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- Apr 22, 2005
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I thought you guys would be interested in an article that appears in our July 2005 Rochester Magazine here in Treefrog Treasures country.
In Princeton, MN, 45 minutes northwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul you can experience and ride in a real Russian T-34 tank. On Saturdays from mid-May to mid-October for $125 you get a 30 minute tank ride in a 1944 WWII Russian T-34 battle tank, 30 minute instructions, with realistic simulated cannon fire, and authentic military wear provided. Before the ride there is a thirty minute training session on the operation of the tank, and machine gun safety, from a licensed gun dealer. During the tank ride, you will fire on enemy positions, receive simulated in coming enemy fire, ride over hills, and crushed concrete. Two separate artillery pieces "shoot" at the tank during the ride, creating a simulated battle field.
In Princeton, MN, 45 minutes northwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul you can experience and ride in a real Russian T-34 tank. On Saturdays from mid-May to mid-October for $125 you get a 30 minute tank ride in a 1944 WWII Russian T-34 battle tank, 30 minute instructions, with realistic simulated cannon fire, and authentic military wear provided. Before the ride there is a thirty minute training session on the operation of the tank, and machine gun safety, from a licensed gun dealer. During the tank ride, you will fire on enemy positions, receive simulated in coming enemy fire, ride over hills, and crushed concrete. Two separate artillery pieces "shoot" at the tank during the ride, creating a simulated battle field.
The tank holds up to four passengers in it (minimum of two people). Each passenger has the option to shoot a live machine gun, at the end of the ride.
"A self-described 'avid machine gun collector' Bob Bowman has a personal collection of 125 registered automatic weapons including a Tommy Gun, AK-47, Uzi, M-16, BAR, MG42 and 1886-patented Maxim. He also owns a British Ferret, an armored reconnaissance vehicle mounted with a .30-caliber machine gun." According to the article he bought two DT machine guns that would have originally been mounted on a T-34 so he decided to buy the tank to go along with them. "What guy doesn't want a tank?" he says. Bowman begged his wife for two years to let him buy the tank. Susan finally gave in. "My wife is amazingly tolerant,' he says. "How many wives would let you buy a tank?" He spent 3 months overhauling and restoring it and he replaced the original V-12 diesel with a Cummins 6-cylinder diesel he pulled from a 1970s 5-ton army truck.
"A self-described 'avid machine gun collector' Bob Bowman has a personal collection of 125 registered automatic weapons including a Tommy Gun, AK-47, Uzi, M-16, BAR, MG42 and 1886-patented Maxim. He also owns a British Ferret, an armored reconnaissance vehicle mounted with a .30-caliber machine gun." According to the article he bought two DT machine guns that would have originally been mounted on a T-34 so he decided to buy the tank to go along with them. "What guy doesn't want a tank?" he says. Bowman begged his wife for two years to let him buy the tank. Susan finally gave in. "My wife is amazingly tolerant,' he says. "How many wives would let you buy a tank?" He spent 3 months overhauling and restoring it and he replaced the original V-12 diesel with a Cummins 6-cylinder diesel he pulled from a 1970s 5-ton army truck.
There is a website if you are interested in more info: www.tankride.com. Rates are discounted for veterans and kids under 13.
Do I see a forum convention in Princeton, MN coming on?
Shannon
Shannon
