CWM visit

[Mike Cecil]

Ahhh, yes, this could be a VERY interesting thread! But I too, cannot pass up on the opportunity to contribute.....

As someone from another Commonwealth country who has been on both sides of the fence (private collector/restorer and govt museum curator), there are a LOT more issues to consider in the museum sphere than with one's own items. In simple terms, it is not the look of the item that is the deciding factor in considering working on a item (be that to acquire, to restore, to simply conserve as is, etc etc), but a myriad of intersection considerations, many of which often conflict. Did the PzKw2 arrive at CWM with the incorrect light? Who/what/when/where were they acquired/put on, etc etc. It's not only the battle history of an object that is important, but at the end of the day, the curatorial staff and conservation staff make informed and balanced judgements based on their experience and recommendations to management about how management's goals for the museum collection (ie how this items fits with the overall policy) can be achieved with a certain item. Again, this can range from 'conserve it as is', to full restoration to running standard. The question is never as simplistic as 'its got the the wrong lights...'.

On the other side of the coin, as a visitor to CWM many years ago, I have to say I was a little taken aback with the many minor factual technical errors in the displays, but every museum suffers from that to a greater or lesser degree: the AWM certainly is guilty of that, too. It's how they react and respond when informed (politely) that counts.

Mike C

(retired Head of Military Heraldry and Technology, Australian War Memorial, Canberra)

[rob love]

Easy to pass judgment when we own and restore maybe one or two vehicles at a time, to a maximum of maybe 5. Try it with 50 vehicles or more and see how you are able to keep up.

I visited the CWM a few times on my way overseas the last couple years. I enjoyed the equipments, and was glad to see them displayed, rather than looking for faults.

Here in Shilo, a long running faux-pas was the painting of the wheel nuts on some of the CMPs. Someone did a restoration of a signals van many years ago and painted the wheel nuts red and the rim nuts white. The mistake was carried on through a few more restorations, including the 1940 Ford pilot truck. Seemed like every tour the club would make to the museum, this flaw was picked up. And yet we were looking at a very decent sized collection of Canadian vehicles.

Needless to say, I had a volunteer go around the collection painting rim nuts red the other day. When he comes in again he will be painting wheel nuts white on those vehicles that had them in red. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Bob Phillips]

Just a thought about private collections- the first private collection that I really got familiar with was Bill Greggs collection. He was the first, to proceed on a systematic and well funded effort to preserve Canadian vehicle history. There were probably lots of things wrong with his restored vehicles - but that hardly matters - he probably did more as an individual for promoting an interest in this area than anyone else. Many years ago Brian Asbury and I were visting an MV meet in California, and a fellow came up to look at some #19 set parts we had. He invited us to stop by and see his few vehicles on out way back up to San F. Little did we know when we pulled up to the gates of the estate overlooking the Bay it was to be our introduction to Jacques Littlefield. He had only a few armoured vehicles but it was his passion. He showed us many other things he enjoyed( model railroads, a huge custom built pipe organ etc) We visited for a few hours and he toured us around his estate- a truly nice guy with an interest we all shared. The difference of course is when you combine the passion and the financial means to persue it..details count and it shows in the final result.

[chris vickery]

It appears, that I have opened the proverbial Pandora's Box on this issue, and it seems, I do not have any allies...
At any rate, as an example, I would not go on eBay and try to sell a War of 1812 tunic and call it "original" if I went and sewed on a few modern buttons- collectors would hang me for misrepresentation, fraud etc. I look towards my passion of MV restorations in the same light I guess and I hold higher authority to a much more rigid standard.
Maybe I am an undercover member of the "Jeep Police"?

[jason meade]

Yep Terry I am Here,...just lurking around. I think I will pull up beside Robin and see who like to hear there own voice...lol
Terry if your talking about the m-38a1 with the 106RR on it, its now gone into storage,We are still renovating the the museum with new displays yet to be put togeather.
I finally did get that M-109A4, as you can see in the photo.

As for me opening my mouth on here about vech collections its not worth it, I have 70 plus in running condition with a 30,000.00 budget per year, so very little can be done, and volunteers really are just a joke, dont get me wrong there are alot of great guys out there willing to help out, but even more who just want a spare part for there own collection.

As you can see i have almost blown my budget for this year, The old days of getting Maintance to do the work are long over, If you want to play you got to pay.
However some will say why bother having them if ya cant look after them, will my answer is simple,If i dont get it, You all will never see it.

[easo]

G'day all, I put a bit of my time here at the Puckapunyal Tank Museum and for us a restoration of even a cosmetic standard takes a few years. They do get a lot of people who criticise the state or layout of some vehicles or displays, however maintaining a Museum is not high on Defences budget. At the end of the day we solider on and continue to maintain items, currently our Light Horse Rail Carriage is getting all of the attention.

I would like to visit the CWM one day. Any chance of some piccys for us who have never been???

My 2 cents, Easo

[Little Jo]

Hi Guys

Very interesting thread and some great comments. I thought that I would add my bit. I heard on the radio this morning after visiting my mate Salesman Bob, that the Federal Government have just announced they are giving $21 Million Dollars to the Canberra War Museum to upgrade their WW1 display. Sorry guys nothing for vehicles.

Cheers

Tony