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!
Drive the Famous Iconic Movie Star Medium Tank of WWII
The American Heritage Museum is proud to offer exciting tank driving experiences in the Spring, Summer, and Fall aboard the M4 Sherman Medium tank used throughout World War II. The M4 Sherman is the iconic tank that was used in all theaters of operations, including the offensive campaign that surged toward Berlin in 1944. This M4 Sherman is also a movie star, being the star of the 1982 movie “Tank” with James Garner.
Tank driving programs on the M4 Sherman are a donation of $1495.00 per driving participant aboard the tank for a one hour training experience that includes ground instruction, startup, driving instruction with our instructor, and YOU drive the M4 Sherman for 20 minutes on our tank driving grounds at the American Heritage Museum. If you would like to add an additional rider in the turret during your driving experience, please add a $195 donation to your booking. Most of the cost of the driving program is considered a tax-deductible contribution.
Watch a Video on the M4 Driving Experience
Book Your M4 Sherman Tank Driving Experience Today!
Tank driving experiences on the M4 Sherman are being offered in the mornings of select weekends through the season. Please click the button below for schedules and online booking. We can also accommodate custom tank driving slots during weekdays when available – call us at 978-562-9182 to inquire about weekday driving reservations.
For safety, all driving participants should be 16 years of age or older and be at least 5′ 2″ tall and have good physical strength to drive. Any additional riders in the turret must be at least 5′ tall to ride. Children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by an adult in the turret if they meet the height requirement.
Gift Certificates Available
Looking to give a tank driving experience as a gift? We have presentation gift certificates available for gift giving to the tank enthusiast in your family! Tank Driving Gift Certificates are open ended and allow the recipient to schedule their own driving experience at their convenience. Click here to learn more about and purchase an M4 Sherman Tank Driving Experience Gift Certificate at this link.
History of the M4 Sherman
One of the most produced tanks of WWII, the M4 Sherman saw its debut storming across the hot sands of North Africa in 1942, and went on to see combat in every theater. M4s could be seen everywhere, from the island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific to the dangerous hedgerows of Normandy, even fighting in the steppes of the Eastern Front. Packing a 75mm main cannon, the M4 was a strong and reliable tank on the battlefield. Through progressive upgrades the M4 remained the definitive Allied tank throughout the Second World War and into Korea. Loved by crews for its ease of use and maintenance, the M4 Sherman remains a symbol of the Liberation of Europe and a testament to the bravery of the crews that fought in them.
SPECIFICATIONS
Armament: 75mm M3 Cannon, one .50 cal. MG and 2x .30 cal. MGs.
Crew: 5, Commander, Gunner, Driver, Loader, Co-Driver.
Engine: 450 Horsepower Ford GAA, 1,100 cubic inch V-8
Range: 130 miles
