The line-up of Second World War guest vehicles for TANKFEST 2025 has been announced and includes an M3 Grant tank in the process of being restored to full running order.
An M3 Grant recently acquired from the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum by William Bannister for the Bannister Historic Armour Collection will be making its running debut at TANKFEST.
The M3 Medium is famous for its use by the British in North Africa during WWII. This vehicle was previously restored as a museum exhibit around ten years ago and had been on static display in the Australian museum. Since arriving in the UK, Armoured Engineering has carried out a ‘phase 1 restoration’ on the M3 Grant ahead of its first public debut.
The M3 will join the Bannister Historic Armour Collection housed at The Tank Museum, and a second phase of restoration will be carried out over the coming years to be fully restored.
William Bannister, Trustee of The Tank Museum, said:
“The M3 Grant was first used in North Africa in May 1942, and was designed and built quickly as a vital stopgap until a tank that could fit a 75mm gun into its turret was ready.
“This vehicle is one of the very few working examples in the world in such good condition, and I’m delighted to be bringing it to TANKFEST this year, where the public will be lucky enough to see its first test run.
“I would like to express my thanks to Rob Lowden of the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum for permitting this vehicle to come to the UK to augment The Tank Museum’s historic collection of running vehicles from the iconic battles of the desert war period of WWII.”
The WWII vehicle line up for TANKFEST features four other vehicles from the Bannister Historic Armour Collection – An M8 Greyhound, M5A1 Stuart, M24 Chaffee and Centaur III.
Other guests include John Pearson’s Valentine Duplex Drive, Chris Till’s M4A1 Sherman, and Duxford Aviation Society’s T34-85.
As previously announced, headlining the event, is the world’s only running King Tiger from the Musée des Blindés in France – made possible by World of Tanks.
Tickets to TANKFEST 2025 are now sold out, but you can still enjoy the event from the comfort of your home via livestream.
