Gunner Bailey Posted 9 November , 2013 Share Posted 9 November , 2013 On my travels last week I was able to drop into the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln. It really is an excellent museum. Based in the old headquarters of the Lincolnshire Yeomanry, it houses a good display on the Lincolnshire Regiment with many interesting items. There is a great display of steam engines and there is a Clayton WW1 tractor used for hauling guns. It also has a WW1 Tank. On loan from the Tank Museum at Bovingdon, it is said to be the oldest in existence. Here are some photos. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 9 November , 2013 Share Posted 9 November , 2013 Interesting, do they claim it's the oldest Tank in existence? Tank Museum has 'Little Willie', a Mk I and a Mk II, all of which are definitely older - and I don't think anyone is certain of the identity of the Mk IV Female at Lincoln so can't confirm if it's even the oldest Mk IV (and may be preceded by the Schneider or St Chamond at Saumur) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 The original Flirt allegedly on being shipped back from France. However since the paint job on the tank in Lincoln is not original it isn't possible to confirm that it's the same tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 Mk IV production started in Mar 17. The Schneider in Saumur is a CA1 and I know that CA2 prototypes were first tested in Mar 17 so it is possible that the Lincoln tank is older than the Saumur Schneider. Edit: The first batch of 400 Schneider CA1s were built in 1916 so I reckon that proves RobL is correct. And the order for the first 400 St Chamonds was placed in Apr 16 but I can't find the production schedule in my rather badly filed set of notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 According to German contemporaries German Intelligence was already warning about possible attacks by French armoured tracked vehicles before the first British tanks appeared on the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 10 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2013 The original Flirt allegedly on being shipped back from France. However since the paint job on the tank in Lincoln is not original it isn't possible to confirm that it's the same tank! flirt.jpg Thanks for the photo. They certainly did a good job on the paintwork. Yes Rob, the museum claims it as the oldest. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 Thanks for the photo. They certainly did a good job on the paintwork. Yes Rob, the museum claims it as the oldest. John Museums often claim silly things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 10 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2013 Museums often claim silly things In this case I'd agree. I would like to hear Bovingdon's view of this. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 10 November , 2013 Share Posted 10 November , 2013 In this case I'd agree. I would like to hear Bovingdon's view of this. John I emailed Bovington ( ) late last year on this very subject, and got the following reply from curator David Willey: "If you can hold your interest for a few more months we will be publishing the Haynes manual on the Mk IV tank (in a similar manner to the one we did on the Tiger tank a year ago). The book will have a piece on this Mark IV with the latest research done on the tank by David Fletcher our historian. I would hate to jump the gun and send it all to you now but suffice to say the tank is not all it seems and the Flirt connection may be very tenuous. The tank is also not Lincoln built which is another myth readily repeated." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 11 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2013 Thanks Andrew. Useful information. I did personally think that Bovingdon would be unlikely to give away their oldest tank. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 11 November , 2013 Share Posted 11 November , 2013 Thanks Andrew. Useful information. I did personally think that Bovingdon would be unlikely to give away their oldest tank. John Think it's only on loan anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 11 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 11 November , 2013 Here's the Clayton Tractor. Great contemorary tracks! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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