Sherman Crab at Westkapelle, then and now
One tank, two eras

Patrick Hagelstein
Interesting idea! 👍 One side of the diorama provides enough reference, I guess. 😉

Jakko ‌
The left side of the picture at the top of the project, you mean? You wish … 🙂

Patrick Hagelstein
😄 What about that right side then? 😉 Any access to that one?

Jakko ‌
Oh, that's what you mean! 🙂 Yes, full access to that one, obviously. It's 5 km from here 🙂 Working out what was and wasn't on it in ±1945 is the hard part …

Patrick Hagelstein
I totally understand if you are working off of one available picture... 🙁 Also, when restoring a vehicle, one might end up with a hybrid vehicle composed of parts, paints and repairs that can be added to a vehicle, which don't neccesarily are the 'correct' ones. Cudos to the volunteers that take the huge effort of restoring our history, but accuracy might not be the prime goal and might impede a modeler's quest for accurate reference.

Jakko ‌
At least there I have an advantage: one of the two models is of the monument tank as it stands in 2020. This makes it easy to get details right, because I can just photograph and measure it if I'm not entirely sure.

Also, I'm not working off just one picture of the wartime tank — I've assembled a collection of all the photos I know to exist of this particular tank in the 1940s and 50s, which gives me most (but not quite all) the details I need.

Patrick Hagelstein
True, the 2020 tank is what it is. You can build it exactly as it sits there. One of the many advantages of building jets as gate keepers: they are mounted on a stand and most of the times have their canopies painted over. 🙂

Dirk Fries
Very interesting project. Zeeland is one of my favorite holiday destinations and of course I already made an intense walk around of the Sherman. Although I have to admit that I feel a little sorry watching all the kids climbing around that dinosaur. On the other hand it's an pretty exciting playground for the kids 😉

Patrick Hagelstein
Well Dirk, while playing and climbing, they might ask their parents what that thing actually is and it might raise some awareness about war and peace and how to prevent the nasty things people can do to each other. Could be a win-win, fun and educational. 👍

Jakko ‌
There are plaques around the tank to explain in words and images what happened there in 1944, so assuming the kids and parents can read, they can educate themselves 🙂 As for using the tank as a climbing frame … yes, they can do that — as long as the tank doesn't fall to pieces underneath them from all the rust that's on it 🙁

Patrick Hagelstein
😄

Dirk Fries
Yeah, I guess this is history and education that stays much more in mind because it's much more exciting than a dull book 🙂
But some rust preventative would really be a wise addition to the Sherman sitting right next to the sea. Hopefully, if Corona does not lock all of us in our houses, I will have the chance to visit him once again in august 🙂

Jakko ‌
The shield for the bow machine gun already fell off the tank and even some of the chevrons on the tracks are coming loose because of rust. The whole thing needs a thorough restoration, but that's unlikely to happen because 1) the local council doesn't seem to know it's responsible for its maintenance or else they lose the right to display the tank (long story) and 2) restoration costs money.