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Military Technical Museum Lešany (Czech: Vojenské technické muzeum Lešany) is a museum of military vehicles located in Lešany in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is part of the Military History Institute Prague together with Kbely Aviation Museum and Army Museum Žižkov.[1] Its exposition contains over 700 historic tanks, cannons, motorcycles, armored vehicles, trucks, military passenger vehicles, missile systems and other military equipment manufactured from 1890 to the present. The museum is open from June to September on weekends and in July and August all days except mondays and is free of charge.[2]
Vojenské technické muzeum Lešany | |
 The famous Pink Tank IS-2 at the entrance to the museum | |
  Location of the museum within Czech Republic | |
| Established | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Location | Lešany, Central Bohemian Region,  Czech Republic |
| Coordinates | 49°51′18″N 14°32′38″E / 49.855°N 14.544°E |
| Type | Military museum |
| Owner | Military History Institute Prague |
| Public transit access | Krhanice train station |
| Nearest parking | On site (no charge) |
| Website | www.vhu.cz |
History and presentation
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The museum was established in 1996 in a former artillery barracks in the municipality of Lešany, near Týnec nad Sázavou.[3] The collections are presented in ten halls, six roofed areas and also in the open air. The exposition is presented in themed manner like separate Artillery hall with Škoda cannons and howitzers, pre WWII Czechoslovak Army, WWII North Africa theme, Czechoslovat signal corps theme hall or Czechoslovak Army missiles presented in separate hall. Since 2003, a so-called "Tank Day" is held every year at the end of the summer season (usually last Saturday of summer vacation) in the area of the museum, where many of the tanks and other military vehicles from the museum's collection are presented in dynamic displays.[4] The presentations also include vehicles from military car clubs and clubs of military history from Czechia. The Army of the Czech Republic also participates in these events, therefore current military equipment of the Czech Army can also be seen on display. There are also events at the beginning of every season (in May) which are usually dedicated to other branches of ground equipment, like "Artillery day", "AAA day", "Tatra day", etc or to anniversaries of the Army of Czech Republic.[5] Since 2021 the museum also have part of the Berlin wall as part of the exhibition.[6]
The collection
editWWI and the interwar period
- featuring for example: Fiat 18 BLR, Nash Quad, MU-4 tankette, Praga RV, Tatra 27
World War II: Axis
- featuring for example: Panzer 35(t), Panzer 38(t), Panzer IV, Hetzer, Krupp Protze, HORCH 108, VW type 82 Kübelwagen, Volkswagen Schwimmwagen, Steyr 1500 A, Stoewer R 200, Tempo G1200, SPA TL 37, Sd.Kfz. 2 Kettenkrad, BMW R-35, 15cm Nebelwerfer 41, LG 42, Tatra 111, Tatra 57K, Škoda 956, 8.8 cm FlaK, 7.5 cm Pak 97/38, 15 cm sFH 18, Würzburg-Riese
World War II: Allies and neutral powers
- featuring for example: M4A1 Sherman, M4A3 Sherman, M36, M3A1 Stuart, Cromwell, Comet, T-34/76, T-34/85, IS-2, IS-3, SU-76, SU-100, ISU-152, Praga LTP, Praga LTH, Strv m/37, LVT-4, GMC CCKW 353, Harley-Davidson WLA, Dodge WC-52, Dodge WC-54, Dodge WC-57, M3A1 Scout Car, M16 MGMC, Ford GPW, Humber scout car, Bedford MWC, Universal Carrier, Morris Commercial C8 Quad, Scammell Pioneer SV2S, Austin K6, Bedford QLT, BM-13, BA-64B, GAZ-67B, Stalinets S-65, ZiS-3, QF 25 pounder, Sav m/43, Bofors 40 mm gun
Cold War: East
- featuring for example: T-54, T-55, PT-76, T-72, 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S4 Tyulpan, 2S7 Pion, 152mm SpGH DANA, ZSU-57-2, BMP-1, BMP-2, OT-62 TOPAS, BTR-60, OT-64 SKOT, OT-65, ShM-120 PRAM, BM-21 Grad, RM-51, RM-70, SA-4 Ganef, SA-8 Gecko, SA-9 Gaskin, FROG-7, SS-23 Spider, SS-1c SCUD-B, SS-21 Scarab, 9P148 Konkurs, 9P19 launcher, SA-5 Gammon, R-330P, KRTP-86 Tamara, GAZ-46 MAV, Praga V3S, UAZ-469, ZIL-131, Tatra 805, Tatra 813
Cold War: West
- featuring for example: Centurion, Chieftain, M47 Patton, M48 Patton, M60 Patton, Merkava Mk.I, Leopard 1, AMX-13, Panhard EBR, Alvis Saracen, Ferret Mk.2/3, DAF YA 126, M561 Gama Goat, Unimog S404, DKW Munga, Dodge M37, M151, Bv 202, Vkp m/42, Pbv 301
Modern
- featuring for example: T-72M3CZ prototype, HMMWV, Toyota Hilux SCV
Gallery
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British Bedford MWC water tanker -
Czechoslovakian LT-38 tank -
Swedish Strv m/37 tank -
German Jagdpanzer 38(t) tank destroyer -
Soviet IS-3 heavy tank -
Greek Leopard 1V tank -
Greek M60A1 Patton tank -
Israeli Merkava Mk.IB tank -
Škoda cannons in Artillery hall -
Scud missile in Rocket hall
References
edit- ^ "Základní informace o Vojenském historickém ústavu Praha". vhu.cz (in Czech). VHU Praha. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ The official museum website (Czech)
- ^ "Vojenské technické muzeum Lešany". do-muzea.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Military Technical Museum Lešany". www.vltava-river.com. Central Bohemian Tourism Center. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Všetečka, Roman (24 May 2013). "Vojenské muzeum v Lešanech slaví 20 let české armády". idnes.cz (in Czech). iDnes. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Šiška, Martin (21 January 2021). "Kus Berlínské zdi bude i v Lešanech: Muzeum chystá unikátní převoz". czdefence.cz (in Czech). CZ Defence. Retrieved 11 April 2023.