Military museum Lešany
Encyclopedia
The Military Technical Museum Lešany is a museum of military vehicle
s located in the Czech Republic
about 20 kilometers south of Prague
. It's exposition contains over 700 historic tanks, cannons, motorcycles, armored vehicles, trucks, military passenger vehicles, missile systems and other military equipment manufactured in the period from 1890 up to present.
and Lešany
, near Týnec nad Sázavou
. The collections are presented in 9 small halls, 6 roofed areas and also in the open air. Since 2003, there's so called 'Tank Day' held every year at the end of the season (usually end of August/beginning of September) 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. Army of the Czech Republic is also participating in these events therefore the current military equipment of the Czech Army can be also seen on displays. 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.
Axis WWII
Allies WWII
Cold War: Warsaw Pact
Cold War: NATO
Modern
Military vehicle
A military vehicle is a vehicle that includes all land combat and transportation vehicles, which are designed for or are in significant use by military forces throughout the world. Vehicles that are armored or intended for combat are often referred to as armoured fighting vehicles....
s located in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
about 20 kilometers south of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. It's exposition contains over 700 historic tanks, cannons, motorcycles, armored vehicles, trucks, military passenger vehicles, missile systems and other military equipment manufactured in the period from 1890 up to present.
History and presentation
The Museum was established in 1996 in the former artillery barracks between the villages of KrhaniceKrhanice
Krhanice is a municipality and village in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
and Lešany
Lešany (Benešov District)
Lešany is a municipality and village in Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
, near Týnec nad Sázavou
Týnec nad Sázavou
Týnec nad Sázavou is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
. The collections are presented in 9 small halls, 6 roofed areas and also in the open air. Since 2003, there's so called 'Tank Day' held every year at the end of the season (usually end of August/beginning of September) 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. Army of the Czech Republic is also participating in these events therefore the current military equipment of the Czech Army can be also seen on displays. 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.
The Collection
Pre-war time- featuring for example: MU-4 tankette, Strv m/37Strv m/37Stridsvagn m/37 was a Swedish-built version of the Czechoslovak CKD AH-IV tankette. The AH-IV was popular with Romania and Iran, and Sweden ordered 48 AH-IV-Sv in the mid-1930s. Two of these were built in Czechoslovakia; the other 48 were built under license by Jungner in Sweden, AB Volvo...
, Praga RV, Tatra 27
Axis WWII
- featuring for example: Panzer 35(t)Panzer 35(t)The Panzerkampfwagen 35, commonly shortened to Panzer 35 or abbreviated as Pz.Kpfw. 35, was a Czechoslovak-designed light tank used mainly by Nazi Germany during World War II. The letter stood for tschechisch...
, Panzer 38(t)Panzer 38(t)The Panzerkampfwagen 38 was originally a Czech tank of pre-World War II design. After Czechoslovakia was taken over by Germany, it was adopted by the German Army, seeing service in the invasions of Poland and Russia. Production ended in 1942, when its armament was deemed inadequate. In all, over...
, Panzer IVPanzer IVThe Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
, HetzerHetzerThe Jagdpanzer 38 , later known as Hetzer , was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38 chassis. The project was inspired by the Romanian "Mareşal" tank destroyer.The name Hetzer was at the time not commonly used for this vehicle...
, Krupp ProtzeKrupp ProtzeThe L 2 H 43 and L 2 H 143 "Krupp-Protze" was a six-wheeled German truck and artillery tractor used by German forces in World War II. It was powered by a 55 hp or 60 hp Krupp M 304 4-cylinder petrol engine. Its main purpose was to tow artillery, especially the PaK 36...
, HORCH 108HorchHorch was a car brand manufactured in Germany by August Horch & Cie, at the beginning of the 20th century.-History at a Glance:The company was established first by August Horch and his first business partner Salli Herz on November 14, 1899 at Ehrenfeld, Cologne. August Horch was a former production...
, VW type 82 Kübelwagen, Steyer 1500 A, Stoewer R 200StoewerStoewer was a German automobile manufacturer before World War II whose headquarters were in Stettin .The first company was founded by the Stoewer brothers, Emil and Bernhard in 1896 for manufacturing sewing machines in Stettin...
, Tempo G1200Tempo (car)Tempo, , was a German automobile manufacturer based in Hamburg. The company was founded by Oscar Vidal in 1924....
, SPA TL 37TL.37The TL.37 was an Italian military vehicle of World War II. Model SPA, called TLA . The tractor was designed to accommodate six people, draw artillery pieces of 75mm and 100mm at a speed of 40 km/h on road and trailers carrying ammunition with of a capacity of 100 shells and to cross slopes of...
