Pre-57th Presidential Inauguration 2013: Chinatown / Penn Quarter on 7th Street between E and F Street, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 20 January 2013 by Elvert Barnes Photography

John Deere 825i Gator Utility Vehicle

www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/products/equipment/gator_uti...

SETTING UP for 57th PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION 2013 PARADE

When the UK MoD procured the current military Land Rover fleet in 1996, the coil-sprung turbo-diesel inter-cooled engine Defender HS/XD or ‘Wolf’ version which primarily replaced the last of the leaf-sprung and petrol engined Series III fleet mostly built between 1971 and 1984, they also had on strength several thousand naturally aspirated diesel engine pre-Defender (mostly) long and short wheelbase Land Rovers mainly built around 1985-87. As these mid-80's vehicles had a planned service life of 15 years plus an expectation of a few more years in reserve stocks, only 8,000 of the Wolf model (plus 800 similarly engined stretched wheelbase Pulse Ambulances) were procured. However by 2006/7 the roughly 4,000-strong pre-Wolf fleet was both overdue for replacement and also assessed as being no longer compliant with the latest road safety regulations. Tithonus was a means of temporarily solving these issues without buying a fleet of new vehicles.

There is no doubt that UK MoD got its money’s worth with the pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet, which saw active service in quantity in the 1991 Gulf War and on following operations in the Former Yugoslavia, though it was mostly the Wolf which stepped up to the plate for the later conflicts in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq, but by 2007 the now 20-year old fleet was getting a little jaded and most of the short wheelbase models had been replaced by their younger Tdi-powered siblings. However the option of buying more Wolf Land Rovers was no longer on the table, as not only had this model only ever been produced for the UK Forces and that part of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps designated to work alongside the Royal Marines, but once the original contract was fulfilled UK MoD expressed no willingness to support Land Rover in keeping the specialist Wolf jigs and pressings in store for future contracts. In 2007 there was no budget available to allow competitive trials, as required under EU rules, for a new vehicle fleet. The option of a mid-life upgrade for the best of the ageing fleet was, however, deemed viable.

It was therefore decided that around £10 million would be spent on cosmetically sprucing up the best 3,700 or so of the remaining pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet to theoretically extend in-service life to over thirty years. That figure, which works out at around £2,700 per vehicle, had to include fitting a new Wolf-style roll-over cage and bodywork strengthening fitments to the rear compartment plus fitting either a new Wolf-style hard top or canopy, and external protection bars also had to be added to the cab as well as a new paint job applied to make the vehicles look a bit smarter. It was suspected that the £10 million figure did not include ABRO staff wages and when the project team were questioned at DVD 2007 they admitted there was no money in the budget for major mechanical upgrades. The brief was simply: To repair the vehicles to field standard, refurbish bulkheads and chassis, renew all brake components, wheel bearings, hub seals and shock absorbers, wax inject chassis and bulkhead, repaint the vehicle and underseal the chassis.

The external inverted safety hoop over the windscreen was bolted to the the door and windscreen hinges and through the wing top and the two welded tubes which ran above and parallel to the door tops were connected through the new hard top to the front internal roll cage hoop by a single bolt. This bolted construction allowed for the top to be removed and the vehicle to be stripped down to waist height for reduced silhouette in combat environments, where safety from enemy attack naturally takes precedence over peacetime road safety considerations. Turning to the rear roll cage cum canopy support, looked quite similar to that of the 1997/8 Wolf model, but it was actually re-engineered by Ricardo to make it stronger. Marketed by the company as ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) the most noticeable internal difference of strengthening was the cross-bracing behind the cab.

Each Tithonus Land Rover was individually selected and fully refurbished by the MoD in 2007-2008 as part of the British Army LEP (Life Extension Programme) The project was to extend the overall service life of the Land Rover's by 10 years, from 20 to 30 years.

