Article about: Just want to share with you a bit more detailed description of a museum near Moscow that I have visited upon recommendation of Adrian (thanks a lot for that!). It really deserves a separate
Just want to share with you a bit more detailed description of a museum near Moscow that I have visited upon recommendation of Adrian (thanks a lot for that!). It really deserves a separate post, but its complementary to the previous post on what to see in Russia in terms of museum.
The concept of this museum (Padikovo) is nested around education of schoolchildren about history of Russia. However as this museum is private and is staffed with a team of professionals with passion for military history and military hardware it really differs from the rest of the museums I have seen. All items are restored to full working condition and all details (like additional optics, shovels etc.) are in place as well as proper paint and fixtures. All exponents are textbook examples that you will not see in such a condition!
Most importantly, this museum houses great variety of hardware as well as different versions of it so that you can really compare different PPSH guns and Mosin rifles. Although Padikovo museum is only 2 year old it houses really impressive collection (see below) with really rare items like Avtomat Fedorova, machine gun Maksim-Tokarev (both normal and tank version), RES AT rifle and many more. Collection is always expanding with the most interesting items. List of items: ????????? ?????*|*?????*|*??????????????? ???????? ??????*|*kskdivniy.ru
Moreover, the entrance is free and you will be provided with super professional and knowledgeable guide that will be happy to answer all of your questions. I was there 2 times and every time Maksim (our guide) spent 3 hours with our group (really appreciate it).
Entrance to the museum is free but you need to give them a call so that they will be able to arrange a highly professional guide. Museum is situated in Padikovo and is just a one hour drive from Moscow. Here is the link to the webpage (they are still working on it): ????????*|*kskdivniy.ru
Padikovo is only focused on soviet hardware that was used during second world war (however next step will be construction of a museum dedicated to the war of 1812). Almost no Wehrmacht items are displayed.
Here are a few highlights of the museum:
The flavor starts already with their parking, a regular one and one for the tanks
Restoration lot contains a lot of hardware brought from Finland. It will be restored and repainted.
An impressive tank collection:
Fully restored T-60
Details are important!
This T-34 is actually much more interesting than you would think. It participated in storming of Belgrade and was on the Belgrade bridge that was blown up by the Germans. Afterward its was put on display as a monument in Yugoslavia. With the start of the war in Yugoslavia it was put back in use by the Serbian militia and has destroyed several armored vehicles. Because this tank has no protection against cumulative ammo the crew went into combat with all hatches open and Croatian militia was able to throw grenades into the hatches killing the crew. After the war this tank stayed in Croatia. You can also see this tank in a program of WOT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRtj_TSOHjw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTnS0XS2al8
Rare Leningrad type of bunkers that were used for both assault (they were towed by the tanks into battle) and defense.
Coastal artillery
Actually a peculiar canon that was built in the 19 century and was used in Crimea to control the Kerch Strait (the range of the gun is 5 km, same as the Kerch Strait in its most narrow place). This particular gun was found by the defenders of Sebastopol in the storages and was actually used as road block (dug in like a dragon teeth near the battery 365, also known as Fort Stalin. This canon is also hit by the German shelling. Later the German dug it out and threw it into the ditch. Other similar guns can be seen only in Sebastopol.
Nice collection of artillery, full range (we didn’t have time to cover this part in detail, will try to add to this post later). Good to see all modifications of 45mm AT guns.
This war time produced Polutorka is actually a Road of Life (across Ladoga) veteran that was dug up in Kobona (where the road starts to run towards Leningrad). The car was lost in 1942/43 after bombing, the train station. The driver was killed and the car rolled into the crater where it bogged down and was left. There are names of 5 drivers that have driven this car until it was bombed (it was a front line tradition). Ask your guide to tell about the peculiarity of the car the way it was used. Very interesting to hear about the way the drivers were dealing with this equipment. Again the car is fully restored.
One of the most interesting vehicles is this T-26. It was dug up in the 90s and restored by the Finns in the 90s as well. This tank took part in the tank battle near Ostow in 1941 and was immobilized. The Germans were trying to destroy it as the crew was not surrendering. You can see marks of MP38/40 and K98 fire from close trying to pierce the armor. Once the Germans gave up trying to pierce through the armor the tossed tied grenades underneath and blew the tank up. You can see the welding from the restoration as it broke in pieces. The crew was still in the tank when it was dug up. Engine is replaces and is not original (one of the few not original things in the museum).
There is also a remarkable Komsomolets armored tractor captured by the Finns during the Winter War west of Petrozavodsk and reused until late 50th. Its one of the few surviving T-20 in the world in running order. Here is a picture of the marks from the Finnish Mosin shots.
Moreover there is a valentine and Stuart tank in fully running order that also participate in reconstruction.
After completion of the first tour we went to see the small arms section:
Mosin section contains a full array of versions starting from the uncovered early one, moving to the short (Kozak) version and to the wartime production (much more crude). There is also a great collection of ammo poaches (starting with a pre-1905 war wooden poach, to the big poach used during the WW1 and poach with two pockets used during WW2. Various types of bayonets and barbed wire scissors are also present for comparison.
Rare paratrooper mortars.
Dyakonov grenade launcher.
Dyagterev machine gun.
Fedorov Avtomat.
SVT display with different types
Foreign weapons used by the Soviet militia during WW2
PPSH/PPD collection for comparison (note the aims).
Two DP-28 types
Both types of AT rifles
Very rare Maksim-Tokarev mg’s tank and regular versions (excellent items!)
Capsule based flame thrower (very rare) with various grandees used (glass ones are based on white phosphorus and the steel one is a smoke shell). Produces only in blockaded Leningrad.
Another Leningrad relic, Molotov cocktail thrower.
Museum has a huge Maxim mg collection, here are a few highlight:
AA versions
Leningrad version of Maxim (note the crude finish) with our guide Maksim ))
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Super rare Maxim from 1907 taken of the battle ship Rurik II from Kronstadt. See the stamp.
Another Leningrad type that used old aircraft MGs on regular maxim mount. Used in bunkers near Pulkovo in blockaded Leningrad.
Special Maxim MG scope
Sniper rifles comparison, note the pre-war scopes.
RES AT rifle on skies. One of the 81 experimental model built. Prototypes have never seen action.
We are the Pilgrims , master, we shall go
Always a little further : it may be
Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow
Across that angry or that glimmering sea...
Glad my recommendation was acted upon. It is superb!
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Thanks. Yes Adrian, thanks for recommending. The team of this museum is really great as well and they have expanded and will expand a lot. Pretty sure they have a good chance to be THE destination for the RKKA studies worldwide. Maybe we can make this note sticky for the reference if people are interested in visiting it.
All the uniforms are presented as fully dressed mannequins. They don't have a lot on display, all are Soviet RKKA.
Cheers, Ade.
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