M.10 «   TANK DESTROYER  »

The first campaigns of WWII had clearly showed the superiority of the automotive anti-tank guns over the towed artillery and more, over the horse-drawn one.

In the first place, the American army adopted the 37 mm gun mounted upon WC-51 Dodge and the 75 mm gun upon M3-type half-track armoured chassis. But neither the first nor the second one could be considered as real fighters for automotive tanks. It was only with the performance of the M.10 3”Gun Motor Carriage that the American army was actually in hold of such material.

The M.10 was the first tank-fighter with a rotary turret. In order to reduce down to a minimum delay the implementation of the M.10, the mechanic, the engine and the rolling parts of the Sherman M.4A2 were adopted. Only the chassis and the turret were of a brand new design, with a predominance of oblique surfaces. This represented a clear progress in comparison with the tanks of that time with vertical armouring plates, which had real “shell traps”. The upper part of the chassis more particularly was made of very tilted plates and, like the turret, were having bolts enabling the fixing of additional armouring plates that could incidentally be used as a combat tank.

Launched in the Grand Blanc arsenal in September, 1942 and reinforced by the assembly lines of the Fisher Tank Division, production reached 4,993 units at the end of 1943.

The maximum armouring thickness was only 37 mm, but the side and rear plates were strongly tilted for a better protection, unlike the genuine chassis.

The M.10 got the General Motors Diesel engine of the M.4 A2 and the following version M.10A1 (exteriorly identical) the 8 cylinder GAA Ford engine of the M4 A3.

The crew was of five men.

The engine had a very good mobility, thanks to its transmission and to its 5 gear box plus the reverse gear.

The miscellaneous variants had a main difference between them by the type of their turret’s counter-balance. The first units engaged in North Africa didn’t have any at all. The next series received two very characteristic rectangular plates. The second version, more widely spread, presented a counter-balance of a rather complex shape, which, when looked at from the side, appeared as the prolongation of the inferior plate of the rear of the turret.

After WWII, the TD10 DESTROYER was progressively withdrawn from the active duty as from 1950.

M.24 «   CHAFFEE   »

Once the M.5 A1 light combat tank evidenced as being insufficient, above all with respect with its armament, the Americans started to work with a view to designing a new armoured vehicle of the 18-ton class.

A prototype was soon carried out, from the excellent T.7 tank, manufactured in various forms by the Rock Island arsenal. The Brits showed interest as well, them wishing it to be armed with a 57 mm gun, while the Americans preferred a 75 mm gun. But the importance of the modifications sought, the increase of the armouring in particular, had the T.7 tank transformed into a medium/light tank, which turned out to be inefficient in both categories.

It was then decided to start reviewing the problem from the very ground level, and, on April, 1943, Cadillac, who already were manufacturing the M.5 A1 Stuart VI, undertook a project aiming at suppressing every defectiveness noticed on this latter : too narrow a turret, insufficiency of cooling, and armouring too narrowly calculated in relation with its mass.

The theoretical survey came to termination on October, 1943, with the definition of a prototype called M.24 whose services appeared so attractive that a first authorisation of order was given for 1,000 units, abreast with the agreement on the development of a new version : the T.24E1, which remained with the use of the M18 tank hunter’s mechanic, but armed with a longer gun. The ending of the hostilities put an end to the experiments conducted in that direction.

The assembly lines of the Cadillac manufactures in Detroit, Mi. were arranged for the production of the new standardized tank under the denomination of Light Tank M.24. The first unit of mass production could be delivered in April, 1944. In Milwaukee as well, Massey-Harris got ready to produce 1,000 other M.24s, and already several by-products were under survey. The program provisioned the manufacturing of 5,000 chassis. The manufacturing of the 105 mm auto-motor upon a m.24 chassis was to be entrusted to the American Car and Foundry, but after October 1945, the order was transferred to Cadillac, whose part of production was already terminated.

The M.24, which was one of the best combat tanks ever manufactured, had a classic shape : rear engine and transmission, armament in the centre and sprocket wheel reduction gear up front. A firewall was separating the engine compartment from the crew one. The pilot was at the left of the turret, with his assistant who acted also as a radio operator, on his right.

