Airpower Museum Tank Takes a Trip

A 33-ton World War II Sherman tank is temporarily leaving Farmingdale's for a weekend at the World War II veterans salute at Old Bethpage Restoration Village, where it will be on operational display Saturday and Sunday.

The tank is being moved on a Pratt Brothers heavy load trailer Friday.

“We know how to move bulldozers, payloaders and asphalt spreaders but this is the first time we have transported history," said Jim Pratt, president of Pratt Brothers. "It meets weight and dimensions limits but it is still a daunting move because you know there is only one of them in this region and men died in similar tanks defending our freedoms. There is no room for mistakes.”

Pratt, chairman of the Long Island Contractors’ Association, says he is donating transportation services.

“As if we needed to be reminded, the events of the last month demonstrate the enormous debt we owe our military every day," he said. This Sherman is one more symbol of the courage found within our armed services.”

The tank will be loaded on a flatbed Friday on New Highway, trucked north along Route 110, and then head west on Spagnoli Road to Old Bethpage Restoration Village where it will be carefully offloaded.

The tank will be part of a special tribute to World War II veterans presented by Nassau County that includes World War II re-enactors, displays of uniforms, equipment and military vehicles and tactical demonstrations.