A £100,000 donation has boosted the Tank Museum’s plan to restore a unique World War II-era tank to running condition. The major gift means it’s reached just under 30-percent of its £1 million fundraising target for the King Tiger V2 restoration project – one of the most complex and challenging restoration efforts ever undertaken by the museum.
The donation was made in memory of the late Herrick Fordham, a British Army veteran who served in Sherman tanks during the Second World War. It comes almost 81 years to the day that the rare German tank fell into Allied hands.
Chris Price, CEO of the Tank Museum, said in a press release:
“We are immensely grateful for this generous donation, in memory of Mr. Fordham – a man who would have been well aware of the significance and threat this tank would have posed during the war.
“Since launching the KTV2 project in September [2025], we have received financial support from around the world, allowing our Workshop Team to make some fantastic progress already.”
The vehicle at the center of the project is the only surviving King Tiger to have been fitted with the pre-production turret, and it was the second of these formidable tanks ever built – hence the designation V2.
On April 3, 1945, the training facility that housed it was captured by the Allied forces. Soon after, King Tiger V2 was shipped to the School of Tank Technology in Britain, before being sent to the Tank Museum in 1952.
Price added:
“We still have a long way to go. Given the age and the rarity of KTV2, we’re working closely with specialist partners to research what parts and manufacturing options are available to replace components missing from the vehicle.
“The support we have received so far is incredible, and thanks the donation made in memory of Mr. Fordham, we will now be able to expand the Workshop Team and begin to purchase equipment vital for the restoration.”
More from us: The Tank Museum Continuing Major Restoration Work on King Tiger V2
The Tank Museum hopes to return the tank to running condition within five years, and fundraising for the project continues.
The public can follow the restoration journey on the museum’s Workshop YouTube channel, and they can learn more about how to support it via its official website.