The suspension was made of torque strut and hydraulic shock-absorbers, like the M.18 chasseur. The M.24 was a very stable shooting platform. The rolling set had five rubber running wheels and four support rollers for each track. The steel reversing pulley, located at the rear, was mobile in order to allow the regulation of the track’s tension. This latter could be of two types : made of steel or equipped with rubber supports

The case had a low and well profiled shape. It was made of steel plates that were electrically welded and whose tilting had been carefully surveyed. The M.24 had two 3g Cadillac independent engines, located at the rear part of the case. They were of the V8 type, with a classic carburettor and water cooling system. The transmission had two hydraulic coupling

gears, one per engine, two epicyclic gear boxes with automatic hydraulic control by a centrifugal controller that acts upon the transmission.

In June, 1945, the total M.24 tanks produced amounted 4,070 units.

The first corps to be equipped with it among the Allies was in 1945 the British Tank Corps, which re-named it Chaffee MK.1 (after the name of Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, the father of the armoured weapon in the U.S.).

After the war, the M.24 had a decisive part in Corea. At the same moment, the French M.24 Tanks were fiercely fighting in Indochina, more particularly in DIEN BIEN PHU where a platoon was sent airborne.

The M.24 was taken over progressively by the M.41 light tank and the AMX 13 as from 1950.

THE M.4 « SHERMAN »

At the end of the surveys concerning the medium M.3 tank program, on March, 1941, the technical services of the American Army immediately focused on the surveys concerning its successor, the M.4. The goal was to design a rotary turret on 360° for a 75 mm M.3. gun, with the indispensable modifications in the chassis but no alteration to occur neither on the mechanic nor on the engine’s propelling and rolling elements

The new tank’s prototype, named T.6, was of the cast solid moulded type. Later, to simplify the manufacturing, the chassis of several series were assembled by welding.

The engine was sent to the Aberdeen polygon of tests on September, 1941. Its production in large series received the highest priority and the M.4 substituted itself directly to the M.3. upon the assembly chains, without any solution of continuity.

This new combat tank’s selection met the British need for a powerful armoured engine that was in a position to re-establish the balance on the African territory, and as well with the American re-armament. From the fore-project to the first deliveries, only 13 months passed. The M.4. is to be considered as one of the most beautiful industrial successes of all times. Its manufacturing continued until April, 1945. When the last one left the Detroit assembly chains, 48,071 tanks had been delivered, which belonged to thirty or so versions more or less different. The first ones arrived in the middle of year 1942. The Brits called this tank SHERMAN, after the Northerner General from the Secession War.

The Sherman is by all means the most famous allied combat tank of WWII.

The manufacturing of the M.4 tank was entrusted to several simultaneous builders and the various series were above all different from their engines.

The basic M.4 version was authorized on October, 1941.It has aiming slits in the tilted frontal armour-plate, a three-side protection for the differential, a welded chassis and a 75 mm gun under the M.34 configuration. On some of the first models, some sustaining runners remained to be found, located on the cars’median axis, like on the M.3. The engine was a star-shaped 9 cylinder R.975 Continental engine.

The M.4A1 variation was selected two months later, with a chassis manufactured by moulding and rounded surfaces in order to have the projectiles bounce. The alterations that were brought during assembly were the same than the M.4., plus the protection of the differential that was on one piece now. Besides, the first examples of reinforcement of lateral armouring with addition of rectangular plates welded upon the chassis, were noted.

At the same time, on December, 1941, the M.4A2 showed up. Very akin to the M.4, it was moved by two gas-oil G 6-71 General Motors.

The M4A3 was looking like the M.4 as well, but it had a 500 HP Ford engine with 8 V-shaped cylinders cooled by liquid, which had been specially designed for this tank.

The M.4A4 version appeared on February, 1942. It was destined to the British Army and always alike the M.4, but with a 30 cylinders Chrysler Multi-bank 5 engine, which needed a slight prolongation of the chassis (33 cms)

The version that was built in Canada was called M4.A5/ The M.4 A6 version kept the M.4.A4 prolonged chassis to locate a RD-1820 Ordnance engine with air-cooling. It was built only in 75 units from October 1943 to February, 1944.

The M4.A3E variation, deemed “Assault Tank”, knew a better destiny. 254 units of it were delivered from March to June, 1944 It was a Sherman with a reinforced chassis and frontal section, until reaching a 100 mm armouring, and 152 mm for the turret.

