Unofficial High-Speed Tour of Australian Armor and Artilley Museum

[@An0beseGiraffe]

The condition of these vehicles is unbelievable, props to the people who are conserving these beautiful pieces of history 😊

[@sniperfi4532]

It’s a great team. They have a KZbin channel showing the process of the vehicles they are restoring.

[@tasman006]

They have a Ytube channel and have vids on thier restoration of tanks over the past few years and also they have a tankfest type event every year called Ausarmourfest.

[@obsidianjane4413]

Check out the Oz Armor museum YT channel if you aren't already aware of it.

[@911clutch]

it was really cool seeing how many had current street rego plates on!

[@Comatoses_97]

I love living only 10 minutes away, it’s amazing

[@cbyrne9703]

I love the fact that if it is a gun, has armour and/or carries a gun the Chieftain knows the name and full designation. When it doesn't have a shooty thing its 'A Truck'.

[@jeffkeith637]

That was pretty funny.

[@cheyannei5983]

To be fair to the Chieftain, it was a 2 1/2 tonner, there's a seemingly endless number of variants of them and they all look *very* alike, with differences that are only of interest if you are trying to decide which one to drive. IIRC we bought any truck that anyone could manufacture to spec, so, in the factory's eyes the more indistinguishable the better.

[@jeffkeith637]

@@cheyannei5983 I shouldn't be surprised if the Chieftain was making a joke

[@marinegunner7481]

You say that like there’s something wrong with it. 😂

[@cheyannei5983]

@@jeffkeith637 TBH that's how I read it. I can't tell tell them apart either and I have a slightly higher interest in them than the Chieftain. Plus, that's how an officer of the US Army would have reacted to them in service, anyway!

[@itsnotagsr]

Many wealthy people just buy super yachts and Ferraris. The founder of this museum has given us all a huge gift in this museum. THANK YOU!

[@tmdblya]

“It’s a heckuva museum.” There’s their ad, right there.

[@maxpower3990]

I was in Cairns and was told to go enjoy the cable car ride. I didn’t know this museum existed until I got to the end of the cable car and saw it. It was a very nice surprise for a former tanker.

[@larrybrown1824]

I'm so jealous of Australians! It's a crime we don't have a huge armor museum in the USA that's open to the public!

[@brucelamberton8819]

That's a really impressive collection. That SU-76M looked in better condition that when it would've been in the Red Army!

[@timothyhouse1622]

I've been watching their videos. Their mechanics are WIZARDS with what they can do. I forget which vehicle it is, but they pieced it back together from basically scrap pieces that the largest was around a meter. That would be about 4 feet for the Americans. Purely amazing.

[@laurisikio]

Someone from Europe: this thing is 2 meters wide and weighs still 30 tonnes Everyone except the Americans: "that's impressive" *someone tells the Americans that it is 6 feet wide and weighs the same as 4 elephants* The Americans: wow unbelievable!

[@65lyon]

That was the Hummel that was rebuilt from a range target. One of the only vehicles with the wide tracks in existence.

[@timothyhouse1622]

@@65lyon I couldn't remember if it was the Hummel or the Stug III G. What they have done with all of them is impressive.

[@shannonkohl68]

Sorry but 1 meter == 39 inches slightly more than 3 feet (36 inches). Yes educated Americans know metric, we just don't see why all the fanboy behavior over it.

[@laurisikio]

@@shannonkohl68 educated Americans? I've never heard of those

[@thisisj4cob]

The largest Armour and Artillery museum in Australia! One of the pro's of living in the Cairns region

[@shootinputin6332]

I'd love to visit, but that would mean I'd have to visit Cairns. I'll stick to Victoria. Got the Avalon Airshow coming, that'll do for me, lol.

[@DrBunnyMedicinal]

@@shootinputin6332 I mean, if you *have* to be in Cairns, you may as well visit the one amazing sight it has and visit this museum. 😆

[@kjaesp]

Actually found and subbed to their youtube earlier today, their restoration workshop videos are great.

[@jarink1]

Their Workshop Wednesday series is awesome!!

[@Luwinkle]

Also just listening to things be explained in *extremely* australian accents is always entertaining by default.

[@moahamenjai]

best tank restoration you tube channel indeed and by far

[@Rusty_Gold85]

kzbin.info?search_query=workshop+wednesday

[@tdb7992]

@@Luwinklehaha, as an Aussie, I can safely say all those guys on that channel have incredibly strong accents.

