Could not agree more with Daniel's sentiment, having been to the Proving Grounds museum multiple times.
And the last time I went, I
finally found the Elephant at Aberdeen. Having heard rumors that one of the two surviving Elephants was "parked" at the Proving Grounds Museum, I was defeinetly disappointed last couple times when I somehow missed it.
Well, last time going I found out WHY I missed it.
If anyone else is looking for the Elephant at Aberdeen... it's down the road, off a little ways in a field by an offload ramp.
Apparently, a while back, the Museum was moving the Elephant to begin some restoration work. Well, as part of this move, they needed to use a crane to hoist the Elephant onto a train car for transport. Apparently, the Germans in WW2 had some repair/recovery equipment better even than our own modern stuff... the crane lifting the Elephant onto the rail car snapped and deposited the vehicle back on the ground.
Apparently, sometime in the undetermined future, some heavier cranes are going to be brought in to move the beast.
To find it... leaving the indoor museum, with the dorr right behind you. In front of you one of the base roads, with Leopold railway gun in front of you somewhat to the left, and the road that you (likely) came in on over to the left as well.
Go
right on the road right in front of you, heading away from the museum itself. About 1/4-1/2 mile down, you'll see a loading ramp and shed right by the railroad tracks running along this road.
The Elephant is right behind the loading ramp and shed.
This could well be old news to some, but Iwas certainly gald to find it, thought I'd share.
And one of these days, I swear I'll get some of the hundreds of photos I have from Aberdeen scanned.
