The Cavalry Tank Museum, an outdoor museum, established by the Armoured Corps Centre and School, Ahmednagar, in 1994 is one of its kind in Asia.
Been raring to get a dehko at the Tank Museum since I learnt of its existence almost a year back. A long drive only added to the excitement.
Captains Log; Star Date 2910.2011
Wheels roll at quarter to seven. Nuvi points to the Tank Museum Co-ordinates - N 19° 4’ 28.60” E 74° 44’ 58.57” and plots a course via Pune.
A check sometime back revealed Pune could be by-passed via Talegaon-Chakan toll road and then head on towards Nagar on the SH 60 via the Shikrapura – Shirur toll road. These sections are not on Nuvi’s map!
The open, flat Expressway is as inviting as ever. Take the Chakan exit at the Talegaon toll. Chankan, being an industrial area, heavy traffic slows down progress. Fuel up at Chakan – Rs. 44.30/litre of diesel (as compared to Rs. 44.12/litre on the Express Way and Rs. 45.19/litre in Navi Mumbai). The roads right up to Nagar is superb tarmac, traffic is generally light. Paying the toll (totaling to about Rs. 238/-, one way) at each of the toll booths along the route took about 5 to 10 minutes. The distance of 249 kms is covered in about four and a half hours.
Last mile Nuvi plots a course through alleys and an open field to the Tank Museum. The correct way to get to the Museum is to take a right from Chandini Chowk.
The Armoured Corps Centre motto – “Desh ki shanti, Tank me”.
At the Museum we were delighted to see the German 88 mm anti tank gun – originally designed as an anti aircraft gun.
The Museum houses about fifty exhibits of vintage Armoured Fighting Vehicles of American, British, German, Chez, Japanese and Russian origin. Most of the vehicles date back to World War II. Some, like the Rolls Royce Armoured Car, date back to World War I. Some tanks like the Centurion (Bahadur) and Vijayanta have seen action during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars.
The Patton’s, Sherman’s, Stuart’s, Centurian’s, T-64’s, Half Tracks drew instant recognition – all from being avid watchers of classic world war movies and readers of Commando comics!
As you go along, one realizes how the tanks continue to evolve from the type of armour, size, suspension / tracks and guns – perhaps guided by their expected battle conditions and the technology available.
The Tank Simulator at the Museum wasn’t working, which was disappointing. The inside though gave a good sense of the Tank Driver's environment.
Picked up some souvenirs from the Canteen.
Head back at about 1430 hrs via the same route.
Hotel Udayanraje, one of the more expensive hotels in Ahmednagar, seemed to be a decent stay option from the outside.
Route – Mumbai Pune Expressway – Chankan Exit at the Talegaon Toll – Chankan – Shikrapura – Shirur – Nagar – Chandini Chowk – Tank Museum.
Been raring to get a dehko at the Tank Museum since I learnt of its existence almost a year back. A long drive only added to the excitement.
Captains Log; Star Date 2910.2011
Wheels roll at quarter to seven. Nuvi points to the Tank Museum Co-ordinates - N 19° 4’ 28.60” E 74° 44’ 58.57” and plots a course via Pune.
A check sometime back revealed Pune could be by-passed via Talegaon-Chakan toll road and then head on towards Nagar on the SH 60 via the Shikrapura – Shirur toll road. These sections are not on Nuvi’s map!
The open, flat Expressway is as inviting as ever. Take the Chakan exit at the Talegaon toll. Chankan, being an industrial area, heavy traffic slows down progress. Fuel up at Chakan – Rs. 44.30/litre of diesel (as compared to Rs. 44.12/litre on the Express Way and Rs. 45.19/litre in Navi Mumbai). The roads right up to Nagar is superb tarmac, traffic is generally light. Paying the toll (totaling to about Rs. 238/-, one way) at each of the toll booths along the route took about 5 to 10 minutes. The distance of 249 kms is covered in about four and a half hours.
Last mile Nuvi plots a course through alleys and an open field to the Tank Museum. The correct way to get to the Museum is to take a right from Chandini Chowk.
The Armoured Corps Centre motto – “Desh ki shanti, Tank me”.
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| Cavalry Tank Museum |
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| German 88mm Anti Tank Gun |
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| Centurian / Bahadur |
The Patton’s, Sherman’s, Stuart’s, Centurian’s, T-64’s, Half Tracks drew instant recognition – all from being avid watchers of classic world war movies and readers of Commando comics!
As you go along, one realizes how the tanks continue to evolve from the type of armour, size, suspension / tracks and guns – perhaps guided by their expected battle conditions and the technology available.
 |
| Patton |
The Tank Simulator at the Museum wasn’t working, which was disappointing. The inside though gave a good sense of the Tank Driver's environment.
Picked up some souvenirs from the Canteen.
Head back at about 1430 hrs via the same route.
Hotel Udayanraje, one of the more expensive hotels in Ahmednagar, seemed to be a decent stay option from the outside.
Route – Mumbai Pune Expressway – Chankan Exit at the Talegaon Toll – Chankan – Shikrapura – Shirur – Nagar – Chandini Chowk – Tank Museum.