[@jantschierschky3461]

I like that statement if you are in northern Australia, well from Broome to Cairns is 3000km, nice road trip

[@Covah86]

From 2011 to 2017 I saw the Australian AS1 'Hat Dich' every day when I went to work at 1 BDE. Walking into the musuem and seeing her sitting there I actually said "Hello, what're you doing here?" It was like seeing an old friend that you didn't expect to run into, it was a surprise but a welcome one.

[@FrankMuchnok]

What a beautiful collection the Aussies have assembled. I always watch the "Workshop Wednesdays" and the care that they put into each rebuild is truly impressive. I could spend weeks crawling over these old relics.

[@davidblank3174]

What can I say? If we actually decide to do something (that takes longer than a footy game), we're gonna make damn sure we do it right.

[@matthewrikihana6818]

As a Kiwi, I can thoroughly recommend Cairns as an excellent tourist destination. It has a great Aussie vibe without the gaudy theme parks of the Gold Coast to the distant south. I went prior to the Armour Museum opening and the area blew me away.

[@Skreezilla]

on my list of places to go soon.

[@CodexIndia1]

You're lucky you didn't get robbed and end up like Ivan Milats victims. As an actual Aussie, I would never go to Cairns.

[@00yiggdrasill00]

@@CodexIndia1 as a QLDr I find you placing the actions of some crazy nut from NSW in our north somewhat offensive. Now if you had mentioned Gympie or Bundaberg for their well documented drug issues and corruption I wouldn't mind.

[@gusgone4527]

@@00yiggdrasill00 There are good and bad people everywhere. The anglosphere regardless where in the world, is the same as all the rest in that respect. Where we score is the recognisably Anglo culture we share. The bond between us all is strong. There will be family squabbles between cousins, it's to be expected. But AU NZ CN US and GB. Unbeatable when we stand together. We collectively form the worlds premier alliance. The geopolitical powerhouse of the free democracies. Not forgetting the united military intelligence community too.

[@00yiggdrasill00]

@@gusgone4527 very much agree. I was more making a joke about Queenslanders mild disdain for New South Wales and Victoria. From what I've gathered that mild disdain is mutual. We have fun with it.

[@oscarharriet7030]

Most excellent museum. A tribute to the engineers who maintain and restore these beasts.

[@irontongue5389]

What an incredible collection, especially the WW2 German bring backs! I didn't know that any of the Littlefield collection made its way to Australia. Glad to know people will still be able to see them. I remember the times I got to visit when Jacques was still alive. The best time I ever had was when they let us climb and enter the tanks!

[@frostedbutts4340]

A shame that he didn't have anyone to take over, but a blessing for museums like this

[@ant4812]

I wish I'd known you were coming. I'd have come up from Townsville. It's been a while since I was last at the museum. There's quite a bit more there now. If you have Mrs. Chieftain & the kids with you, and a day to spare, head out to Herberton. They have a historic village there which is really a huge museum. It's set up as a tin mining town from around the turn of the 20th century. Absolutely worth a look, especially if you can take your kids.

[@bumblebeebob]

Ghe Jgdpanzer got a whole lot more than a paint job! It was a total wreck and took a whole lot of sweat, time and skill to get running again. It was a fantastic build series!

[@somerandomalbinodude]

I hve been going to this museum at least once a year since it opened and it has been the reason for pretty much every trip i have had to Cairns since the first Ausarmourfest in 2016( other than 2020 because covid). Defiantly worth the price of admission and the some would say excessive amount of money i spend over the weekend on tank rides, but hey most of the museum staff remember me by name now and I don't get given the brief safety talk before each tank ride anymore because i have been on that many which is kind of cool.

[@markfryer9880]

Sounds like you should be on a discounted rate for entry and rides given your frequent visitor status.

[@somerandomalbinodude]

@@markfryer9880 well at least once every ausarmourfest I end up getting a free ride in something just by being around when they need to fill a seat in one of the less popular vehicles

[@steveturner3999]

Would never have dreamed of all the German vehicles in an Australian museum. Thanks for the tour Chieftain.

[@VhenRaTheRaptor]

A lot of them were probably acquired in North Africa. Aussies being Aussies looting anything not nailed down.

[@slaktriffid]

@@VhenRaTheRaptor Like the British Museum??..........:)

[@smuldohuntermuldo9312]

That was excellent, really good collection. Thanks Chieftain.

[@deonmurphy6383]

I may never get down under, but appreciate the walkthrough of their collection.

[@cheesenoodles8316]

The museum's videos are great. The repair, maintenance and restoration videos are great for the insight on the construction, care and feeding of these vehicles. The people working on them are the true stars of YT.

