Hello all good people! The American Heritage Museum will be open on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 20th, 10am to 5pm. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.
The American Heritage Museum is excited to announce the launch of a new restoration project aimed at restoring a rare and historically significant piece of original World War II armor: the Type 97 Tankette “Te Ke,” used by the Imperial Japanese Army.![]()
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Read the full article at: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/2025/01/rare-japanese-type-97-tankette-te-ke-restoration-project-b...![]()
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The Type 97 Tankette was a light armored vehicle developed and employed by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Introduced in 1938, the Te-Ke was designed as a reconnaissance and infantry support vehicle, embodying Japan’s focus on lightweight, mobile forces. ![]()
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The Type 97 Tankette was powered by a 65 horsepower, inline 4-cylinder diesel engine, giving it a top speed of around 26 mph. It featured a two-man crew: a driver and a gunner/commander. Armament included either a 37 mm Type 94 tank gun or a 7.7 mm Type 97 machine gun, making it effective against lightly fortified positions and infantry but inadequate against heavier tanks.![]()
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Our particular project vehicle has been determined to be a variant of the Te-Ke that was specifically designed as a gas scattering vehicle to either deploy chemical agents such as mustard gas or other chemical agents offensively or similarly scatter agents to counter poison gasses defensively. Vehicles in this role carried their scattering agents in a towed tracked trailer and though we do not have one of these trailers, we are actively looking for one to add to the restoration.![]()
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The rare Type 97 Tankette will be restored at the American Heritage Museum by our restoration team over the next 3-4 years and will include a full overhaul of the original and rare Ikegai air-cooled diesel engine that is part of the project. We intend to restore it to operational configuration as a running tank and it will eventually become part of an enhanced exhibit documenting the years leading up to World War II. The restoration team is seeking any technical materials, drawings, or documentation of the Type 97 Tankette type – so if you have any resources to assist, please email us at admin@americanheritagemuseum.org
A huge THANK YOU to our hardy re-enactors, dedicated volunteers, and enthusiastic guests for braving the cold and muddy conditions this past weekend for the Battle of the Bulge History Experience! This was our first cold weather outdoor experience and we were happy to welcome so many visitors who took part, deploying in the M3 Half Tracks to our slice of the Ardennes Forest! Please enjoy a selection of photos from Warren Disbrow and Roland Brooks from the weekend! Let us know if you think we should plan another in 2025! #AmericanHeritageMuseum #battleofthebulge #tanklife #WWII #worldwar2 #WorldWarII #WorldWarIIHistory #1944 #visitma #hudsonma
Looking for an adventure with the kids during school break? Come visit us at the American Heritage Museum! We are open today (Monday 12/30) and tomorrow (Tuesday 12/31), 10am to 5pm. Fun activities and Jim will have the game board set up.
Great time to bring friends and family to the American Heritage Museum. Battle of the Bulge Weekend continues through Sunday and the museum will be open this Monday and Tuesday. Happy New Year to all!
World War II Tank Driving Experiences and Tank Rides!
The mission of the American Heritage Museum is to bring visitors an immersive experience in history to give a greater appreciation for those who lived it and an excitement to learn more. For the ultimate immersive experience, the American Heritage Museum is offering YOU the opportunity to ride aboard or even DRIVE a real tank from World War II… the M4A3 Sherman Medium Tank, the M24 Chaffee Light Tank, or the M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer.
Being a crew member or driving a tank is not particularly comfortable. These metal beasts are all business, designed to go over most obstacles with ease and destroy anything in its path. Once in a tank, it is clearly evident you are driving a machine with great power. When you’re in a tank, things don’t happen to you – You happen to them!
From April through October, the American Heritage Museum offers tank riding and driving programs in the Sherman, Chaffee, and Jackson right here at our tank training area right behind the museum in Hudson, Massachusetts. You’ll check in for your experience and be transported back to 1944 as you step aboard!
Learn about each tank riding or driving program in the listings below and book online if you desire! You may also call us to book at 978-562-9182 M-F from 9am to 5pm (ET).
All tank driving experiences are considered tax-deductible contributions and 100% of the donations for the experience goes into the upkeep and restoration of the vehicles and growth of the programs at the American Heritage Museum.
World War II Tank Driving Instruction Programs
Hour-Long Training Experience with 20-minutes of you at the controls of the M24 Chaffee or M4 Sherman. Select your tank driving experience below:
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World War II Tank Ride Programs
10-minute ride experiences aboard the M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer, M24 Chaffee light tank, and the M4 Sherman medium tank. Select your tank driving experience below:
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M36 JACKSON
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M24 CHAFFEE
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M4 SHERMAN
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Buy a Gift Certificate!
Do you have a special someone that you’d like to give the gift of a tank driving experience or tank ride to? We have gift certificates available for immediate shipping! Recipients can choose their own date to schedule their experience once they receive our experience certificate package.