, SdKfz 2 KettenkradSdKfz 2The SdKfz 2, better known as the Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101 or Kettenkrad for short , started its life as a light tractor for airborne troops. The vehicle was designed to be delivered by Junkers Ju 52 aircraft, though not by parachute...
, BMW R-35, 15cm Nebelwerfer 4115 cm Nebelwerfer 41The 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was a German multiple rocket launcher used in the Second World War. It served with units of the Nebeltruppen, the German equivalent of the U.S. Army's Chemical Corps...
, LG 42, Tatra 111, Tatra 57K, Škoda 956, 8.8 cm FlaK, 7.5 cm Pak 97/387.5 cm PaK 97/38The Pak 97/38 was a German anti-tank gun used by the Wehrmacht in World War II. The gun was a combination of the barrel from the French Canon de 75 modèle 1897 and the carriage of the German 5 cm Pak 38....
, 15 cm sFH 1815 cm sFH 18The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 or sFH 18 , nicknamed Immergrün , was the basic German division-level heavy howitzer during the Second World War, serving alongside the smaller but more numerous 10.5 cm leFH 18...
Allies WWII
- featuring for example: M4A1 ShermanM4 ShermanThe M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
, M4A3 Sherman, M36 JacksonM36 JacksonThe M36 tank destroyer, formally 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36, was an American tank destroyer used during World War II. American soldiers usually referred to them as TDs for 'tank destroyers'...
, CromwellCromwell tankTank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
, CometComet tankThe Tank, Cruiser, Comet I was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons. It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result it was one of the few British...
, T-34/76, T-34/85, IS-2, IS-3, SU-76SU-76The SU-76 was a Soviet self-propelled gun used during and after World War II.- History :The SU-76 was based on a lengthened and widened version of the T-70 tank chassis...
, SU-100SU-100The SU-100 was a Soviet tank destroyer. It was used extensively during the last year of World War II and saw service for many years afterwards with the armies of Soviet allies around the world.- Development :...
, ISU-152ISU-152ISU-152 was a Soviet multirole fully enclosed and armored self-propelled gun developed and used during World War II, with a subsequent use, mainly in the Soviet military, till the 1970s.-History:...
, GMC CCKW 353GMC CCKWThe GMC CCKW is a 2½ ton 6X6 U.S. Army cargo truck that saw service in World War II and the Korean War, often incorrectly referred to as a "Deuce and a Half" or "Jimmy"...
, Harley-Davidson WLA, Dodge WC-52Dodge WC seriesThe Dodge WC series was a range of light military trucks produced by Dodge during World War II. The series included weapon carriers, telephone installation trucks, ambulances, reconnaissance vehicles, mobile workshops and command cars. They were replaced after the war by the Dodge M-series...
, Dodge WC-54, Dodge WC-57Dodge WC seriesThe Dodge WC series was a range of light military trucks produced by Dodge during World War II. The series included weapon carriers, telephone installation trucks, ambulances, reconnaissance vehicles, mobile workshops and command cars. They were replaced after the war by the Dodge M-series...
, M3A1 Scout CarM3 Scout CarThe M3 Scout Car was an armored car in U.S. service during World War II. It was also known as the White Scout Car, after its manufacturer, the White Motor Company. It was used in various roles including patrol, scouting, command vehicle, ambulance and gun tractor.-History:Design of the vehicle...
, M16 MGMCM3 Half-trackThe Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3 was an armored vehicle used by the United States, the British Empire and the other Allies during World War II and the Cold War. Nearly 43,000 were produced, and supplied to the U.S...
, Ford GPW, Humber Scout CarHumber Scout CarHumber Scout Car was a British light armoured car used in the Second World War.-History:Although at the outbreak of the Second World War the British Army already had the excellent Daimler Dingo, the need for scout cars could not be met by Daimler alone, so other companies were required to produce...
, Bedford MWCBedford VehiclesBedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors, itself the British subsidiary of General Motors , established in 1930; and constructing commercial vehicles. Bedford Vehicles was a leading international truck manufacturer, with substantial export sales of...
, Universal CarrierUniversal CarrierThe Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
, Morris Commercial C8 QuadMorris C8The Morris Commercial C8 FAT commonly known as a Quad was an artillery tractor of the British and Commonwealth forces during World War II....
, Scammell Pioneer SV2SScammell Pioneer Semi-trailerThe Semi-Trailer Scammell Pioneer was a British vehicle that was used to recover tanks from the battlefield and transport them over rough ground during the Second World War.-History:...