[@campgiant2392]

I've been watching their channel for a little over a year now. I highly recommend it if you want to see how these beasts are put together!

[@USS-SNAKE-ISLAND]

Wow. This museum basically has everything.

[@johnnieangel99]

Thanks for the tour. I love the Museums Workshop Wednesday. The Grant they are rebuilding is amazing. Watching them rebuild the Goliath was really cool. There was next to nothing left of it.

[@christineshotton824]

Very impressive collection loaded with some very rare vehicles that one would not expect to find in Australia. Congratulations to their acquisitions and restoration staff. Job well done!

[@DrBunnyMedicinal]

Especially in Cairns of all places!

[@thegodofhellfire]

What an entrance! Great tour!

[@thomasbernecky2078]

Worth the trip just for these surprise treasures alone. Thanks Chieftain!

[@chopper7352]

Great collection of Armoured Vehicles & Artillery. Their "Workshop Wednesdays" series is awesome & is recommended viewing for anyone who loves Historic AFV's. 👍

[@dennisswaim8210]

Our Aussie friends have a wonderful Armor Museum. Great collection, love their restoration videos!

[@kristoffermangila]

Holy macaroni! Revealing to us that the AusArmour guys will restore that Ha-Go soon would give us more incentive to watch their Workshop Wednesday videos on their YT channel!

[@DornishVintage]

The best high-speed tour so far! I wouldn't dream of an Australian museum having that kind of a collection. Also, at least 3 of these models are being used, or will be, in the ongoing conflict. And just as a history thing, I have a weak spot for the SdKfz 251's. A utility platform that looks good, especially for the time. Just a nice looking piece of equipment.

[@frostedbutts4340]

Australia has some great military museums.. half of Germany's best stuff ended up in Canberra haha

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

Inside the hatch of the T-26 please. Also get down to Brisbane, Mephisto is there. Proof that Australia has been shipping rare tanks back home since 1918 ;)

[@cameronnewton7053]

Nice tank ya got there mate, be a shame if someone... Stole it....

[@jon-paulfilkins7820]

@@cameronnewton7053 Can you imagine the discussion on the dock. Anything to declare? - well... I have a war trophy Oh another luger? - not exactly, its a bit bigger than that (spies tank being unloaded) Bloody nora!

[@desmcharris]

Just back from visiting the museum, last week. Spent two days looking around it!!!The staff are fantastic, the exhibits eye popping, the City of Cairns beautiful and it’s people the friendliest of a friendly country.

[@theother1281]

What a unexpectedly great collection! Bravo to Australia!

[@FINNIUSORION]

I remember watching the history Channel when I was really little and hearing the narrator saying something about a 'toad' any tank gun lol. It wasn't till years later I was reading a wehrmacht arms and munitions book and I read 'towed' gun lol. It clicked and I remembered and laughed out loud a bit.

[@stuartdollar9912]

So damn many homonyms in English. Funny anecdote.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

What a fantastic museum you got there! Thanks for sharing, appreciate it a LOT 👍 Greets from the other side of the globe, the Netherlands 🇳🇱🌷, T.

[@richardwylie07]

I live in Australia and I reacted exactly as you did when I discovered a collection of this quality in my own backyard. Incredible.

[@Darilon12]

24:52 that legendary "inside the hatch" episode featuring the birds of Australia. Never forget the emu war. 😂

[@stuartdollar9912]

Welcome to Australia. Here, the wildlife packs heat. :)

[@mudcrab3420]

Just remember that *WE* won the Emu War. The leaders were taken out by a small crack team and the followers, in an act of mercy, allowed to disperse back into the Bush. This short sharp successful conflict managed to keep the Emus out of Canberra... Instead we are ruled by Turkeys. Yeah... Turkeys... Sigh.... In hindsight we probably should have thrown that one.

[@johnmcgarvey4758]

Those fellows do a great job rebuilding old tanks.

[@Szalami]

The German stuff they have is frankly amazing and it's also amazing that they're working on making a Tiger running, even if they're building it from multiple, having another one running next to 131 will be an amazing feat. Still, gotta love the early stuff they have, never seen a Pz IVD outside video games or a Stug IIIA. Or a Stug IV for that matter. But you can really see the early stuff being early, even if they were kept throughout the war, you can clearly see how they evolved. the PzVD looks archaic even to a PzIVG.

[@edwardloomis887]

Loved the quick "Long Tom" call out near the end. Everything I've read about that 155mm has said it was deadly accurate and did great work, especially during the Battle of the Bulge.

[@AdamMann3D]

I have been assisting them and others with info on fittings etc. Love Aus Armour.