Defender 110 91 KE 17 -

▪︎Year into service: 1986

▪︎Defender 110 Tithonus Hardtop RHD

▪︎Features include

▪︎2.5 litre NAD diesel reconditioning engine

▪︎5 speed LT 77 gearbox

▪︎Hi / Low transfer box

▪︎Centre diff lock

▪︎Front disc brakes

▪︎Fully integrated Wolf roll cage including front external and rear internal hoop system

▪︎16in rims

▪︎7.50R16 Michelin XZL tyres

▪︎Updated Exmore front seats with head rest

▪︎Rear bench seats x2 with lap belts

▪︎Front and rear, sound proof rubber matting

▪︎Chequer plating to siils and bonnet.

Informed credited to - www.joint-forces.com/land-rovers/37091-mlr44-tithonus-a-s...

At the Black Diamond Invitational Car Show.

The GMC 6x6 2.5 ton truck, nicknamed the ''Jimmy'' or ''Duece-and-a-Half'' was produced by General Motors in the United States and exported all over the world where it was in great demand.

With a powerful 6-cylinder engine and high ground clearance, the vehicle became the standard load carrier for the Allies during the Second World War. This truck served in all theatres and was particularly useful in difficult country were routes of supply were hard to negotiate.

An open-top cab version often had a ring mount for a 0.50 calibre anti-aircraft machine gun although the standard design was a canvas-topped cargo lorry used for transporting troops as often depicted in wartime films.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: GMC 270, 91bhp

▪︎Speed: 40mph

▪︎Range: 165 miles.

CCKW stood for the following -

▪︎C - Designed in 1941

▪︎C - Conventional cab

▪︎K - All-wheel drive

▪︎W - Dual rear axle.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

Military operations showed the U.S Army needed a vehicle to move over snow for Commando Operations in Norway. In 1943 the Studebaker M29 Cargo Carrier, better known, as a Weasel was introduced. This was a lightweight vehicle with 15 or 20 inch tracks that was good for travelling over soft snow but had limited carrying capacity.

The original design with the engine at the back was soon altered to the conventional layout with the engine at the front and the drive sprockets at the rear. This gave better distribution of weight and improved space so more cargo or passengers could be carried. Next came an amphibious version with buoyancy chambers, twin rudders coupled to the steering controls and propulsion in the water by the tracks. The standard Weasel could be quickly converted in the field if required and both versions could be dropped by parachute.

Weasel's remained in service with the U.S, British and other countries in to the late 1960's. Not only were they used in Artic Operations in the Second World War but later in Korea and Vietnam. The Museum's example M29 was acquired in 1987 from Norway.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Studebaker 6-cylinder petrol, 70bhp

▪︎Speed (land): 36mph

▪︎Range: 175 miles

▪︎Speed (water): 4mph

▪︎Weight: 2.6 tons

▪︎Crew: 2 - 4.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

Land Rover 110 Defender 4x4 Utility Vehicle

The British Land Rover, one of the most influential and much-loved British vehicles of all time, was launched in 1948 and remained in production with much the same basic specification until 1983 when the Series III 109 inch was replaced by a new One-Ten model (110 inch wheelbase). The traditional Land Rover body shape remained but coil springs, introduced in the new Range Rover, replaced the long-lived leaf spring suspension, and the four cylinder engines were fitted with an all-synchromesh five speed gearbox. In 1984 the coil spring Ninety (with a wheelbase just short of 93 inches) fitted with a four cylinder engine was introduced. A V8-powered version appeared the following year and in 1986 a new 85bhp, 2495cc turbo-diesel engine became available, then in 1990 the Ninety and One-Ten range was renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130. Not surprisingly the new Land Rovers proved popular for Military use and UK Ministry of Defence.

Land Rover has a range of specialised Defence Vehicles including the Defender FFR (Fitted for Radio) model, a platform to provide modern Defence Forces with a flexible and highly-mobile range of Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) roles. The vehicle combines an upgraded dual-voltage power supply and full electrical suppression with the acclaimed all-terrain performance of the Land Rover Defender. It is capable of transporting sensitive electronic equipment safely through challenging conditions in support of C4i operations, and is also effective as a carrier of electronic surveillance and electronic counter-measures technology.

