Published on May 19th, 2016 | by Admin
Wargaming tanks Lithgow for a successful Ironfest
Wargaming tanks Lithgow for a successful Ironfest
Over 40,000 people in attendance at tank-filled event
19 May, 2016 – Wargaming’s sponsorship of the annual historical and cultural event, Ironfest in Lithgow, New South Wales, went off with a bang, with over 40,000 tickets sold for the two-day event from the 15th – 17th of April.
Wargaming’s sponsorship allowed Ironfest organisers to bring an additional armoured vehicle from Brisbane for the 20th Century re-enactment event. This year’s battle showcased a number of historical tanks including the M3A1 Stuart Light Tank, M5 International Half Track, Ferret Scout Car Mark I, Ferret Scout Car Mark II, Vixen Experimental Scout Car, Saladin Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle (wheeled), Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier (wheeled), FV 432 Armoured Personnel Carrier (tracked), among others.
Spectators and those involved in the re-enactment were excited by the historical tanks as they were able to witness a war battle first hand, which added to the authenticity of the event.
Todd Vail, President of the Australian Armoured Vehicle Association, said the additional tanks further added realism to the battle. “We couldn’t see out but it was very noisy, very stressful and very smoky. We created real firepower using blank ammunition…it was as loud as real ammunition,” said Mr Vail.
“It’s amazing to see the passion and dedication of the community involved in this year’s Ironfest, who like Wargaming, have a strong fascination with military history. I’m honoured that Wargaming’s sponsorship was able to positively impact the success of the event,” said Jasper Nicholas, General Manager, Wargaming Asia.
“As our community continues to grow and thrive within Australia, we will look to continue to sponsor local events which engage and educate about military history,” concluded Jasper.
Ironfest follows Wargaming’s donation of an AC1 Sentinel, one of only six Australian-made, WWII tanks left in existence, to the Australian Armour and Military Museum in Cairns earlier this year. The tank has since been restored by the museum, and is now available for public viewing.