It was a hectic time, dominated above all by museum events. The first of these was the three-day May Day celebration at the LMW and the Model-Making Picnic – organised for the first time at this venue – an event conceived and organised by our team. Inviting modellers from all over Poland, preparing the event site, museum exhibits, and the arena for RC modelling displays, organising an outdoor game, and promoting the Picnic were just the most important tasks we faced at the time. And it was worth it, because over 2,000 people visited the museum during the May Day celebrations, and the Model-Making Picnic received very favourable reviews from both exhibitors and visitors.
After such a large and labour-intensive event, there was no time to rest, as we immediately set about preparing for the museum’s Night of Museums. That event turned out just as wonderfully. What were our tasks? First and foremost, we prepared the interior of the Su-22 aircraft cockpit for public viewing for the first time. To do this, we had to install, amongst other things, cockpit safety barriers, compressed air connections and power supply connections. During the event itself, we organised art workshops, demonstrations of the GSP-55 launchers being deployed, and light and music displays featuring a working Dvina rocket launcher and a Mi-4 helicopter. As usual, we also provided security for the displays and looked after the exhibits open to the public.
However, the real crowds and record attendance came with the Tankers’ Picnic, which took place on 16 June 2024. We were there too. We managed to organise model-making demonstrations on the tank training ground, assisted with dynamic displays of tracked vehicles, and helped out with the catering and the exhibits on display.
Of course, one cannot live on picnics alone. In April and May, we met at the museum to clean and maintain the exhibits. The refurbishment of the BTR-152 required a great deal of work; amongst other things, the electrical system was faulty, so we cleaned the cooling system and fitted a missing bolt on the crankshaft. During this time, we also managed to complete work on getting the hydraulics up and running in the second of the GSP-55 semi-trams. We then activated the internal radio communication system, enabling the vehicle’s crew to communicate via headsets. The UAZ-469 also required servicing. Ahead of the Tank Crew Picnic, the T-72 tank underwent a service, including topping up the oil in the gearbox and engine system. We are slowly continuing the painting work on the SU-152 self-propelled gun.
The Mi-4 helicopter has been restored to its former glory; first, it was thoroughly washed on the outside, and then we set about cleaning the interior, lubricating and sealing the door locks, restoring the broken mountings for the troop seats, and constructing a ramp, thanks to which the helicopter’s interior can now be made accessible to visitors!
We also supported the museum on promotional trips to Żagań and Głogów. In the former, during the celebrations marking the anniversary of the Great Escape, we displayed our models, set up a communications post and presented the BTR-152 armoured personnel carrier. In Głogów, we stood by the museum’s 10.5 cm howitzer from the Second World War and encouraged visitors to visit the museum and take part in art workshops. We also travelled to Kołobrzeg, where we supported the Armoured Weapons Museum’s stand at the grand re-enactment of the Battle of Kołobrzeg.
There were also some rather unusual activities such as carrying out the surveying and design of the SMT-1 bridge span, creating and designing an outdoor game, and producing armoured vehicle colouring books.
In total, in the first half of 2024, nearly 40 people took part in voluntary activities for the museum, logging nearly 1,200 hours worked in the volunteer management system! Our activities were widely covered in the local media, particularly on TVP 3 Gorzów Wielkopolski.
We do not intend to slow down in the second half of this year. Ahead of us lie, among other things, a complete refurbishment of the field kitchen, the second phase of work on commissioning the generator, and painting the SU-152. At the same time, we will be carrying out tasks related to the project entitled ‘Development of Volunteering at the Lubuskie Military Museum’, funded by NIW-CRSO. These will include a study trip, purchasing equipment, and organising volunteer initiatives.