The Sherman basic armament was the 75 mm gun.

Later there was a series of M.4 which were armed with a 105 mm howitzer.

From the impressive range of the different versions of the Sherman tank, only the M.4A1, M.4A3 and M.51 Super Sherman pursued a long career in the allied armies. Nonetheless, even those version were progressively withdrawn from the active duty between the ‘60s and ‘80s due to their being obsolete.

THE SEXTON

As it turned out necessary to have an ever-growing mass of combat tanks, the authorities of the British Industry of war sought the industrial possibilities of the former colonies to the benefit of the common effort of war. Canada undertook a patented production of combat tanks, further to some modifications. They started the survey of an adapted version of the M3 American tank which lead to the designing of a cast steel case like the one of the Sherman tank still under survey.

With its manufacturing starting on 1941, this new model represented a synthesis of all the most recent progress that had intervened into the evolution of the armoured vehicles in Great Britain as well as in Canada. The Ram was armed with a 40 mm gun in turret, plus a machine-gun that was mounted on a smaller turret besides the pilot.

The most important by-product of the Ram was the Sexton, a 88/27 auto-motor carried out upon the model of the American M7 Priest, to meet a specification from the British staff on September 1942. Its survey, which started on March 16th, 1942, provisioned for the use of the Ram II’s chassis, modification as minor as possible to the 88 field gun (the “25 pounds”), the maintaining of the genuine aiming equipment and as strong as possible an allocation of board ammunition.

The prototype, which was completed on August 28th, was shipped to Great Britain on November 5th. Upon termination of the usual testing, the Sexton, deemed “the best vehicle of this class”, received its probation, which was immediately followed by an order for 84 units. An actual 1836 were manufactured plus 124 for Canada and 180 for China.

The 124 first units, called “Sexton I”, had neither battery nor auxiliary generator. All the following ones were named “Sexton II” and a little at a time were granted with numerous improvements. Some unarmed variants were arranged as batteries centrals. The majority of the Sexton was engaged by the British and Canadian forces into the last battles of the war.

They were later massively withdrawn from the active duty during the year sixties, because of their technological obsolescence.

M8 «   GREYHOUND   »

The creation of the armoured weapon in the United States goes back to July, 1940. It absorbed the means of the infantry and the cavalry, and became the heir of the interest that was traditionally showed toward the armoured engine on wheels. In the scope of the modernization of the American land forces, several thousands engines of the kind were planned in line.

Following the agreements signed on March, 1941 with the Brits, agreements with a view to furnishing an American material of war adapted to an Euro-African operating field, the direction of Artillery spread a specification for a medium 4WD armoured engine armed with a 37 mm gun. The propositions submitted by two manufacturers were deemed interesting, i.e. the one from Ford (the T17 6 x 6 model) and the one from Chevrolet (T17E1, 4 x 4). The tests took place until October, 1942, and the decision was made to concentrate the production upon the sole T17E1, limiting to 250 units the manufacturing of the T17 to enable the manufacturer to make the junction with the M.8 assembly line. This latter’s origin was a request from the tanks’fighters command concerning a vehicle that could give the 37 mm gun a maximum mobility. After the manufacturing, many prototypes, this specification gave birth to a model of light armoured engine, the T22, which was adopted on May, 19, 1942 under the denomination of M.8.

Finally, in order to meet the necessity to have a vehicle that was able to receive various combinations of armament, the manufacturing of a version of the M.8 without a turret was decided, which was named the M.20.

This way, in 1943 the American industry has been in a position to provide four models of armoured engines :

The T17 (baptised Deerhound) allocated to the Military Police ; The T17E1 (Staghound) – almost entirely destined to the British forces ; The M.8 which production continued until 1945 and reached 11,667 units for the

American Army (this was one of the most spread armoured engines), And its derivative, the M.20.

A certain amount of M8 and M20 (which official name was Armoured Utility Car) was identical on a mechanical viewpoint. It was welded and propelled by one sole Hercules JXD engine fixed on the rear part. The transmission was a 6 x 6 classical type, with a gear box showing 8 forward and 2 backward ratios. The pilot and the co-pilot were sitting up front in a compartment that was slightly elevated. During security movements, they could tilt towards the exterior and forward the four armour-plates that formed the compartment’s roof. During action, the visibility was ensured thought protected slits. On the rear part, the chassis had a towing hook. The wheels’lateral protection was ensured by removable anti-sands.