To support the power demands of the latest electronic equipment, the new Defender FFR features a new electrical architecture with a dual 12v / 24v power supply, replacing the 24v system of the previous model. The total output is raised from 100 amps to 280 amps, enabling a significant increase in the amount of C4i equipment that can be operated. Two high-output 12v glass mat, air-transportable military specification batteries are fitted, giving improved engine cranking at lower temperatures. The batteries are now stowed under the rear floor, releasing extra space in rear body for equipment. All of the Defender FFR’s electrical systems are fully suppressed in accordance with the most stringent test standards (including Def Stan 59-411 Class A and Mil Std 461F) enabling C4i equipment to be installed without further suppression work.

The operational performance of the Defender FFR is further enhanced by the standardisation of a heavy duty 3500kg chassis, providing improved payload capability, and the fitment of a new 90kW 2.4-litre diesel engine which offers over 35% more torque than the previous model.

Additional improvements include a more spacious and efficient driving environment with a new ergonomic dashboard design, and a foldable forward-facing radio operator’s seat with integral headrest and 3-point safety belt for improved comfort and safety.

Sources from :

www.classicdriver.com/en/car/land-rover/defender/1987/691401

www.army-technology.com/contractors/vehicles/land-rover/p...

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

The GMC 6x6 2.5 ton truck, nicknamed the ''Jimmy'' or ''Duece-and-a-Half'' was produced by General Motors in the United States and exported all over the world where it was in great demand.

With a powerful 6-cylinder engine and high ground clearance, the vehicle became the standard load carrier for the Allies during the Second World War. This truck served in all theatres and was particularly useful in difficult country were routes of supply were hard to negotiate.

An open-top cab version often had a ring mount for a 0.50 calibre anti-aircraft machine gun although the standard design was a canvas-topped cargo lorry used for transporting troops as often depicted in wartime films.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: GMC 270, 91bhp

▪︎Speed: 40mph

▪︎Range: 165 miles.

CCKW stood for the following -

▪︎C - Designed in 1941

▪︎C - Conventional cab

▪︎K - All-wheel drive

▪︎W - Dual rear axle.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

Nicknamed the ''Duck'' the DUKW is an American Six-Wheel-Drive Amphibious Vehicle modified from the 2+1⁄2-ton CCKW Truck, used by the U.S Military during World War Two and the Korean War. Designed by a partnership under Military auspices of Sparkman & Stephens and General Motors Corporation (GMC) the DUKW was used for the transportation of goods and Troops over land and water. Excelling at approaching and crossing beaches in Amphibious Warfare attacks, it was intended only to last long enough to meet the demands of Combat. Surviving DUKW's have since found popularity as tourist craft in marine environments.

The name ''DUKW'' comes from General Motors Corporation model nomenclature:-

D - 1942 production series

U - Utility

K - front wheel drive

W - tandem rear axles, both driven

Decades later, the designation was explained erroneously by writers such as Donald Clarke, who wrote in 1978 that it was an initialism for "Duplex Universal Karrier, Wheeled". The U.S Navy-Marine Corps alternative designation of LVW (Landing Vehicle, Wheeled) was seldom used.

The DUKW was designed by Rod Stephens Jr. of Sparkman & Stephens, Inc. yacht designers, Dennis Puleston, a British deep-water sailor resident in the U.S and Frank W. Speir from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Developed by the National Defense Research Committee and the Office of Scientific Research and Development to solve the problem of 'resupply' to Units which had just performed an amphibious landing, it was initially rejected by the Armed Services.

