Česká, The Military Technical Museum Lešany

On the second day, I visited the Army Museum, located about 60 kilometres south of Prague by car. Immediately upon entering the gates, the famous pink IS-2m tank is on display. This is a rather notorious piece of history. It was originally an IS-2m monument placed by the Soviets in occupied Prague. In protest, art students painted it pink. After he was arrested, it was repainted green. Then, a group of Czech MPs repainted it pink again… This back-and-forth continued until it finally ended up in the museum in its current state.

The PRAGA LT vz.38, 38(t) light tank, a source of pride for the Czech Republic.

The Soviet ISU-152 self-propelled gun could stop even the King Tiger heavy tank if it hit.

A Studebaker US6 truck purchased from the United States, fitted with a BM-13 Katyusha rocket launcher

American tanks are also present. Sherman M4A1

Not only tanks, but also numerous soft-skinned vehicles, civilian cars, and motorcycles are on display. This is Škoda’s MOZ-2 TYPE972 amphibious vehicle. A Czech Schwimmwagen, you see.

British tanks are also on display. Chieftain. Centurion and Cromwell, among others, are also exhibited in large numbers.

This is the French AMX-13/75 tank

Czech LTL-H, 39 PRAGA light tank. The vehicle visible behind is the transport vehicle for the VR-3 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

Once again, a bunch of old Soviet tanks. Three different versions of the T-72. The prototype on the far right features reactive armour. For reasons peculiar to each nation, tanks in the Czech Republic often have their main guns blocked and machine guns removed, leaving only the mounts. The tracks are caked in dirt, suggesting they’re roadworthy. But the tracks are wider than the roof mounts – how on earth do they climb over and exit?

An exhibition where the roar of battle fills the air, recreating the atmosphere of the battlefield. A colossal building, like a huge gymnasium, houses this recreated battlefield. Similar 1:1 scale dioramas exist elsewhere, but none match this scale. The sound is so immense it can be heard even outside the building.

The passageway is like this, so naturally you can’t just wander around the battlefield. Probably the only place in the world where you can crawl under a T-34. The hatch under the floor is open, so you can stick your head inside and look around the vehicle interior.

I’m not particularly knowledgeable about missiles, but they’re lined up in a row.

Is that the launcher for the Vr-3 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft mentioned earlier?

This is a 21cm gun for coastal defence and anti-ship purposes. It’s bloody huge.

Field Artillerys of all kinds, from ancient times to the modern era, are also on display.

I’ve taken a mountain of photographs, so if you’re interested, please do take a look in the gallery below.

2020_Lesany_Tank_Museum

www.1wishyouwerehere.com

2023.12.31