Vienna, Christmas 2017/18

I have just returned from spending a two week Christmas break in Vienna with my wife. During the time there, I was able to visit a few military themed sites. The first was the Soviet memorial to the attackers of the city in 1945.
These were in the Vienna Central Cemetery that was a short tram ride from the centre.

Then I had a look at the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (the Austrian Military Museum). In their Napoleonic section there was Napoleon's saddle bag:

And the Russian artillery coat he also wore on campaign:

I really like this cutaway of a Manlicher rifle:

Then it was over to the excellent First World War exhibition. The car that the Arch-Duke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were travelling in on THAT day in Sarajevo.

The bullet hole that entered the car's body and killed Sophie.

The blood-stained uniform of the Arch-Duke.

The assassin's weapons.

The main exhibition was excellent, and had tons of things I have never seen before, like this listening device for incoming aircraft:

Austrian Stormtrooper kit:

The 38cm Seige Mortar took up most of the centre of the room.

A prototype Albatros BII:

And this interesting boardgame called 'Who Will Win?' Sales probably plummeted after November 1918...

The Second World War gallery also had some interesting kit, such as this Kubelwagon:

Kettenkrad:

PAK 40:

2cm AA Gun:

A lovely 8.8cm AA gun:

Raupenschlepper Ost:

Zis-3, which I've never seen before in real life:

And a heavily corroded Borgward IV:

And to wrap up, we also visited the Belvedere gallery which housed the magnificent portrait of Napoleon on the San Bernadino Pass by David:

All in all a great visit and the HGM is well worth a visit if you're ever in the city. It was a good price, only 6 Euro entry with a 2 Euro photo ticket. The cheapest place we visited in the fortnight!

Thanks for reading!