17 January 2008

V2 Rocket in Mitchell

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After reading the resurrected “The incredible expanding War Memorial” thread the other day, I was driving past the AWM’s facility in Mitchell, and there does appear to be, in the yard out the back, a V2 Rocket . It is amazing what is lying around the city that you don’t know about until it is pointed out to you.

V2 Rocket in Mitchell

It is also amazing that a thread can last years, then go down hill so fast.

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Gungahlin Al10:06 am 21 Jan 08

I’ve emailed the photos I promised through to the root@ email address twice. Any chance they’ll get posted guys?

Apparently at least 20 still exist. 4 are in the UK, 2 in Australia (both in Canberra), roughly 7 in the US, one in France, and only one complete rocket in Germany funny enough. Doesn’t appear to be many complete examples.

@ Thumper – “snap!” That was the same picture that entered my mind too 😉

@ Hingo – It’d make a wonderful garden ornament armament… I wouldn’t mind a couple either – it’d sure put garden gnomes and flamingos to shame. Even just a small pottery one… hmmmmm… business idea :/

I’ll take the V2 off their hands for nothing if they want. At least I could manage to put a tarp over the thing. V2’s are rare as hens teeth and its sad to see it rusting away out there.

mmm, i’m pretty sure no one rode to war on a V2. Although any Australians in the wrong part of the UK may have been targets…

But they didn’t fly into battle on V2s.

Gungahlin Al2:51 pm 18 Jan 08

Mael: perhaps because one is directly linked to Australian history, the other is more Britain’s?

It’d be a neat gate guard.

Perhaps they should consider loaning/donating it to a RSL. Individual RSL are extremely capable of looking after discrete objects, moreover, they would be absolutely chuffed if an army truck pulled up with a V2 on the back.

I don’t think we’d be so foolhardy with Ned Kelly’s third gun, why should we be treating this any differently ?

Gungahlin Al11:40 am 18 Jan 08

Mael, there’s a perfectly good V2 inside, and a V1 as well (plus there’s a V1 in the main AWM). So I guess it’s a case of how many does one need?
Intriguing to look insode the old one though – the controls are SO rudimentary it was truly amazing that such a thing could find its way all the way to the target without even the semblance of a computer…

There is also a restored V2 on a trailer inside the building and a Me 163 Komet rocket fighter on display in the ANZAC Hall at the War Memorial proper. Some details about the history of the Komet, complete with photos, can be found here.

Lest we forget that this thing being left out in the elements was created in anger by people hostile to our way of life.

When it has rusted through, and is subject to disposal, some of that memory will be lost.

I do not think it is being cared for responsibly. RSL’s do better jobs with their cannons.

Gungahlin Al9:54 am 18 Jan 08

The Big Things open day is in August annually. I’ve emailed some pics from inside through to the RA boys.

They for some reason stopped the public tours where you could walk around the viewing platform. It’s a shame, it is such a fantastic place. I was privileged to work in there a few times when you could still hold functions there. Crawling into the jap. mini sub to place lighting inside it for one of the shows was surreal.

It’s just amazing how this equipment that has been laying idle for decades can still give you the willies just by looking at it. It all looks so sinister and dangerous – and thinking about the people who used the equipment and what they witnessed sends shivers down my spine every time.

Occasional open days

anyone know if your allowed entry into the Mitchell AWM facility?

yep, the one inside is much better, they have some great stuff squirrelled away in there

I was the one who asked what the hell it was in the old thread. Thanks for posting a picture. Its quite amazing that Canberra has two of these things. One of them is apparently the most complete example left. The War Memorial also have the original launching vehicle.

My error – I mentioned Limestone Lizzy

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