Under the M.8 version, the car was mounted by a trunk turret, in the open air, which shielded a 37 mm light gun.

The M.8 and M.20 version were withdrawn from the active duty as from the ‘60s.

THE WHITE M3A1 SCOUT CAR

The White M3A1 Scout Car had a fairly short operational career amidst the US Army. Designed around 1930, it already lagged one generation behind the modernism of the Jeep and of the Half-Track, while nonetheless being used as a basis of survey.

Built by the White Automotive Company as from 1938, its limited capacities had it deemed as from this very period as an obsolete combat vehicle, all the more so after the North-African landing.

Initially, the White Scout Car was to be used for the operations of all-terrain and off-roads reconnaissance of the armoured units.

Nevertheless, its meagre capacities off-roads and the problems linked to its suspension derived from a civil truck had it more agile on roads.

Moreover, its 110 HP Hercules engine was slightly lacking power to move its 5.6 tons weight. The Scout Car was also suffering from an extra overall dimension and from a bolted vertical armour-plating that was not sufficient and that had it less discreet than the Jeep and less protective for its occupants than the Half Track.

A metal roller mounted on the shock absorber and fixed at the vehicle’s front part was in assistance when jumping over ditches. A sturdy steel-plate bumper upon which two towing-hooks were fixed was completing this device. Four armoured throttles protected the radiator, they could be either opened or closed by the passenger up front by a control lever at his feet. A folding protection device that was made of a steel armouring plate, equipped with sliding vision hatches could reinforce the front armoured windscreen. The upper part of the side doors was mounted upon hinges and could be folded at will. It was also equipped with a sliding vision hatches system. The rear part of the vehicle had no access door so the crew turned out to be vulnerable to the enemy shots in case of an emergency evacuation.

Eight men were composing the crew and the endowed weaponry was a 50 M2 (12.7 mm) Calibre Machine Gun fixed up front and two 1917 .30 (7.62 mm) Calibre Browning Lateral Machine Gun. Each Machine gun was mounted on a carriage which was itself fixed on an inner rail that turned around the vehicle.

Pushed into the background for minor tasks in the U.S. Army, it kept on with its career in protection missions for convoys in the rear part of the front and within the Military Police units. Its operational career will continue with the French, British and Russian Armies until the early sixties. It is in this type of vehicle that General LECLERC, commander of the French 2nd Armoured Division, received the surrender of German General Von Choltitz, commander to the “Gross-Paris” area on August 25th, 1944. By the end of 1945, 20,918 Scout Cars had been manufactured.

The Scout Car was then considered as poorly appreciated by the G.I.s who found it ill-designed, feebly armoured and exposed to the elements.

THE M.3 HALF-TRACK

In the United States, the first testing of the half-track vehicles for the troops transportation took place in 1939, probably when the American experts were made aware of the very broad spreading of this kind of mean among the German forces. It was decided to combine two vehicles which were already on duty, the M.3A1 Scout Car (an armoured engine of reconnaissance on 4WD) and the M.2 half-track engine (a truck equipped by Marmon-Herrington with rear half-tracks).

Out of this merger the M.2 half-track was born, a prototype of troops transportation half-track, which was bound to have an enormous spreading during (and after) WWII.

The order of manufacturing in mass production was placed in September, 1940, the Autocar company carried out 2,992 units, and White Motor Co. : 8,423 others, between 1940 and 1943.

Later the M.2A1 version came, upon which was mounted on the right of the driver a shooting circle for the heavy 12.7mm Browning machine gun (the M.45 carriage was often nicknamed “the Pulpit”). From October, 1943 to March, 1944, 1,643 half-tracks of this kind were produced. At the same time an order had been placed of the nearby model M.3, which Autocar and Diamond T Motor Car Co produced 12,499 units. Those vehicles generated 70 sub-versions.

