1940's Willys MB Jeep 4x4 ¼ ton Utility Truck and Trailer, New Costessey, Norwich.
WILLYS MB 4x4 1/4 ton Utility Truck -
One of the first mass-produced military vehicles in the United States, the Willys MB (and Ford GPW) U.S Army Jeep is the culmination of war-time ingenuity, standardization and strategic personalization for transport of personnel and cargo. Soon to become the ubiquitous, ''world-famous'' Jeep, the Willys MB and Ford GPW models were very effective on the ground, with many standardized features such as 6.00x16 tyres, 60 honest horsepower at 4,000rpm, a gasoline can bracket on the left rear, provisions for trailer lights, spark interference suppression, a blackout light system, twin top bows and sealed spring shackles.
Prior to the production of the MB/GPW, other attempts were made to satisfy the Army's need for a Light Utility Vehicle including the first prototype presented by the American Bantam Car Company. Nicknamed the ''Blitz Buggy'' this vehicle concept which was the first bid accepted by the Army, as it satisfied the Army’s Ordnance Technical Committee specifications that the vehicle has:
▪︎Four-wheel drive.
▪︎Crew of three.
▪︎A wheelbase of no more than 75in and tracks no more than 47in.
▪︎A fold-down windshield.
▪︎A 660lb payload.
▪︎An engine capable of 85 ft lb of torque.
▪︎With an empty weight of no more than 1,300lbs.
WILLYS MB JEEP 1/4 ton Trailer -
The Jeep trailer was a small, 1/4 short ton (0.22 long tons / 0.23 ton) payload rated, cargo trailer, designed in World War Two, tailored to be towed by 1/4-ton Jeeps. Versions of the quarter-ton jeep trailer remained in military use, by the U.S. or other countries, at least through to the 1990's.
When the Jeep was developed, it needed a cargo trailer that would track behind the vehicle. The first trailer was called the ''Trailer, 1/4-ton, 2-Wheel, Cargo, Amphibian''. More than 150,000 Jeep trailers were built by over ten different companies, during World War Two alone. American Bantam built some 75,000 of their T-3, and kept building Jeep trailers after the war.
Willys-Overland also built more than 60,000 of their MBT units (Willys MB Trailers). Other manufacturers contributed only hundreds, or just a few thousand units. A special trailer was the Converto (Airborne) Dump Trailer, of which several thousand were built. Later versions of the trailer were the M100 trailer for the Willys M38 Jeep and the M416 trailer for the M151 Jeep.
Information sourced from -
1940's Willys MB Jeep 4x4 ¼ ton Utility Truck and Trailer, New Costessey, Norwich.
WILLYS MB 4x4 1/4 ton Utility Truck -
One of the first mass-produced military vehicles in the United States, the Willys MB (and Ford GPW) U.S Army Jeep is the culmination of war-time ingenuity, standardization and strategic personalization for transport of personnel and cargo. Soon to become the ubiquitous, ''world-famous'' Jeep, the Willys MB and Ford GPW models were very effective on the ground, with many standardized features such as 6.00x16 tyres, 60 honest horsepower at 4,000rpm, a gasoline can bracket on the left rear, provisions for trailer lights, spark interference suppression, a blackout light system, twin top bows and sealed spring shackles.
Prior to the production of the MB/GPW, other attempts were made to satisfy the Army's need for a Light Utility Vehicle including the first prototype presented by the American Bantam Car Company. Nicknamed the ''Blitz Buggy'' this vehicle concept which was the first bid accepted by the Army, as it satisfied the Army’s Ordnance Technical Committee specifications that the vehicle has:
▪︎Four-wheel drive.
▪︎Crew of three.
▪︎A wheelbase of no more than 75in and tracks no more than 47in.
▪︎A fold-down windshield.
▪︎A 660lb payload.
▪︎An engine capable of 85 ft lb of torque.
▪︎With an empty weight of no more than 1,300lbs.
WILLYS MB JEEP 1/4 ton Trailer -
The Jeep trailer was a small, 1/4 short ton (0.22 long tons / 0.23 ton) payload rated, cargo trailer, designed in World War Two, tailored to be towed by 1/4-ton Jeeps. Versions of the quarter-ton jeep trailer remained in military use, by the U.S. or other countries, at least through to the 1990's.
When the Jeep was developed, it needed a cargo trailer that would track behind the vehicle. The first trailer was called the ''Trailer, 1/4-ton, 2-Wheel, Cargo, Amphibian''. More than 150,000 Jeep trailers were built by over ten different companies, during World War Two alone. American Bantam built some 75,000 of their T-3, and kept building Jeep trailers after the war.
Willys-Overland also built more than 60,000 of their MBT units (Willys MB Trailers). Other manufacturers contributed only hundreds, or just a few thousand units. A special trailer was the Converto (Airborne) Dump Trailer, of which several thousand were built. Later versions of the trailer were the M100 trailer for the Willys M38 Jeep and the M416 trailer for the M151 Jeep.
Information sourced from -