The Polish Military Museum

[Venom PL]

Today I was in The Polish Military Museum in Warsaw.
I’ve took some pictures that I want to share with you (hope you are happy).

Informations about the museum.

The Polish Military Museum was established on the basis of a 1920 decree by the Supreme Commander, Marshall Jozef Pilsudski. Initially housed together with the National Museum in a building in Podwale Street, in 1934 it moved to a section of the National Museum's new building, a purpose-built edifice constructed in 1926-38 after the design by Tadeusz Tolwinski. Reopened after World War II in 1946, the Museum started its new divisions, the Museum of Katyn and the Museum of Polish Military Technology, in the 9th Czerniakowski Fort in 1993.

The holdings tell the story of the Polish armed forces from the Middle Ages to contemporary times and include collections of edged weapons, firearms and protective weapons; eighteenth century and later uniforms; sixteenth century and later standards and banners; military orders and distinctions; equestrian equipment; hunting and sports weapons; marine and aviation equipment; oriental and exotic arms. The Art Department houses a collection of battle-scene paintings, graphics, posters and drawings. The special holdings encompass extensive iconographic, archival and cartographic collections. Among the Museum's prized possessions are the personal effects of distinguished military leaders and commanders from Hetman Jan Tarnowski to Jozef Pilsudski.

"Sexton" MK.II Self-Propelled Gun
The first artillery unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West that received the "Sexton" SP guns was the 1st Motor Artillery Regiment of the 1st Armored Division. The 7th Horse Artillery Regiment, an artillery unit assigned to the 2nd Warszawska Armored Division, which was raised shortly prior to the war’s end, was another unit that used vehicles of this type. An estimated number of 60 - 80 "Sextons" were in use by the Polish units.
The vehicle on this photo carries the markings of the 1st Motor Artillery Regiment of the 1st Armored Division.

M3 GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) with M1897A4 75mm Gun

The 2S1 - 122-mm self-propelled howitzer

T-34/85

T-55AMS

The T-55AMS tank is a variant of the Polish-produced T-55AM tank, which in turn was a modified version of the Soviet T-55A tank that was produced in Poland under a license agreement.
The T-55AMS tank was introduced to service with the Army of the Peoples Republic of Poland in the latter 1980s. As the preceding T-55AM tank, the T-55AMS has been provided with MERIDA fire control system (incorporating a laser range finder and digital ballistic computer), DOBRAVA warning laser detection system and ERB smoke grenade launchers. The T-55AMS has been added with provisions for attaching engineering equipment: the KMT-5 mine-clearing device or the USCz-55 dozer blade. Each T-55 tank company comprised 10 tanks: one T-55AD2M (command vehicle), six T-55AM and three T-55AMS tanks.

More photos soon......

 

[Venom PL]

T-55AMS

T-55AMS

T-34/76

I have a personal fillings to this tank because my grandfather was one of its crew members during WWII. This tank passed 4760KM war path (1820KM in combat). It was fighting in the Battle of Lenino, Battle of Studzianki, Battle to break the “Wał Pomorski” (Pomeranian Position – the highly fortified German defense line). During the attack at Zabinek (2-3 march 1945) the tank was hit by Panzerfaust and it was forced to withdraw for repairs. From 17th of january 1946 tank is one of the exhibits in Polish Military Museum.

T-34/76

From the left: 2S1 - 122mm self-propelled howitzer, T-34/85, T-55AMS

German Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. D Half-Truck

German Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. D Half-Truck

Same as above

 

[Venom PL]

German Jagdpanzer 38 "Hetzer" tank destroyer.

Same as above

SU-76 self-propelled gun

Same as above

IS-2 Heavy Tank

German 10,5 cm leichte Feld haubitze (light field howitzer) - standard German field artillery when WWII started.

I'll post more photos soon

 

[Venom PL]

Yak-9P Fighter - this one was used by the 1st "Warsaw" Air Fighter Regiment.

Same as above

British BL 5.5 inch (139,7mm) Medium Gun - this gun was the standard weapon of the British medium artillery regiments during WWII. The 5.5 guns were the combat equipment of the Polish 10th an 11th Heavy Artillery Regimends of the Polish 2nd Corp's Artillery Group - Polish Armed Forces in the West.

Polish jet trainer - PZL TS-11 "Iskra" (Spark).