The DUKW was built around the GMC AFKWX, a cab-over-engine (COE) version of the GMC CCKW Six-Wheel-Drive Military Truck, with the addition of a watertight hull and a propeller, she was powered by a GMC Model 270 4 litre straight-six engine with a five-speed overdrive transmission driving a transfer case for the propeller, then a two-speed transfer case to drive the axles. The propeller and front axle were selectable from their transfer case, a power take-off on the transmission drove an air-compressor and winch. The vehicle weighed 13,000lb empty and operated at 50mph on road and 5.5 knots (6.3 mph) on water.

It was not an Armoured Vehicle, being plated with sheet steel between 1⁄16 and 1⁄8 inch thick to minimize weight. A high-capacity bilge pump system kept it afloat if the thin hull was breached by holes up to 2in in diameter, one in four DUKW's mounted a .50 caliber Browning Heavy Machine Gun on a ring mount. The DUKW was the first vehicle to allow the Driver to vary the tyre pressure from inside the cab, the tyres could be fully inflated for hard surfaces such as roads and less inflated for softer surfaces, especially beach sand. This added to its versatility as an Amphibious Vehicle. This is now a standard feature found on many military vehicles.

When a United States Coast Guard Patrol Craft ran aground on a sand bar near Provincetown, Massachusetts, an experimental DUKW happened to be in the area for a demonstration. With winds up to 69 mph, rain, and heavy surf prevented conventional craft from rescuing the seven stranded Coast Guardsmen, but the DUKW had no trouble, so the Military opposition to the DUKW melted, and later proved its seaworthiness by crossing the English Channel. The final production design was perfected by a few engineers at Yellow Truck & Coach in Pontiac, Michigan. The vehicle was built by Yellow Truck and Coach Co. (GMC Truck and Coach Div. after 1943) at their Pontiac West Assembly Plant and Chevrolet Div. of General Motors Corp. at their St. Louis Truck Assembly Plant, 21,147 units were manufactured before production ended in 1945.

The DUKW was supplied to the U.S Army, U.S Marine Corps and the Allied Forces, and 2,000 were supplied to Britain under the 'Lend-Lease' program, 535 were acquired by Australian Forces, and 586 were supplied to the Soviet Union, which built its own version, the BAV 485, after the war. DUKW's were initially sent to Guadalcanal in the Pacific Theater, but were used by an Invasion Force for the first time in the European Theater, during the Sicilian Invasion, Operation Husky, in the Mediterranean. They were used on the D-Day Beaches of Normandy and in the Battle of the Scheldt, Operation Veritable, and Operation Plunder.

In the Pacific, USMC DUKW's were used to cross the coral reefs of islands such as Saipan and Guam and the tires were not affected by the coral. Some DUKW's used in World War Two were reported to have capsized while landing at Omaha beach during the Normandy Invasion.

DUKW's were also used in Lake Garda in Italy by the 10th Mountain Division in the final days of the war. One sank crossing from Torbole sul Garda to Riva del Garda on the evening of 30th April 1945, 25 out of the 26 onboard died. Two other DUKW's sank without casualties.

▪︎Type: Amphibious Transport

▪︎Place of Origin: United States

▪︎Manufacturer: GMC Truck and Coach Chevrolet

▪︎Produced: 1942 to 1945

▪︎Number Built: 21,1478

▪︎Mass: 13,600lb empty

▪︎Length: 31ft / Width: 8ft / Height: 8ft 10in with top up / 7ft 1in minimum

▪︎Crew: 1

▪︎Main Armament: Ring mount for .50in M2 Browning Machine Gun fitted to one out of four ▪︎DUKW's

▪︎Powerplant: GMC Model 270 91hp

▪︎Payload Capacity: 5,000lb or 24 Personnel

▪︎Suspension: Live axles on leaf springs

▪︎Operational Range: 400 miles on road

▪︎Maximum Speed: 50mph on road / 6.4mph in water.

Information sourced from – en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DUKW

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

This was the view outside of our motel room during our stay in Oskosh.

A Scorpio body being lowered onto its underbody and engine at the start of final assembly. This photo was taken with permission at Mahindra's Scorpio assembly line at Nashik during a press tour.