[@hallstuart6604]

What an amazing collection! I would never have thought some many rare vehicles would be in Australia and in such a good condition! Well done!

[@simonrooney7942]

Thanks, Nicholas, nice to meet you in Cairns.

[@daintyfoal1981]

i loved visiting that museum and i would go again and again

[@garynew9637]

I live 20 minutes away from this place. Epic display.

[@HappyDuude]

The museum is expanding impressively - was there in around 2018 and the collection has grown considerably. Would deffo recommend the ride in the AFV they offer, or the shooting gallery downstairs!

[@awf6554]

What's in the gallery?

[@motoxray]

@@awf6554 Shooting.

[@awf6554]

@@motoxray OK, but shooting what? SMLEs, SLRs, M16s, Owens, F1s, Austeyrs?

[@karlheinzvonkroemann2217]

deffo? please!

[@Alldaboss]

​@@awf6554Sadly nothing semi auto, they have a mauser, carcano, Springfield, mas36, mosin, a lever action and a SMLE

[@Paulvanacker1]

Makes me proud to be an Aussie. Love it here. A quick 20 hour trip from Brisbane and I'm in heaven. Great video.

[@VosperCDN]

Such a wonderful looking collection. Definitely a lot of vehicles there I'd never have expected to find down under. Congrats to their staff for such a good museum.

[@johnknapp952]

Really like their Workshop Wednesday channel. Or any channel where I can watch OTHER people do hard work! 😁😁😎😎

[@SiRFaTtysTiNKsaLoT]

Work shop Wednesdays is one of the weekly videos I look forward to every week it's always so good. Awesome to get a speed run of the museum!

[@johnmosser6695]

It never fails to send shivers down my spine when you or anyone else is going through a museum and you come to the German and Russian vehicles of WW2. Relative to everything else of the time, they are huge, heavy, and have a very brutal and straightforward design. Straightforward in that they are built to achieve the maximum value of one purpose. Whereas the western powers tried to incorporate a balance of design characteristics, the tanks of the eastern front very much betray the fact that they were in a desperate all out struggle for survival, on both sides.

[@steveflahavin9673]

Was there 2 weeks ago and the collection is astonishing, The staff are also very friendly and approachable

[@The_Tyrant_Regi]

The Praga M53/59 doesn't get enough recognition for how cool and interesting the vehicle and idea was.

[@sleepsinleaves]

I'm subscribed to their restoration channel. Nice to see what the museum part looks like!

[@anumeon]

Their Workshop wednesday videos are a true treat to follow..

[@nemoest0]

Quite a spectacular collection, all them vehicles could fill a museum twice that size.

[@Silverhks]

That is a seriously impressive collection. Yet another reason I have to get down to Australia at some point

[@garynew9637]

Cairns is in a beautiful part of tropical Oz.

[@WarmasterDeath]

ive been meaning to make the trip from melbourne to cairns specifically to see the museum for years, its one of my bucket list places i need to go (recently checked off the WA maritime museum in freemantle, which was great!)

[@jamesrowlands8971]

I'd never heard of the Maritime Museum. Have you been the the RAAF Museum in Melbourne?

[@WarmasterDeath]

@@jamesrowlands8971 the one in Point Cook? many years ago, a good reminder i should make another visit!

[@jamesrowlands8971]

@@WarmasterDeath I think it's still shut for renos. I've checked a few times in the last few years because the last time I went was something like 15 years ago. Really need to get up to Cairns again some time. Didn't know about the armour museum when I first went there.

[@awf6554]

Have you seen the Vietnam War museum on Phillip Island? Definitely worth a visit.

[@jamesrowlands8971]

@@awf6554 I didn't know there was one. That's going on the list.

[@mikegould6590]

Brilliant collection

[@Zed483]

Great job.. 👍🏻

[@davekelly9657]

Outstanding, thanks for the tour 👍👍⚓⚓🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@barrycabbageM34]

Welcome back to Australia my friend, enjoy.

[@farthammer7126]

Would love to see more videos like this one. I enjoy the high speed Tour videos

[@54tisfaction]

That is one well endowed museum!

[@Perfusionist01]

Nice stuff! I never realized that the Australians had such a fine collection. Trivia: that "US 75" at 2:02 is a 75mm M1917, a conversion of a British 18-pounder to US French/US 75mm ammo. Purchased and converted during WW1 in limited numbers. Rather rare in photos but apparently some were in Hawaii and the Philipines circa 1941.

[@USS-SNAKE-ISLAND]

Thanks for takin' the time.

