and grease when they got to work.
This was washed away and the interior cleaned and repainted. Canvas strapping was also laundered.
Starting the tank for the first time since its arrival at the museum was a bit more of a challenge: batteries strong enough to turn the powerful diesel engine were lacking.
A mobile battery pack has since been made by connecting four heavy-duty batteries and mounting them on a push cart.
Henry said vehicles were usually started on Fridays, but this month, several would be started on December 18, a Saturday, to mark Reconciliation Day.
The museum, part of the Department of Arts and Culture, now has 18 running vehicles and has plans to rehabilitate more.
Already running is an American M3A1 Stuart light tank, a British Crossley armoured car dating to the 1920s and a Canadian Chevrolet 15-hundredweight truck.
Two of the first armoured vehicles built in South Africa, a Mark I and a Mark VI armoured car — like the Stuart used in World War II — are also in running order, as is an Excelsior Welbike, a tiny motorcycle used by paratroopers. The fold-up scooter is so small some toddler’s tricycles appear larger.
Henry said it took ”just a few hours” to start the Stuart, known as the ”Honey” to Commonwealth forces.
He said it was just a matter of checking that all the engine parts were in place and that there was fuel in the tank.
Then it was a quick hand crank to turn over the engine, switching on the magnetos, connecting the battery pack and the feisty little tank ”fired at once”.
War-era vehicles next in line for repair include a Sherman tank, and a Universal Carrier, often mistakenly called a ”Bren carrier.”
The museum is also looking for parts for the engine of its Carro Leggaero 3/35, a captured Italian tankette.
The tiny vehicle, about half the size of a Citi Golf, was powered by a 32kw Fiat four cylinder inline water-cooled engine.
They also need about R28 000 to cast new track sections to replace those lost over the last six decades.
Post-war vehicles in working order include a Ferret scout car, a Saracen armoured personnel carrier, Eland armoured cars and a Buffel troop carrier.
The Saracens were infamously used in the clampdown on dissent after the Sharpeville massacre in 1960.
The museum’s collection of Russian vehicles — most in running order –also includes a T55 tank, a PT76 amphibious tank a UAZ jeep, some trucks and a BM21 rocket launcher.
The museum, next to the Johannesburg Zoo, is open seven days a week. Admission for adults costs R10, and for children R5. – Sapa