The first variant, which was mainly destined to export, was manufactured by International H.C. for the British Army and for the Free French army, under the denomination of M.5 or M.5A1, would it be equipped with the “pulpit”. As a difference the International 143 HP engine was to be noted, instead of the 147 HP one, the welded case was forming an homogeneous armour, the rear ridges were rounded, and the flattened mudguards, that were not wrapping ones anymore. The axles were of the “banjo” bridge type, under I.H.C. patent. Further to those modifications, the mass of the vehicle increased for about 560 kgs.

As from May, 1941 to 1945, the United States produced 45,044 half-track vehicles, including the either experimental or approved self-propelled engines which carried artillery or mortar, the multiple-purpose self-propelled engines, etc…totalling 37,164 vehicles of transportation and 7,880 half-track auto-motors.

The adoption of the half-track propulsion device of the “Kegresse” type to an armoured engine constitutes a characteristic of WWII. Actually, before the was the army didn’t use this concept and after it, it was deemed obsolete and fell into oblivion.

THE GMC CCKW

One only figure can introduce the GMC CCKW : the total figure of its production. This latter reached 562,750 units, type 352 and 353 together. The GMC 2 ½ Ton thus establish its double record, the production and the longevity ones. As a matter of fact, a few GMC are still operating, either for some scarce civil businesses or military units, either at collectors’ places.

The CCKW 353 was born on the first days of 1941 un the YELLOW TRUCK factory, a subsidiary and soon-to-be division of the GENERAL MOTORS, Corp.

The CCKW 353 was directly issued for the civil models that were operating at that moment. Its forms had been trimmed off and strengthened in order to grant it with a less civil “look” and to have its maintenance easier.

Surprisingly enough, this vehicle had actually being ordered by the French Army under the ACKX 353 code name. The May-June 1940 events thwarted the delivery.

The first CCKW 353 cargo will be equipped with a rear metal car of a BUDD type. On 1943 the strategic materials becoming scarce, the manufacturers will be compelled to create a model of an open and covered with a tarpaulin. In this same view of saving on metal, the rear cars will be built out of wood.

A multitude of versions has been developed around the chassis of the CCKW 353, basis of the “cargo”, the most commonly used version. Among those : oil and water tanks, tucks, LEROI air compressor trucks, pipeline installers, drills, repairs vehicles…

The addition of a metal specific technical box enabled them to deal with a large array of missions : radio car, maintenance and engineering workshops, weather forecast station, general store for the soldiers, surgery ward, etc…

The CCKW 352 is the short-wheelbase version of the GMC CCKM 353. Its main difference was then a shortening of its rear car, for its wheelbase was reduced from 4.16 m for the CCKW 353 to 3.68 m. This GMC with a short chassis was exclusively destined for the traction of artillery pieces, apart from the version of batch 7.

The other specificity of the CCKW 352 was the position of the reservoir across the chassis, located behind the cabin. The two spare wheels fixed on the rear part of the driving post were destined to be fixed on a dual basis, in order to increase the adherence of the GMC on a difficult terrain.

The GMC CCKW existed in a version with a plated cabin and with an open cabin with tarpaulin.

This kind of vehicle was equipped with a 104 HP - 6 cylinder engine that used 35 to 45 litres of oil. After the oil shocks of the ‘70s, its over-consumption as well as its technological obsolescence had it withdrawn from the active duty.

THE DODGE WC

Chrysler, Corp. ‘s purchasing of Dodge had this Group become the world’s third main American automobile manufacturer (the “Big Three” : CHRYSLER, FORD, and GENERAL MOTORS were in hold of 75 % of the automobile market).

On 1940, the market of the 4WD half-ton had just opened and Dodge were the leaders : first, by offering the best value/money upon the p.o. for 3,461 vehicles, later when presenting a “sample” of 672 dodge of the series before the final approval. The first governmental contract for the range of vehicles was granted to the most performing of the Big Three.

The start of the hostilities in Europe prompted the army to start its first great manoeuvres on the spring of 1940, and here again Chrysler, Corp.’s flexibility and organizational talent were the leaders.

The Dodge had its market’s share, all the more than the mechanism of the classical tenders had just been abolished at the beginning of the hostilities. In order to save upon its need in spare parts, the army did not admit, at that time, vehicles that were intermediary between the ½ ton and the 1 ½ Ton, and the Dodge has been in a position to focus on the production and improvement of its limited range of vehicles.

