Russell Military Museum


The Russell Military Museum, originally begun as the Kenosha Military Museum is a military museum located in Russell, Illinois.

History

Mark Sonday began collecting surplus military equipment in the 1970s. In 1980, he purchased 11 former American tanks from Israel. He also joined a group of collectors which provided props for movies such as First Blood, Courage Under Fire and Saving Private Ryan.
The Kenosha Military Museum opened in 1989 in the former town of Kenosha County, Wisconsin|Bristol, Wisconsin]. Ten years after establishment, Sonday announced plans for a new building and requested a corresponding zoning change for the property. The change failed to pass a vote, due to the petitions of the adjacent property owners. The museum then filed a lawsuit against the county. In 2002, Kenosha County used eminent domain to reclaim the land on which it sat.
A settlement was reached in 2006, in which the museum received a $3.9 million payment, but was forced to vacate the property. It moved across the state line to a new site with a
building in Russell, Illinois where it was renamed the Russell Military Museum.

Collection

Aircraft

Ground vehicles