Com-Central.net

Hi All,

We’ve added a gallery of photos of the extensive collection on display at the Russell Military Museum in Zion, IL.

We had the chance to revisit the museum and took photos of additions to the collection, as it has been 5 years since our last visit, and grabbed what SNs we could.

New exhibits were M3 Stuart SN 7579, an M3A3 Stuart, an M-50 Ontos, M901 SN 0AA01404, M5 3” Gun SN 1891, 2 M116 Husky and a number of modern MRAP and HETT vehicles.

The M4A3(75) Sherman inside the museum has SN 12311. The M4A3(105) HVSS has SN 64078. The M5 Stuart inside has SN 2207. Other SNs are listed with vehicle info in the photo gallery.

Much has changed at the museum, and not all for the better. The interior museum has more stuff on display, but the outside exhibit areas are looking more and more like a scrapyard. Many of the items of interest to us are crammed together with weed and lichen growing on and through the tarmac. We were saddened to see the M4A1(76) very rusted and with paint flaking off, the M32 with weeds growing in the engine compartment, and the Sherman hull sitting on a trailer in the rear area, all but inaccessible due to a huge puddle of water.

On our visit today, I spoke briefly with the owner and learned that a second building is being built across the street from the current property. It will be worth a future visit to see what unfolds.

Gallery Link:
www.vgbimages.com/AFV-...L/n-QWvWDB

Looks like an interesting museum
Thanks for sharing

Walter

My little finger tells me that the M3A3 Stuart comes from Littlefield...

Pierre-Olivier

I think some of those are from the old Kenosha Museum.

KL

Yes, Kurt, you are correct.

The entire museum was located in Kenosha, WI at some point. I'm unaware of when the move was made, but our first visit to the IL location was back in 2008.

The Museum officially reopened in Illinois on Oct 3, 2007.

Vehicles move in and out as they are acquired/traded. The M16 GMC, for example, is now on display at the VFW in nearby Antioch, IL.

The 'recoilless rifles' on the Ontos are PVC simulations, if you hadn't noticed.