The in-depth testing of the VC (which explains theirs being rare nowadays) at actually unveiled their weak spots, and the alterations that were brought to their successors entailed the Dodge WC.

The Dodge WC ½ Ton (from WC-1 to WC-50) was the sole military vehicle that was actually on a series production on December, 1941, and the British Army was the first one to use them on the North African battlefields.

But the only modifications of the front (engine bonnet and cabin) were soon to turn out insufficient : the first series had an ever too high gravity centre for an all-terrain vehicle, the tyres were too narrow and certain version did not meet the need anymore : the Pickup did not find real use, the Weapons Carriers were too narrow at the rear.

On the end of 1941, the 1942 model (a 4WD ¾ Ton, WC –51 to WC-61) was introduced. The WC abb. was maintained, despite of the fact that neither the year (w for 1941), nor the type (c for ½ Ton) corresponded. The civil production of the Dodge had switched from 215,595 units in 1941 to 11,675 in 1942 with the Dodge still in 7 th position of the automobile manufacturers. On February, 1942, Dodge was to totally slide to the military production.

The ¾ Ton showed up in every versions and new weapons carriers as well as Ambulances marked this Dodge’s image.

The 6WD version (WC-62 and WC-63) was performed on 1943 ( 5 prototypes for testing at Hollabird in 1942). The army had increased the number of soldiers in the groups of infantry, and, instead of the organization 2 individuals on front, 3+3 on the side benches at the rear part

of the Weapons Carriers of first and second series, 12 soldiers now had to be transported. The 4WD was replaced by the 6WD by an extension of the chassis and of the bodywork and by adding a tandem rear deck. The vehicles were 96% identical, with the bulk of the differences of course on the transmission’s and the rear decks’ sides.

As from February, 1944, the US Army reduced by 33% is p.o. for military transportation (saturation of the needs and foreseeable ending of the hostilities), and, at the end of the hostilities, the contracts were cancelled and the production was definitely stopped.

The total production of the WC-51 to WC-64 Dodge between 1942 and 1945 amounts 297,243 vehicles.

THE JEEP

The creation of the jeep came from the need, during WWI, to grant the American Army with a light engine of feeble bulk, able to perform well on bad terrain, which could serve as a liaison vehicle and of general help for the warriors. Further to numerous tests, to a long gestation and quite a few questionings, the army services, on May 27th, 1940 selected the aspects of their future material.

135 companies were approached on July 11th, 1940 but only two of them sent their submission : Willys-Overland, Inc. and American Bantam, Co.

On September 23rd, 1940, a little before 5 p.m., the Bantam entered the Hollabird camp and started as of the next day its contractual 5,500 km trial circuit.

On December 17th, 1940, the delivery of the 70th trial vehicle was ended. Called Model B60, those vehicles had a simple shape of car and re-shaped wings., but kept the 45 HP Y4112 Continental engine of the first prototype.

The contract had been thoroughly met, to the satisfaction of the technical services of the American army, which, in the meanwhile had place a firm p.o. for 1,500 40 BRC Bantam, an improved version of the pre-series Model 60.

A short-lived success for Bantam, for Willys, although cast aside during the opening cession of July, hand been continuing to work on its project, well aware that the Company’s importance and capacities of production would be key factors when time would come to launch the large series.

At Ford’s, the same logics prevailed, although no answer was given to the tender, the program went under survey.

On November 11th, the Willys Quad, and on November 23rd, the Fort Pigmy arrived at Hollabird too.

The tests showed that the Willys, thanks to its Go Devil engine, was the most performing, despite of its 1,099 kg weight.

In order to incite the two new competitors to do even better, as of November 14th, i.e.before the tests on their prototypes, the principle of an order for 1,500 vehicles in pre-series was selected.

At Ford’s, the GP was produced, which followed the Pigmy, with no major enthusiasm, for the company’s engineers knew that its engine which came from a Ferguson agricultural trailer was too weak and that its gear box was ill-staged.

At Willys’, while the first M.A. were being built, there was a big superfluous-weight hunt, and the first series contract for 16,000 units was actually granted to Willys, further to much difficulties. The MB Jeep or ¼ Ton Utility Truck, to give it its official name, had entered history.

