Just back from the Australian War Museum

[Claven2]

Thought you guys might like some pics. The Aussies have been on more adventures than Canada, including Iraq2 and Vietnam, so a very interesting museum, and well laid out also. Best part: FREE. All day every day. It should cost nothing to see the cost of war and honour the nation's dead.

The Canadian war museum is $17 a head. Shameful.

They had more than a few Ausstens on display... lol. typical.

A really early SMLE sniper rifle used at Gallipoli

Interesting display on the charge at Beersheba by the Light Horse (ALH).

Nice complete Mauser AT rifle.

Now this is interesting, a German fighter tail the australians shot down. The pilot clearly had a good long run before he was defeated (!!!)

Cool VG1 in nice shape.

Captured V1

Korean war captures.

This was a REALLY cool vietnam display:

Iraq2, including one of Saddam's gold plated AKMs.

 

[stencollector]

I think I have the same Lattey sight as shown on that early sniper. Sure looks like it.

Great photos, thanks. Also good to see you made it out of there. I have known a few people who went to Australia to visit, and never came back. (of their own accord however).

 

[Sqr]

Great pictures and thx for sharing.

 

[Claven2]

I think I have the same Lattey sight as shown on that early sniper. Sure looks like it.

Great photos, thanks. Also good to see you made it out of there. I have known a few people who went to Australia to visit, and never came back. (of their own accord however).

It's not hard to immigrate there

 

[stencollector]

It's not hard to immigrate there

And I suspect one does not shovel a lot of snow there either.

 

[Zedbra]

Great pics - thanks.

 

[Rikusentaiin]

Awesome photos and history, thank you for sharing Claven2!

 

[Tom E Gun]

Outstanding pictures Claven, thanks for sharing. I was lucky enough to visit about 11 years ago myself, it was definitely the highlight of the Canberra area for me. BTW, the Aussies call it the Australian War Memorial (not museum).

 

[mikerock]

Great pics thanks for sharing!

 

[Butcherbill]

Very cool, thanks for posting pics of it.

 

[lanshoka]

Excellent pictures. The SMG in that one pic is an Owen, not an Austen. Not that it matters. The Austen was made in very small numbers.

 

[Edenchef]

Thanks for the post. At least the Aussies honor those that served on their behalf; in Canada we are barely tolerated as an "inconvenience" by our government. They would hope that the skills once given/applied in defense of Canada will just go away so they can turn us into a UN, third world sh__hole.

 

[purple]

Nice looking museum. I like the idea that its a war memorial open gratis to the public, and not just another national museum buried in the bureaucracy of our federales.

The Aussies have come a far way and tend to stand more independently and be more prepared to protect their interests in the world. We are more "colonial" it seems by continuing to default our security responsibilities to the US while kicking sand in their faces at every opportunity. To wit Australia with a population of 24 million spends $35 billion, or 2 % of GDP, on defence. Kanukistan with 35 million people spends $20 billion, or 1% of GDP on defence.

My only complaint with the Aussies is their grating, and sometimes almost incomprehensible, accents. Last month we spent a week touring Tuscany on a bus with 8 Aussie couples and were finally able to understand most of what they were saying by the end of it.

 

[doo925]

I was at this museum in 1982. Really cool place even back then. I'd love to go there again in the future.

 

[dts369]

Thanks for sharing the pics.The german tail fin I got to counting the confirmed planes,121 + looked up potential pilots a few had 121 exactly but flew in Russia or western front,one pilot had 122,hauptmann Wolfgang Tonne who flew in Africa,tan paint on tail fin,on April 20 1943 he shot down his 122 plane,while celebrating doing a air stunt over his airfield he crashed + was killed so his tail fin would only have had 121 victory symbols on it.Anyways it's potentially from his plane.

 

[Claven2]

Thanks for sharing the pics.The german tail fin I got to counting the confirmed planes,121 + looked up potential pilots a few had 121 exactly but flew in Russia or western front,one pilot had 122,hauptmann Wolfgang Tonne who flew in Africa,tan paint on tail fin,on April 20 1943 he shot down his 122 plane,while celebrating doing a air stunt over his airfield he crashed + was killed so his tail fin would only have had 121 victory symbols on it.Anyways it's potentially from his plane.

It's possible. The Australians had a lot of Afrika Corps stuff on display.

 

[CosmiC10R]

Cool stuff.. thanks for sharing... I spent 9 mths in Canberra and didn't make it there... shame on me

 

[sail32]

The museum used to have a Lancaster Bomber and a Messerschmitt Me 262, inside the museum, do they still have them ?

It would appear so from this.

https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/george/

 

[K-Roc]

It's not hard to immigrate there

Australia does a good / better job of facilitating Western immigration. If you are under 30 or any kind of certified professional it's easy for a Canadian to move there. Was only there a year myself but essentially could have gotten citizenship after one more year. Nice country but it has its faults too.

Nice pics op. I made it to a remote old overgrown lookout post on the north west coast from WW2. So cool... wish I could post it lol. It was on a huge hill/mountain... looking out for Japanese bombers.

 

[purple]

Us'ns who live in a glass house shouldn't throw stones, but Aussie politics have a pretty lefty tilt nowadays. Their gun grab was disturbing and was probably only made possible by a population shift to the urban centers. To their credit, they've removed their carbon tax as a futile and economically crippling measure. If only we had the cohunes to do likewise.