Add Drive a Tank to the list of offbeat adventures for travelers. Drive a Tank is the only venue in the United States where civilians can spend a day learning how to drive military tanks. During the Drive a Tank adventure, you'll start by operating a FV-433 Abbott with an open hatch. Once you've had this experience, you can move onto steering a FV432 Armored Personnel Carrier by looking through a periscope. You may even be able to shoot blanks from a tank's cannon.
A Day at Drive a Tank
The day starts with a general briefing where you learn about the various armored vehicles (which have been brought here from Britain) and see how they are used and stored in a Motor Pool. Then, you'll ride to the field command HQ in a classic military transport, where you'll get a briefing from an instructor about how to handle tank controls and operate the tank. Finally, you get to drive the first tank looking through the open hatch. You decide if you want to drive the second tank looking through an open hatch or through a periscope. An instructor is with you in the tanks and dual control systems have been installed in the tanks with a "kill switch" the instructor can hit at any time.After driving the tanks, everyone gathers at an indoor firing range to learn about Drive a Tank's stash of historic firearms. Following a firearms safety, small arms familiarization and usage course, participants have the opportunity to shoot these historic military firearms in a controlled environment.
Want to Crush a Car a Drive a Tank
What a way to get rid of your hostilities! It costs a lot extra, but you can arrange to climb into one of the tanks and crush an old car! Before you flatten the car, there will be a session going over "basic car crushing tips" and the required safety guidelines. An instructor stays in the tank with you during the adventure.How to Book Drive a Tank
Drive a Tank schedules event days every other weekend from April into November. Call and ask about event days in the winter. You can also book the adventure at other times, but there must be a minimum of three packages sold before they will fire up the tanks. Groups can book private days for corporate gatherings, birthdays and other special events.Drive a Tank is located in Minnesota, about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Minneapolis. For more information and booking visit Drive a Tank or call (507) 835-5607.
More Extreme Adventures
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