Polish jet trainer PZL I-22 Iryda M-96

Short history review from Wikipedia:

In 1976 program of new jet trainer for the Polish Air Force started in Instytut Lotnictwa (polish: Institute of Aeronautics) to replace TS-11 Iskra. Iryda was designed in PZL Mielec (then WSK-Mielec). The first prototype was flown on March 3, 1985. Project was finally cancelled in the 1990s due to problems and lacks of fundings. Additional cause was a crash of the pre-production series aircraft, even though the cause of accident was exceeding of the performance limits during forced flutter tests.

 

[Venom PL]

Polish trainer aircraft PZL TS-8 Bies. This type of trainer was in active service since 1958 till mid-1960s (it was replaced by PZL TS-11 Iskra).

Another photo of Made in Canada "Sexton" MK.II Self-Propelled Gun

SCUD-B on MAZ-543 wheeled chassis

SCUD-A on IS-3 Heavy Tank based chassis

 

[Venom PL]

Some older military hardware

Mi-8 - my friend’s father was flying on this particular chopper.

Mi-2 and his bigger brother Mi-8

MiG-21 bis

 

[Légionnaire]

Nice pictures...

So long
Légionnaire

 

[5.56X45mm]

Sweet, any displays about the Polish Calvary and the standard infantry soldier during WWII?

 

[Venom PL]

Yes we will get to it soon.

Russian 76-mm regimental gun

Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bomber

Same as above

Ilyushin Ił-2m3 one of the 3 (some say 4) on the world that still exist.

Ilyushin Ił-10

 

[Venom PL]

Tupolev Tu-2 daylight bomber

BM-13 on ZiL-151 truck chassis

From the left: BM-21 Grad on Ural-375D truck chassis, BM-14 and
BM-13 on ZiL-151 truck chassis.

TOPAS-2AP

 

[Venom PL]

SKOT-2A

BRDM-1

BRDM-2

BTR-152

 

[Venom PL]

Probably BAW-485 but I’m not sure

ZSU-57-2 self-propelled air defence cannon

PT-76 - amphibious tank

 

[Venom PL]

T-55

Another T-34/85

Unfortunately a lot of equipment from external exhibition was taken for renovation so here are some pics from the museum site.

Polish Improvised Armored Car "Kubus"​

This improvised armored car was build by Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa - AK) "Krybar" unit from Powisle district of Warsaw. Its main role was to be used as personnel carrier for "desant" like attacks on German strongpoints in the city.

Remains of German Pz.Kpfw. III

Leopard 1​

 

[Venom PL]

American M107 Self-Propelled Gun

Next time i will post some pics from internal exhibition (rifles, uniforms, personal equipment etc).

 

[Fox]

Nice pics, Venom. Looking forward to the new pics.

 

[5.56X45mm]

Very cool pics.

 

[Légionnaire]

Nice pictures...let us see more one...

Glück ab!
Légionnaire

 

[Venom PL]

I am glad you like it guys. here is another part.

I’m sorry for not so good quality of pictures but inside the museum you are not allowed to use flash... a lot of pictures that I've made was really dark so I am posting view that are ekhm lets say "good". To bad because I’ve mist a lot of medieval equipment.

Polish armor from the beginning of 1st half of XVI century.

Polish swords from X-XII century

German armor

 

[Venom PL]

Polish gun from XV century.

Polish long guns from XVI century

Polish Hussars heavy armoured cavalry armor (XVI century).

At that time Hussaria was the finest cavalry in Europe. For 123 years they didn’t lost any battle (1500-1623).

Polish 'winged' hussar

Unlike their lighter counterparts, the Polish hussars were used as a heavy cavalry for line-breaking charges against enemy infantry or cavalry. Their usual form of attack was to make a rapid charge in compact formation. If the first attack failed, they would retire to their supporting troops who re-equipped them with fresh lances, and then would charge again. The concentration of lances would eventually break the enemy line, creating gaps that follow-on units could exploit. As panic spread and the enemy fled, they could be cut down with sabres.

Hussars of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were also famous for the huge 'wings' worn on their backs or attached to the saddles of their horses. There are several theories to explain the meaning of the wings. According to some they were designed to foil attacks by Tatar lassos; another theory has it that the sound of vibrating feathers attached to the wings frightened enemy horses during the charge. However, experiments carried out since the 1970s do not support any of the theories. The most probable explanation is: hussars wings, along with wild predators' fur worn on backs and with lance were for a psychological reason - they were part of husarias legend, making them mythological creatures; making every enemy sure that these are those dreadful, invincible hussars.
From wikipedia

Polish armor used on parades (2nd half of XVII century)

Polish military equipment (1700-1764).

 

[Venom PL]

more pics coming soon