SA Armour Museum
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Welcome to the Official home page of the
SA Armour Museum
Public Announcement: Appointment of a New Museum Manager
After four years of dedicated service managing the South African Armour Museum, the time has come for the current Museum Manager, Major Dana Swanepoel, to hand over the reins to a new incoming Museum Manager.
Major Heinrich Terblanche (52) has been identified and appointed to assume the role of Museum Manager of the South African Armour Museum with effect on 2 Feb 2026.
Major Terblanche has served in the Armoured Corps for the past 33 years. His career includes service at 1 Special Service Battalion, where he fulfilled duties as Squadron Second-in-Command and later as Squadron Commander. For the past 16 years, he has served as an Instructor, Branch Commander, and Wing Second-in-Command of the Advanced Training Wing at the School of Armour.
He holds a Honours BMil degree in Security and African Studies, majoring in Geography and Military History.
With his extensive operational, instructional, leadership experience and military history knowledge, Major Terblanche is regarded as a highly competent commander and is well suited to lead the South African Armour Museum into its next chapter.
We wish him every success in his new appointment.
Public Service Announcement: Access and Operating Days Update
The SA Armour Museum is located within Tempe Military Base and operates under the authority of the Officer Commanding (OC) School of Armour. Subsequently, the museum must adhere to military security regulations.
Please note that visitors will only be granted access to the School of Armour by booking in advance to visit the museum.
The museum's new operating days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 0900AM - 12:00PM
Visits to the museum are prohibited on Wednesdays, weekends and public holidays.
Booking information:
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Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
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Contact Mrs Marietjie van Eden at the OC Secretary’s office on 051 402 1700 to arrange your visit.
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Alternatively, bookings can be made via email at saarmourmuseum@gmail.com
We appreciate your understanding, cooperation, and continued support.
Project Reclaim Update:
On 18 November 2025, the final two vehicles — the Springbok and the Ratel ATOS — were successfully relocated to their new display positions.
A heartfelt thank you to the Museum Workshop team for their tireless effort and dedication in relocating these heritage vehicles.
This milestone marks the completion of the relocation phase. The renovation phase will commence next year as we continue our efforts to preserve and present our heritage.
Follow our page to see how the 2026 project progresses!
𝐓-𝟑𝟒/𝟖𝟓 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭
It is truly a privilege to witness the restoration of such a legendary and historic tank — one that served with distinction during the later part of the Second World War and in the Korean War, and even saw action during the early years of the Angolan Civil War.
This particular T-34/85, captured during Operation Protea in 1981, was offloaded on 6 May 1999 at the crossing of the N8 and Fustenburg Road in Bloemfontein. After 26 years of exposure to the natural elements, the SA Armour Museum, after careful inspection, identified the tank for restoration to a running condition for public mobility demonstrations.
On 6 May 2025, the tank was loaded and relocated to the Wonderboom Military Museum (WMM) for restoration. Since its arrival, the expert team at WMM has been hard at work for five months and twenty-five days, all while simultaneously restoring a Buffel APC.
Through dedication and remarkable skill — and entirely at their own expense — the specialists successfully repaired a small leak in the diesel pump and another in one of the radiators. The side clutches are now functioning perfectly, although the main clutch still requires attention. The team also identified the need for accurate oil pressure and temperature gauges.
On 31 October 2025, the T-34/85 drove under its own power for the first time since 1981 — a remarkable milestone after 44 years of silence!
The next step in the restoration process will be to flush the oil tanks and refill them with fresh oil, continuing this impressive journey toward a fully mobile T-34/85.
The South African Armour Museum extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Wonderboom Military Museum team for their unwavering dedication and craftsmanship in preserving South Africa’s military heritage. Your commitment and passion are truly commendable.
With this restoration, the greater Pretoria community of historic military vehicle enthusiasts will soon have the privilege to see and hear the iconic T-34/85 in action during Military History Expositions at WMM — a living tribute to one of history’s most legendary tanks.
The Oral History of the
SA Armour Museum
This video highlights the dedication of Lt Col Helene Potgieter, an Architect and Reserve officer, who developed an oral history of the SA Armour Museum. Specializing in heritage buildings, Lt Col Potgieter showcases her work on the restoration of prefabricated corrugated steel structures, such as Building T28 of the Armour Museum. The video also acknowledges Brig Gen Fezile Mbotyi, Col Peter Mangana, and Lt Col Philip Coetzer for their roles in making this project possible. Enjoy this 24-minute journey through the proud history of the Armour Museum.