Tank Museum

The RAS visit to "The Tank Museum at Bovington on 2 June" was extremely well attended and proved to be a fascinating day, combining some characteristically interesting flying with exceptional access to one of the world’s great collections of armoured vehicles.

Our original plan was to land at **Eyres Field**, the gliding site just two miles from the museum. This was nearly thwarted when the Dorset Gliding Club unexpectedly had its lease terminated only two weeks before our visit. Fortunately, the new operators could not have been more welcoming and were very happy for the Squadron to use the field.

The arrival itself provided the first challenge of the day. A strong crosswind, combined with a surface that could generously be described as neither flat nor entirely even, made for some interesting approaches. **Martin Gosling** showed us how it should be done, putting in a textbook landing for the benefit of those following behind.

Once safely on the ground, our hosts transported us to Bovington in a fleet of appropriately “British” cars, where we were welcomed by the Museum’s Chairman, **General Sir Bill Rollo**.

We were then divided between two excellent guides for a tour that quickly demonstrated just how extensive the museum is. Its collection tells the story of more than a century of armoured warfare, from the earliest tanks of the First World War through to the increasingly sophisticated machines of the modern battlefield. More than simply a collection of vehicles, the displays offer a compelling account of the development of manoeuvre warfare and the constant contest between protection, firepower, mobility and technology.

A particular privilege was being given access to areas not normally open to the public. Behind the scenes, we were able to see conservation and restoration work underway, including work on the Museum’s celebrated **Tiger tank**. Seeing these machines in the workshop, stripped of some of their museum polish, gave an entirely different sense of their scale, engineering and complexity.

Inevitably, the visit also prompted discussion about the future of the tank. The war in Ukraine has once again raised questions about whether heavily armoured vehicles can survive on a battlefield increasingly dominated by drones, precision weapons and persistent surveillance. The demise of the tank has, of course, been predicted many times before. Perhaps the next stage in its evolution will see armour operating alongside its own drone escorts and increasingly sophisticated electronic protection. Whatever the answer, Bovington provided plenty of material for a lively debate.

The tour de force of the day, however, came from **Mark Coreth**, who gave a remarkable first-hand account of commanding a Scorpion during the Falklands War, including surviving the vehicle striking an anti-tank mine. Hearing that experience directly, after spending the day among the machines and history of armoured warfare, brought the subject vividly to life.

It was an absorbing and thought-provoking visit, made particularly memorable by the generosity of our hosts, the quality of the guides and the opportunity to see parts of the Museum normally hidden from view. Our thanks go to everyone at Eyres Field and The Tank Museum who made the day possible.