[@nightshade4873]

by US 75mm ammo/cartridge, the ones used by the M1897 75mm and the subsequent M1-M6 series of 75mm guns?

[@allanfoster6965]

Lovely stuff. 👍 Workshop Wednesdays are great vids well worth watching. Thanks Chieftain 👍👍👏👏

[@MadMonk_]

The Workshop Wednesday series are well worth a watch - just goes to show how much can be reconstructed from how little parts :) Well done to the Museum for their hard work, and for sharing it with the world.

[@CarltonWhitfield]

it seems this museum really puts a premium on getting tanks running.

[@peterb2809]

Thanks so much for featuring this gem of a museum.

[@ddraig1957]

Astonishing variety of German AFVs considering this museum is on the other side of the world.

[@frostedbutts4340]

Yeah half of the German wunderwaffe ended up in Aus haha.. their only surviving WW1 tank, jet and rocket fighters, Panthers etc

[@CthulhuInc]

cheers, thanks for the quick tour!

[@provjaro]

Lovely collection

[@NapalmerYT]

Was great to meet you over the Armourfest weekend. The museum is truly impressive but seeing these beasts on the track and being able to ride in them - surreal barely describes it.

[@ChrisBrown-iu8ii]

Thanks for the tour. Quite a collection they have.

[@johntorelli7111]

Have been following your vids for years. Thanks for what you do sir.

[@Alan.livingston]

I love that place. Highlight of any trip to north queensland.

[@adamskinner5868]

Excellent, very enjoyable, I'm going to watch it again ;).

[@thomaswebster5488]

Good to see you back in Aus. As for how we say Cairns, its pronounced "cans" in an aussie accent or apparently google says its "keuhnz" in an British/American accent. Love your videos, keep up the good work 👍

[@ThatAdamIsMild]

You forgot to mention the impressive collection of 'tanks' that everyone in Far North Qld feels the need to drive around in, as well 😀 it was lovely to meet you and your camera man up there.

[@peppermill7163]

Well that was awesome! A lot of breadth in the collection and many in amazing condition. Their channel shows the amount of work they put in to get the machines into shape and the expertise required.

[@FW190D9]

Great Video, thanks for making it

[@happycampersaustralia]

We are very lucky to have this Museum in Australia, growing up in Australia I thought we’d never have a Tiger, Panther and Jagdpanther in Oz! Thanks for this quick showcase.

[@beesod6412]

I could spend days and days in there! that truly is an epic collection of pure awesomness!

[@zorkwhouse8125]

Very very cool - particularly the WW2 era vehicles. Bravo to them for their impressive collection.

[@anaphylastiks]

Was cool to see an old NZ tank proper.

[@kiwifruit27]

Their KZbin channel is awesome with weekly updates every Wednesday on their latest restorations.

[@karlheinzvonkroemann2217]

Nice Website! They put out new 30 minute videos on their restoration projects that you can watch every Wednesday like do. These people do great work. I look foward to their new episodes and as our host Nick has said, This museum is no joke! There are some rather rare armoured pieces here! Thanks Nick!

[@mafmaf6417]

I just found their Workshop Wednesdays site a couple of weeks ago and have been binge watching ever since. These guys do an amazing job restoring these AFV's. Who funds the museum.

[@michaelperry4308]

Currently at AAAM, it is fantastic, for A$22, for us oldies, you can wander round for 3 days, every day something else has open hatches, and just ask the guys maintaining the vehicles and they will be delighted to get you some inside pictures, wonderful people doing a brilliant job. The workshop is visible from the Late War German section, some nice projects on the go, I got to see the first testing of the Panzer 1B. Again definately worth the trip.

[@JoshuaC923]

Thanks for sharing Chieftain!

[@juvandy]

Wow I was there in 2016, and they didn't have on display probably a quarter of what you're showing.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

Yeah, he went on a major shopping spree in the intervening time

[@AsbestosMuffins]

your knowledge of obscure british towed guns and commonwealth armored cars is amazing

[@chrishewitt4220]

Highly recommend a visit. If you can make it for the AusFest weekend even better. I had Commander's Deck tickets for Saturday and Sunday, worth every cent. Oh, and you never know, you might bump into a Chieftain!

[@MrDredd1966]

Definitely on my bucket list to visit this museum!! I'm hoping to visit Cairns this year for Ausarmourfest in late august...

[@luciusvorenus9445]

Wow! Fantastic collection!

[@douglasfrompa593]

Great time Down Under. Thanks to the Chieftain for showing us all that cool and unusual stuff.

[@Aussiemachinist07]

i did not know this existed, i now have a reason to visit Cairns