, Austin K6, Bedford QLT, BM-13, BA-64BBA-64The BA-64 was a 4×4 light armoured car, employed by the Soviet Army from 1942 into the early 1960s for reconnaissance and liaison tasks.The BA-64B was nicknamed 'Bobik' by its crews. The total recorded number of BA-64s produced differs even in Russian sources...
, GAZ-67BGAZ-67The GAZ-67 and the subsequent GAZ-67B were general purpose four wheel drive Soviet military vehicles built by GAZ starting in 1943. By the end of the war, it was the Soviet equivalent of the Willy's Jeep...
, Stalinetz S-65, ZiS-3ZiS-3The 76-mm divisional gun M1942 was a Soviet 76.2 mm divisional field gun used during World War II. ZiS was a factory designation and stood for Zavod imeni Stalina , the honorific title of Artillery Factory No...
, QF 25 pounder
Cold War: Warsaw Pact
- featuring for example: T-54, T-55T-55The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
, PT-76PT-76The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
, T-72T-72The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
, 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S4 Tyulpan2S4 TyulpanThe 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet self-propelled mortar. "2S4" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SM-240...
, 2S7 Pion2S7 PionThe 2S7 Pion or Malka is a Soviet self-propelled gun. "2S7" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SO-203...
, 152mm SpGH DANA, ZSU-57-2ZSU-57-2The ZSU-57-2 is a Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft gun , armed with two 57 mm autocannons. 'ZSU' stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka , meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount", '57' stands for the bore of the armament in millimetres and '2' stands for the number of gun barrels....
, BMP-1BMP-1The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 , meaning "infantry fighting vehicle". The BMP-1 was the world's first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle...
, BMP-2BMP-2The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s....
, BTR-50BTR-50The BTR-50 The BTR-50 The BTR-50 (BTR stands for Bronetransporter (БТР, Бронетранспортер, literally "armored transporter") is a Soviet amphibious armored personnel carrier (APC) based on the PT-76 light tank. The BTR-50 is tracked, unlike most in the BTR series, which are wheeled. The BTR-50...
, BTR-60BTR-60The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
, OT-64 SKOTOT-64 SKOTThe OT-64 SKOT is an amphibious armored personnel carrier , developed jointly by Poland and Czechoslovakia well into the 1960s.-History:OT-64 was intended to replace the halftrack OT-810, which was nearly...
, OT-65, ShM-120 PRAM, BM-21 Grad, RM-51RM-51The RM-51 multiple rocket launcher was a Czechoslovak army alternative of the BM-13 multiple rocket launcher developed in the 1950s.- Variants :* vz...
, RM-70RM-70The RM-70 multiple rocket launcher is a Czechoslovak army version and the heavier variant of the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, providing enhanced performance over its parent artillery system that was introduced in 1971 .- Overview :RM-70 was developed in Czechoslovakia as a successor for...
, SA-4 Ganef, SA-8 Gecko, SA-9 GaskinSA-9 GaskinThe warhead was primarily intended to impact the target directly, and had contact and magnetic fuzes, but also contained a back-up optical proximity fuze to detonate the warhead in case of a near miss...
, FROG-7FROG-7The 9K52 Luna-M is a Soviet short-range ballistic missile complex. The 9M21 missiles are unguided and spin-stabilized. "9K52" is its GRAU designation. Its NATO reporting name is FROG-7....
, SS-23 Spider, SS-1c SCUD-BScudScud is a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and exported widely to other countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name SS-1 Scud which was attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies...
, SS-21 Scarab, 9P148 Konkurs, 9P19 launcher, SA-5 Gammon, R-330PMT-LBuThe MT-LBu is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious armoured carrier which was developed under the factory index Ob'yekt 10 in the late 1960s, based on the MT-LB...
, KRTP-86 TamaraTamara passive sensorTamara was the third generation Czechoslovak electronic support measures system that used measurements of time difference of arrival of pulses at three or four sites to accurately detect and track airborne emitters by multilateration. Tamara's serial numbers were KRTP-86 and KRTP-91 and it...
, GAZ-46 MAVGAZ 46The GAZ-46, army designation MAV , is a Russian-made light four-wheel drive amphibious military vehicle, that entered service in the 1950s and has been used by many Eastern Bloc allied forces since.During the Second World War Canada, Britain and the US forwarded large quantities of military...
, Praga V3S, UAZ-469UAZ-469The UAZ-469 is an all-terrain vehicle manufactured by UAZ. It was used by the Red Army and other Warsaw Pact forces, as well as paramilitary units in Eastern Bloc countries. In the Soviet Union, it also saw widespread service in all state organizations that needed a robust off-road vehicle.The...
