I have been to... Norfolk

We were supposed to be on a cruise around the Black Sea in September,  but thanks to Covid 19 that didn't happen, so instead we had a week in Norfolk and enjoyed the glorious sunshine. Along with swimming in the sea and eating too much, I managed a trip to the Muckleborough Collection up the coast, which is based at Weybourne Camp, used for anti aircraft training in WW2 up until the late 1950s.

There is a magnificent diorama of the base in use in WW2, packed with 1/72 scale models. 

Plus a photo history of the base including information on the various types of guns. My grandfather served in a Heavy AA Regiment as a signaller, so that was very interesting. 

I was very taken with these heavily camouflaged bicycle infantry. 

One side of the diorama featured a model of a real plane shot down nearby. German aircraft tended to avoid the base due to its AA defences. 

There is an extensive small arms collection. 

And various vignettes.. 

It is also host to a Yeomanry museum. 

Copenhagen! 

Yeomanry uniforms and equipment including this nice 7pdr RML. 

The vehicle display hall has some nice airship models. 

A lovely 2pdr.

5.5" This is a big gun.

17pdr, also huge. Easier to get at the breech than the example at the Cobbaton collection. 

6pdr in desert colours. 

18pdr. Yes the wrapping on the recuperator really is white. 

4.5" howitzer on a carriage for motorised tow. 

25pdr, limber and tow, including great views of the wierd 25pdr ammo boxes. I wonder if Serco had the contract for those? 

13pdr limber. A much more sensible arrangement. 

13pdr

A slightly different Quad tow for the 25pdr, a Morris C8. 

2pdr portee (not sure I fancy firing that over the windscreen!) 

AMX13 on a transporter. 

Scammell tow lorry

Bloodhound! Where is the guy with the dog... 

Leyland Hippo

Centurion and Chieftans, in slightly odd brown/black camo. All the tanks are runners. An amphibious jeep is in the foreground. 

That 120 is a big old gun. 

FV432 and Scorpion. 

Completing our BAOR Combat Team, Abbot. 

I'm not usually a huge fan of plane paintings but there were some pretty good ones. 

There was also a huge collection of models. 

I'm not entirely convinced that this is actually Carthaginian. 

If you look carefully, the guy with the dog is there. Makes you realise what a big plane Vulcan was. 

Daimler armoured car. The dummy is wearing what appears to be original battledress. 

Dingo

M3 Scout Car in a great desert scheme. 

Saracen APC

Saladin Armoured Car

Ferret Armoured Car

We are suddenly in my old AK47 Army. The back of the Saracen is quite roomy. 

Ice Cold in Alex. Austin K2 Ambulance. 

Rapier. 

A nice 88 although I'm not sure they would have camouflaged the underside of the legs. 

Cymbeline counter mortar radar. 

Carrier with top mounted Boys ATR. 

Stuart (and Chaffee) 

T34 and its descendant, T55. 

Chaffee

A very imposing cast Hull Shermans in OD/Black camo. Named as Fury,  but of course Brad Pitts ride was a 76mm. 

Inside a Sexton. Don't often get a look inside one of these. 

M15 AA halftrack,aka the Meatchopper . 

Comet

That Sexton again. 

There a load of Nissen huts with various battered AFVs parked around them under tarps. 

US 155mm Long Tom

ZPU4

A nice replica V1

And a Harrier which has seen better days. 

This radar site is still operational, the last bit of the base still functioning as part of the RAF. 

That was a really good morning out, well worth the entrance price, and my tatty pictures don't do it justice. They also do 'tank rides' where you can drive an FV432 around, but they weren't running due to Covid restrictions. Recommended.