Part II :-

After the war the U.S government sold or distributed the majority of their Model B's to local governments and municipalities. Three were included in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy. According to 1st Lt. E. R. Jackson, the official Ordnance Department Observer ''The three Four Wheel Drive Trucks were, in general, the most satisfactory in the Convoy and of all of the various makes represented, the F.W.D.'s alone were able to pull through all of the bad, muddy, and sandy stretches of road in Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada absolutely unaided (emphasis in the original.) He also noted that the Model B's were more reliable than the other vehicles and completed the entire trip on their original tyres but they showed '' a decided tendency to run into the bad spots'' of uneven roads. British machines were returned to the UK from where some were shipped throughout British Empire.

Surplus Model B's proved popular in the postwar Good Roads Movement as their all wheel drive made them ideal municipal and civilian construction vehicles, and FWD survived the postwar recession on the strength of Model B sales and parts. Popular sales tactics included demonstrating the benefits of all wheel drive by driving them up stairs FWD also selected six woman demonstration drivers from their plant workforce to demonstrate the Model B's easy steering, the first of whom, Luella Bates, delivered a Model B from Clintonville to the 1919 New York Auto Show before barnstorming all around the U.S on three transcontinental trips. Some Model B trucks were still being used as construction vehicles and snow ploughs as late as the 1940's.

▪︎Type: 3 ton Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United States

▪︎Used By: United States / United Kingdom

▪︎Conflicts: World War One / Pancho Villa Expedition

▪︎Manufacturer: Four Wheel Drive Auto Company

▪︎Produced: 1912 to 1919

▪︎Number Built: Over 16,000

▪︎Mass: 5.5 ton unladen / Length: 18ft 6in / Width: 6ft 4in / Height: 10ft 6in

▪︎Powerplant: 4-cylinder Wisconsin petrol, 36bhp at 1,800rpm

▪︎Payload Capacity: 5.0 ton on road / 3.0 ton off-road

▪︎Drive: 4x4

▪︎Transmission: 3F–1R

▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptic multi-leaf springs

▪︎Maximum Speed: 15mph.

Part I :- www.flickr.com/photos/139375961@N08/shares/3Wv682

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FWD_Model_B

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The AEC Model 850, also known as the 'FWD R6T' was available in two versions, as an Artillery Tractor and a Recovery Vehicle both used by the British Army, it was in production from 1929 to 1936 and 57 units and one prototype was produced. In 1928 several truck manufacturers were asked by the British Army to develop a Six-Wheel Drive Artillery Tractor. In addition to English companies such as Guy Motors, Leyland and Scammell, the American company FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) with a branch in Slough, was also invited. The vehicles had to be able to carry a trailer load of approximately 6 tons.

FWD came up with the R6T, which was the manufacturer's first Six- Wheel Drive Vehicle, it was equipped with a Dorman JUL six-cylinder petrol engine with side valves, a 6.6 litre engine producing 78hp. All wheels were driven via a four-speed gearbox and an additional reduction gearbox allowing them to operate in high and low ranges could be used (4F1Rx2) In 1929 the prototype was delivered to the British Army for testing. At the end of that year, the vehicle came back to the factory. FWD was given an order for nine vehicles, but some changes were necessary. In 1929 FWD and AEC entered into a partnership, components were replaced with AEC equipment. The engine was replaced by an AEC A136 with overhead valves, which had a smaller displacement of 6.1 litres, but with 95hp it had more power. The gearbox was also exchanged for a version of AEC. Adjustments to the driver's cab and superstructure were also made, the most notable being the position of two Crew members next to the engine slightly ahead of the Driver. The cabin and cargo hold were open, but could be covered with a canvas roof.

In 1932 the English branch of FWD was taken over by AEC, the type designation of the vehicles changed from R6T to AEC Model 850. A total of 24 units were built at FWD in Slough and 33 units at the AEC factory in Southall between 1932 and 1936, a total production of 57 units. At the outbreak of World War Two, a number of vehicles were sent to France between 1939-1940 with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Many of them were left behind during the evacuation of the BEF in May 1940. The only surviving example is this one at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, which was fully restored in 1970.