The Ford “partisans” succeeded in joining the program on October, 1941, thanks to the licence that Willys had to transfer them. On top of it all, a lengthy trial opposed the various parties to determine to whom the paternity of the “Jeep” would apply.As to why this name was given remains a mystery : reminiscence of Eugène the Geep, Popeye’s companion, contraction of the GP (General Purpose) initials, a soldier’s jargon, no assumption seems really convincing.

637,747 Jeep were manufactured in total, among which 359,851 MB and 227,896 GPW (General Purpose Willys), under Willys licence at Ford’s, to which are to be added 2,675 Bantam 40 BRC, 3,650 Ford GP and 1,500 Willys MA.

The end of the war brought the cancellation of large orders, concerning in one year from 1944 to 1945 over more than 100,000 units.

Finally, the 25,808 first Jeeps had a wrought iron radiator grille instead of being press-embossed, a more angular reservoir, a different dashboard, no jerry can at the rear (adopted on March, 1943) and the manufacturer’s name stamped on the rear panel.

THE WLA HARLEY-DAVIDSON

As from the very beginning of WWII, the American government ordered to HARLEY and INDIAN motorbikes that met precise specifications. More particularly, the had to be equipped with 4-gear boxes, with a Cardan transmission and with a specially efficient air-filter in extreme conditions, such as the African desert.

Although compelled to invest into new tools, Harley did not bother into costly surveys, as they implemented an almost conform copy of the R 71 BMW.

On June, 1941, one thousand XE (“experimental”), as this was its name, have been produced for tests by the Army. It was a roadster and all paths motorbike, rather than a all-terrain one.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, on December 7, 1941, the largest part of the production of Harley-Davidson will be focused on the WLA and WLCs, a variation from the “FlatHead” 750 cm3 for the allied military (WLA being the American version and WLC the Canadian one).

While, in the first place, the company produced units for civil customers as well, the request turned out so strong that as from 1943 Harley-Davidson produced units for allied military forces only. The Americans, but also the Brits and even the Soviets are equipped with the HD WLA motorbike.

On 1945, at the end of WWII, almost 90,000 units have been produced and the (civil) WL version kept on for a few years. As a matter of fact, the sales have skyrocketed in the civil field, while the various foreign armies buy the WLA motorbikes in surplus in the American Army.

Nonetheless, in view of the limited capacities of the HD WLA and WLC for all-terrain operating, these latter were swiftly cast aside by the allied armies, to the benefit of the more recent and more performing models of the late ‘50s.

THE M1 WARD LAFRANCE WRECKER

The U.S. Ordnance Corps received its first wrecker vehicles by the end of the thirties. They were trucks designed by Marmon –Herrington from a TL 31-6 model 6 x 6 chassis with a Hercules engine.

In 1937 this material was officially standardized under the M1 designation and the Corbitt Company from Henderson, North Carolina, was in charge with the manufacturing.

In 1940, as the needs for this specific category of material had increased, Ward Lafrance, a Company established in Elmira, New York, received a first order in relation with a batch of 69 vehicles named model 1000 series 1 by the manufacturer Later new purchase contracts were agreed and in total the production of M1 model 1000 of series 1 to 4 wrecker vehicles by Ward Lafrance amounted 1,554 units between 1940 and 1942.

In 1943, a new model, whose external aspect was profoundly modified, showed up : the Model 1000 serie 5 Ward Lafrance. The most specific element was the presence of a covered driving cab. This model was declared standard material in March, 1994, under the designation : Truck Wrecking Heavy M1 A1. 3,500 units were manufactured between 1943 and 1945.

All those vehicles were driven by the same engine : a 8,210 cm3 continental 22 R with 6 cylinders in line, developing 145 HP at 2,400 revolutions/min. The hoisting system was designed by Gar Wood and had a telescopic jib and 2 winches, one for 20 tons and the other one for 50 tons.

Please make a note that the Kenworth Brand also manufactured wreckers during the same period. The 570 to 573 models had a total production of 1,853 units between 1941 and 1945.

After WWII, the heavy wrecker trucks were very much appreciated by the civil users, because of their sturdiness, despite of their over-consumption of gas and of a few problems due to their ageing. As a matter of fact, the civil businesses kept those materials for their activities until the years 1970.