Found in a 78-year-old's cellar: a WWII tank

[Richie61]

Um... HELL YEAH this is COOL!

Found in a 78-year-old's cellar: a WWII tank

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/07/0...wwii-tank/

It took 20 soldiers almost nine hours to remove a World War II "Panther" tank from a pensioner's cellar in a wealthy community in northern Germany—and that's in spite of the fact that the German army sent in modern recovery tanks to help confiscate the vintage 1943 vehicle, reports the BBC.

[Hedgehog]

Um... HELL YEAH this is COOL!

Found in a 78-year-old's cellar: a WWII tank

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/07/0...wwii-tank/

It took 20 soldiers almost nine hours to remove a World War II "Panther" tank from a pensioner's cellar in a wealthy community in northern Germany—and that's in spite of the fact that the German army sent in modern recovery tanks to help confiscate the vintage 1943 vehicle, reports the BBC.

Great story that one.....I read about it my self....The bit
I think is unfair why are they taking his Museum pieces away
from him

[Richie61]

This.

Prosecutors in the nearby city of Kiel are investigating whether the man's military collection violates Germany's War Weapons Control Act. But his lawyer says the weapons are no longer functional, therefore shouldn't be restricted.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-...e-33381772

[jim pfleck]

I read an article that qouted one of his neighbors saying something like "I do not know why the police are so surprised. Everyone knew he had it. He was driving it around in that bad blizzard 30 years ago..." or something like that. Point is, the man drove it in a blizzard to get around. that cracks me up

[Graknaar]

man I wish I could find something like that. I'd proudly donate it or get it into running condition and rent it out to movie companies.

[ComradeP]

The man was about 8 when the war ended, so I'm wondering where he found the still functioning Panther. Maybe it was stored in a depot somewhere and he took it home in the 1950's? Maybe his father or a relative took it home when the war ended?

[Weasel]

The panther is in wonderful condition, he did a nice job on it, at least from the outside.

[Das Morbo]

The man was about 8 when the war ended, so I'm wondering where he found the still functioning Panther. Maybe it was stored in a depot somewhere and he took it home in the 1950's? Maybe his father or a relative took it home when the war ended?

I am from Germany and our news sources reported he was an businessman involved in (legal) arms deals, so he had the connections and money to get his hands on hardware like this.

He also owned an 88mm Flak41 and an Sumbamerine Torpedo (G7e? I am not sure anymore). As said before he was kown for decades to own that stuff  and used the Panther as a snow plough in the worst blizzard Germany ever experienced, back in the '70s.

German restrictions on private ownership of military hardware are very strict (which I like), but as far as I know his colletcion was legal.
The official agencies made quite a fuss about it, many people didn't really get why exactly.