▪︎Type: Artillery Tractor / Recovery Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎In Service: 1939 to 1940

▪︎Used By: British Army

▪︎Conflicts: World War Two

▪︎Designer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company)

Designed:

▪︎Manufacturer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) / AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

▪︎Crew: 1 Driver + 8 Crew

▪︎Produced: 1929 to 1936

▪︎Number Built: 57

▪︎Mass: 8.7 tons / Length: 19ft 3in / Width: 7ft 6in / Height: 8ft 7in

▪︎Powerplant: AEC A136 6.1 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine, 95hp

▪︎Drive: 6x6

▪︎Transmission: Four speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 20mph.

Taken from Wikipedia nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Model_850 and other sources.

The small crossover utility market continues to be a hot topic as sales increase from active lifestyle consumers seeking solutions that appease their utilitarian needs. With character traits based on athletic styling, inventive utility, fuel efficiency and both advanced connectivity and telematics automakers have set the bar high with vehicles such as the all-new Hyundai Kona. It drives smarter, works swankier and plays harder.

STALWART H.M.L.C. FV620 -

The Stalwart H.M.L.C. (High Mobility Load Carrier) FV620 first entered service in 1960 and was manufactured by Alvis in the UK.

ENGINE - The Stalwart is fitted with a Rolls Royce B81 8 cylinder 6.2 litre water cooled petrol engine producing 210bhp at 3,750rpm coupled to a five speed manual gearbox, giving the vehicle a top speed of 45mph on the road.

Although at some time in its history the mechanism has been disabled, the Stalwart was designed to be fully amphibious, being fitted with a Dowty water jet propulsion system. This vehicle is, at the moment, in the early stages of restoration.

ROLE - The Stalwart high mobility 6x6 truck was designed to deliver up to 5 tonnes of supplies throughout the battlefield, in particular ammunition or fuel for the Main Battle Tanks, thus allowing the frontline troops to be resupplied, whatever the conditions.

SPECIFICATIONS -

▪︎Weight: 9 tons

▪︎Maximum payload: 5 tons

▪︎Width: 8 ft 4 in

▪︎Height: 7 ft 5 in

▪︎Length: 20 ft 8 in

▪︎Crew: Driver / Commander + One.

Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/stalwart-h-m-l-c-fv630/

1944 – Ex Texas Rangers vehicle, left to a wood merchant in Mâcot-la-Plagne.

(1941-1945) WILLYS MB

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. (590 kg).

While the ''Blitz Buggy'' did satisfy these requirements, Bantam was not able to deliver with the fiscal strength or production capability needed to win the contract with the War Department. As as result, Ford and Willys were asked to product their own pilot models for testing, the results of which would determine the contract. The original pilot models were submitted and named accordingly. The Willys Quad by Willys Overland, the Ford Pygmy by Ford and the BRC 60 by Bantam were accepted and orders were given for 1,500 units per company, with a revised weight limit of 2,160Ib. During these pre-production runs, each vehicle was re-named. The Willys Quad became the “MA”, the Ford Pygmy became the “GP”, and the “BRC 60” became the “BRC 40”. By July of 1941, the War Department, needing standardization, selected Willys-Overland to fulfill its contract, on account of the MA’s powerful engine, silhouette, low bid ($748.74/unit), and because of the company’s ability to fulfill production needs, ordering another 16,000 vehicles.

Absorbing some of the design features of the Bantam and Ford entries, the Willys “MA” was then renamed the Willys “MB”, and featured the powerful “Go Devil” engine and a welded flat iron “slat” radiator grille (which was later replaced by a stamped grille in March of 1942). By October 1941, due to an increased demand for production, Ford was contracted to assist Willys-Overland and changed their model’s name from “GP to “GPW”, with the "W" referring to the "Willys" licensed design. During World War Two, Ford produced some 280,000 of these vehicles.