, ZIL 131ZIL 131The ZIL-131 is a general purpose 3.5 tons 6x6 army truck designed in the Soviet Union, the basic model being a general cargo truck. Variants include a tractor-trailer truck, a dump truck, a fuel truck, and a 6x6 for towing a 4-wheeled powered trailer...
, Tatra 805, Tatra 813Tatra T813Tatra T813 was a truck produced in Czechoslovakia by the Tatra company.-History:The first prototype already built in 1960 utilized existing Tatra T138 assemblies in 4x4 full time all wheel drive, which was also another first for Tatra. After the initial trials however the designers decided to...
Cold War: NATO
- featuring for example: CenturionCenturion tankThe Centurion, introduced in 1945, was the primary British main battle tank of the post-World War II period. It was a successful tank design, with upgrades, for many decades...
, ChieftainChieftain tankThe FV 4201 Chieftain was the main battle tank of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s. It was one of the most advanced tanks of its era, and at the time of its introduction in 1966 had the most powerful main gun and heaviest armour of any tank in the world...
, M47 PattonM47 PattonThe M47 Patton is an American medium tank, the second tank to be named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates of tanks in battle. It was a further development of the M46 Patton tank.-History:The M47 was the U.S...
, M48 PattonM48 PattonThe M48 Patton is a medium tank that was designed in the United States. It was the third and final tank to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle It was a...
, M60 PattonM60 PattonThe 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank, M60, also known unofficially as the M60 Patton, is a first-generation main battle tank introduced in December 1960. It was widely used by the U.S. and its Cold War allies, especially those in NATO, and remains in service throughout the world today...
, Merkava Mk.IMerkavaThe Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
, Leopard 1, Alvis SaracenAlvis SaracenThe FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland.-History:...
, Ferret Mk.2/3Ferret armoured carThe Ferret armoured car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armoured fighting vehicle designed and built for reconnaissance purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK company, Daimler...
, DAF YA 126, M561 Gama GoatGama GoatThe Gama Goat was a six-wheel-drive semi-amphibious off-road vehicle originally developed for use by the US Military for the War in Vietnam. It was famous for an articulated body, which allowed it to travel over exceptionally rough terrain and for a unique four-wheel steering arrangement with the...
, Unimog S404, DKW MungaDKW MungaThe DKW Munga was a DKW-branded off-road vehicle built by Auto Union in Ingolstadt, Germany. "MUNGA" is an acronym of the German phrase "Mehrzweck UNiversal Geländewagen mit Allradantrieb", which translated means "multi-purpose universal cross-country car with all-wheel drive".Production began in...
, Dodge M37, M151 MUTT
Modern
- featuring for example: T-72M4CZ, HMMWV, Toyota Hilux SCV
See also
Tank museums- Bovington Tank MuseumBovington Tank MuseumThe Tank Museum is a collection of armoured fighting vehicles in the United Kingdom that traces the history of the tank. With almost 300 vehicles on exhibition from 26 countries it is the second-largest collection of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in the world.The Musée des Blindés in France...
— United Kingdom - Kubinka Tank MuseumKubinka Tank MuseumThe Kubinka Tank Museum is a large museum of armoured fighting vehicles in Kubinka, just outside Moscow. It has many famous tanks from World War I, World War II and the Cold War. The museum also houses many unique vehicles, such as the Panzer VIII Maus, Troyanov super-heavy tank and a Karl-Gerät...
— Russia - Musée des BlindésMusée des BlindésThe Musée des Blindés or Musée Général Estienne is a tank museum located in the Loire Valley of France, in the city of Saumur. It is one of the world's largest tank museums....
— France - Deutsches PanzermuseumDeutsches PanzermuseumThe German Tank Museum is an armoured fighting vehicle museum in Munster, Germany, the location of the Munster Training Area camp. Its main aim is the documentation of the history of German armoured troops since 1917....
— Germany - Patton Museum of Cavalry and ArmorPatton Museum of Cavalry and ArmorThe General George Patton Museum of Leadership is a museum in Fort Knox, Kentucky, dedicated to the memory of General George S. Patton, Jr., and his life from World War I through the present day. The museum is administered by the U.S. Army Accessions Command, Fort Knox...
— United States - Yad La-ShiryonYad La-ShiryonYad La-Shiryon is Israel's official memorial site for fallen soldiers from the armored corps, as well as one of the most diverse tank museums in the world. The cornerstone for Yad La-Shiryon was laid on...
- Israel - Parola Tank MuseumParola Tank MuseumParola Tank Museum, officially Armoured Vehicle Museum is a military museum located in Parola, near Hämeenlinna, in Finland. It displays various tanks, armoured vehicles and anti-tank guns used by the Finnish Defence Forces throughout its history. A rare exhibit is an armoured train used in...
- Finland