The Black Market is Now Open

Avenger_GB, on 28 May 2019 - 01:49 PM, said:   I found the Panther Schmalturm on the artillery ranges at Larkhill (Salisbury Plain Training Area) in 1979 or 80.  It was on the firepower demonstration target area to the North of Knighton Down having been dumped there after it had been investigated after the war.  So it was broken open by the effects of years of artillery fire.  I'm not sure if that prototype turret was made with production hardened steel or just mild steel for development purposes.   I found the turret when I was walking the ranges one weekend (was on a gunnery course at the time) looking at the many old vehicles left out as targets.  I immediately knew what it was and couldn't believe that such a rare item had been dumped on Salisbury Plain ranges.  I phoned the Bovington Museum to inform them and at some stage later it was recovered from the ranges.