The MA and early MB's had the “Willys” name stamped into the left rear panel; however, in the spring of 1942, the War Dept. decided not to feature the logo and removed them. Early MB's had a wiper for each side of the windshield, which were hand operated in contrast to later configurations. The windshields also varied slightly. The first 3,500 produced used an MA-type frame, which had a shorter distance between the cowl and the glass frames (4in) The later models had a 6in measurement, and were noticeably taller. In the earlier model MB's, the gas tank still had rectangular lower corners, as opposed to later versions.

While earlier black-out lamps for the MB were used as aids to see other vehicles in the convoy, later MB's feature a large blackout headlamp mounted on the left front fender that was used to help the driver see where he was going. The headlamps on all World War Two Willys MB and Ford GPW Jeeps hinged up so they could illuminate the engine compartment in dark times. In 1942 the MB Jeeps got combat wheels, replacing the original stamped and welded version. Combat wheels were heavier and bolted together to facilitate field repair, and also had the ability to transport the vehicle for a distance with deflated tires. All jeeps had brackets for their pioneer tools mounted on the left side below the entryway.

Rounded rear corners were found on the bodies of all the production Jeeps, both Willys MB and Ford GPW models. All models also featured larger bumperettes, exterior handles for manual extrication from sticky terrain, and two top bows to raise the height of the canvas and keep it from pounding the heads of the front seat occupants. The instrument panels began to look more militarized on the MB and GPW. Instruments were separate (oil pressure, fuel level, ammeter, water temperature, speedometer) had black faces, and were externally illuminated. The in-out lever for the front differential, and the transfer case lever, were on the right side of the transmission lever, as those components had migrated from the left side on the Bantams to the right side on the production models.

Sourced from www.kaiserwillys.com/about_willys_jeep_mb_history_specs

Picadilly Circus

The Ford WOT 2 (War Office Trucks) was in production throughout WW2 with almost 60,000 manufactured. Most were fitted with a general service body and were used to carry stores, baggage, ammunition and occasionally heavy weapons.

The early models had open cabs with a folding windscreen and canvas tilt. Some had canvas doors while others had a metal door on a wooden frame. Van bodywork vehicles were used as wireless trucks or as fire service vans for the ARP (Air Raid Precautions). At Weybourne Camp a WOT 2 was used as the Cinema Van to transport the film reels and supplies.

The Museum's truck is shown carrying a working Godiva Coventry Climax fire pump which has been used to empty the water fire tank in the museum compound.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Ford V8 giving 60bhp

▪︎Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse, rear wheel drive

▪︎Speed: 45mph

▪︎Weight: 4,520lb (2 tons)

▪︎Crew: 2 + 6 troops or 1.3 tons of cargo.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

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One of the reasons for South Africa's tragically high road death toll?

In 1942 the Ford GPA ''Seep'' was first designed to transport soldiers to and from offshore ships but it couldn't handle the force of the waves despite the front shield. Instead it was used for crossing rivers in a reconnaissance role but performed poorly on land so production ended in 1943 and survivors are now rare.

The controls are similar to those of a Jeep with the addition of two PTP levers, one for the propeller and one for the bilge pump. The rudder is connected to the steering linkage and it has an engine driven anchor capstan. The seat cushions were intended to double as life preserves.

After military service the Museum's example came from the Channel Islands were it was used for rides on the beach. It required extensive restoration and is now in working order.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: 4-cylinder side valve, 60bhp

▪︎Transmission: 3 speed FED + propeller drive

▪︎Speed: Road - 50mph / water - 5.5mph

▪︎Weight: 3,400lb.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

Pre-57th Presidential Inauguration 2013: Chinatown / Penn Quarter on 7th Street between E and F Street, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 20 January 2013 by Elvert Barnes Photography

John Deere 825i Gator Utility Vehicle

www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/products/equipment/gator_uti...

SETTING UP for 57th PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION 2013 PARADE