Cold War Collection

As the long winter of 20/21 drags on, the volunteers of the Cold War Collection do their best to stay in touch, to share, to support each other, and keep our merry band of likeminded individuals together.

The expression 'you learn something new everyday' was made clearer earlier this week. There are clubs and groups for just about every hobby imaginable. This week one of our volunteers had a chance to do some business with someone from a cannon club. After the getting to know each other, the conversation quickly turned not to whose hobby is better, but how do we best present our respective hobbies to the public. The cannon group locate, restore, train and demonstrate historic blackpowder and breechloading artillery pieces from Canadian history. Their earliest pieces are nearly 200 years old! The Cold War Collection demonstrate postwar vehicles. Same thing only different.

The other day I noticed a schoolyard play structure at my son's former elementary school had been torn down. Instead of hard plastic, cables and timber ramps, ladders, a slide, and clambering apparatus, there was a circle of low stumps. Very little play value in that. But on the other hand, The Staffordshire Regimental Museum in UK posted a picture of their military themed play structure. It represents a Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle, a distant nephew of the CWC's CVRT, in a theme representing a Forward Operating Base or FOB. Perhaps the British Army knows something about attracting future recruits ..... ?

Welcome to all new visitors (and returning ones too). The volunteers with the Cold War Collection are, like most of you, stuck inside too. The show season was called off. Travel for maintenance was restricted. And with winter threatening, we have had to put the vehicles to bed. As a matter of curiosity, we'll try to give you an idea what it means to winterize a dozen or fifteen precious artifacts. More to follow ......

US billionaire Paul Allen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Allen) had a bottomless passion for history, and a nearly bottomless bank account to support those interests. He funded several deep-ocean and extreme altitude exploration projects, as well as support significant artifacts restorations. These pieces are gathered in the "Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum". Like The Cold War Collection, it is closed to the public for the duration of the pandemic. While the C...ollection's principals are not nearly in the same category of philanthropy as the likes of Paul Allen, the Collection's missions include education and exposure. Have a visit to the Flying Heritage museum's website to view very generously posted age-appropriate historical interpretation 'studies' to help visitors understand the nature of war and military museums. There is always something to learn. http://flyingheritage.org/Explore/Why-War-Exhibit.aspx

Today was a planned crew BBQ and work party day. The volunteers are keen to meet up and share stories. However, the forecast today is for an inch of rain. Things that have been kept carefully dry for years, shouldn't be exposed to the weather unnecessarily. So, with a heavy heart, today's activities have been cancelled. Bummer.

This is a welcome development. I have to chuckle (just a little bit). The site of the monument is opposite the back driveway to the Canadian War Museum. In 2015 or 16, the CWC was invited to demonstrate some of its vehicles at Awesome Tanks. After the show, we had a few minutes before the flatbed arrived. So, Peter and I drove the 1969 Cadillac Gage V100 Armored Car on the lawns across the street. The Afghanistan Monument will be built where we spun the tires and kicked up the sod!

The famous secret Scottish elixir. It works for tanks and kilted regiments. Spotted on St Andrew's Day 2019.

A post to show that the volunteers of the Collection are still active and involved. For several years, the Collection participated in the Take A Veteran To Dinner gala. The 2018 edition was the most audacious, when we drove the Ferret Scout Car into the dining hall where it sat in amongst the tables of diners. Crew Commanding and giving clearance calls we see Devorah Sugarman.

Happy Birthday to this incredible human!!! Thanks for all that you do for Cold Wat Collection!