For what it's worth... went 2 days ago to Bovington camp tank museum for "running" day - of mainly WW2 armoured vehicles.
I can cite what I have studied about tanks. First time ever seeing tanks running. I set myself the goal of watching and absorbing...
Someone from the museum explained the cost in fuel (petrol/gasoline, diesel) runs into 5 figures GBPpounds (close to US$) *each day* - the admission cost from thousands of people barely covers.
Petrol/gasoline fueled tanks (the most) popping and banging away. Name of day heavily distorted by the only running WW2 German Tiger tank in the World (?) appearing. Heat-haze of gasoline being burned...
The amazing Soviet / Russian T34 (a T34/85) - one of very few diesel-engined tanks - blatantly displaying its crudity yet brilliance.
You folk are in the main experts. I will only comment - I am glad I saw. Seeing is understanding a lot...
Best wishes
---------------------------------------
There are two tank museums about an hour from here in opposite directions. The operations manager of this one is a friend.
formatting link
have a live demo October 10 & 11.
I haven't visited this one yet.
formatting link
Tank driving was expensive and I hadn't been well coordinated driving a clutch and brake bulldozer so I settled for a half-track ride in the woods, which was like a roller coaster without seatbelts.
Being a motorhead I'd love to see the inner workings, some of which are visible in the tank repair shop demo.
formatting link
Their machine shop contained large, old, simple machine tools appropriate to WW2 tasks.
Bovington has a functional Tiger I and broken Tiger II, there's a running Tiger II in Saumur, France. As the war progressed bombing and lack of alloying metals cost German industry the ability to make adequately strong tank transmission gears, as well as stressed aero engine components.
formatting link
This was my usual ride in the Army because it had a safe to contain classified material. It was not much fun to drive, slow on the Autobahn and too wide for back roads.
formatting link
had Army versions of civilian vehicles such as the Suburban but no money for repairs when they broke. US forces in Europe were starved to support Vietnam. At least we could order Jeep parts privately from J.C.Whitney. Performance parts to make them faster also made them more likely to flip.
On a narrow winding back road in the Black Forest I had to drive my VW into the woods to avoid an oncoming convoy of British tanks. I took maximum advantage of knowing some German and being able to navigate my way around.