(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.

Information sourced from – www.kaiserwillys.com/about_willys_jeep_mb_history_specs

The AEC Militant (aka ''Milly'') was a post-war development by AEC of the AEC Matador Artillery Tractor used during World War Two. Externally the most noticeable development was the cab, which was considerably enlarged. Unlike the Matador only six-wheel versions were produced. Four-wheel versions are extant, but they are probably conversions and one is a Matador with a Mk.I Militant cab. Other changes included the fitting of a larger, 11.3-litre 6-cylinder, diesel engine and the use of a steel frame for the cab, rather than the ash (fraxinus) wood frame of the Matador. The Militant Mk.I was produced in 6x4 and 6x6 form. Although primarily intended as a replacement for the Matador Artillery Tractor, other variants included an Articulated Lorry Tractor Unit, a General Service or Cargo Lorry with a longer wheelbase and as a chassis for mounting various Cranes, usually supplied by Coles.

The Militant served with the British Army and some other Armies in most parts of the world, it was intended as an improved Artillery Tractor, but after World War Two, the development of large Artillery Pieces was gradually dropped in favour of more effective Rockets and Missiles, making this role largely redundant during the Militant's service life. Crews had mixed views of the Militant, because it had no power steering, it took considerable effort to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds and in difficult conditions. However, it was credited with a good cross-country performance and was often used to recover the six-wheel drive Alvis Stalwart Amphibious Lorries that bogged in difficult conditions. (The Mk.III did have a power assist Steering Ram). Most variants were fitted with a chassis-mounted winch that was driven through the gearbox, this was intended for manoeuvering of the Towed Field Gun and for self-recovery of the vehicle, proved extremely strong and reliable. The Militant gained the nickname ''Knocker'' from its Military Crews which may have been due to the rhythmic sound of the slow-revving engines.

The ''Knocker'' was the nickname of the Mk.I and the one Mk.I CALM was still in service with each RCT Transport Squadron until the AEC fleet was replaced by the Bedford 14 Tonne 6x6 in the early 1990's. AEC Mk.III Recovery Trucks were replaced by Foden GS Recovery 6x6. Many Militants were sold off by the Army in the 1970's and were purchased as Heavy Recovery Vehicles or for forestry use by civilian operators. They were not as popular for forestry operations as their predecessor the Matador because the extra length and an extra axle made them less manoeuvrable in confined spaces. However, some users simply shortened the chassis and removed one axle, effectively creating a more powerful version of the Matador. AEC MK.I Militant's were still in service as late as 1985, the MK.III's were still in service as late as 1990.

▪︎Type: Medium / Heavy Artillery Tractor / Multi-Purpose Support Vehicle / 10-ton Cargo Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Designer & Manufacturer: AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1964

▪︎Number Built: 3,200

▪︎Variants: O859 (6x4) / O860 (6x6)

▪︎Mass: Unladen 10.3 to 10.5 tons / Length: 24ft 1in / Width: 8ft / Height: 9ft 8in

▪︎Powerplant: AEC A223 straight-six diesel engine, 150bhp

▪︎Drive: 6x4 or part time 6x6

▪︎Transmission: 5F1Rx2

▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs inverted at the rear

▪︎Maximum Speed: 25mph.

Information sourced from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Militant#:~:text=The%20AEC%20Mi...(or%20%22Milly,six%2Dwheel%20versions%20were%20produced.

Hipstamatic edit

The 2018 Hyundai Kona design story is a representation of the routine of an urban adventurer while the key styling techniques are reflective of the topography of Hawaii's Kona island. While driving we began to appreciate the region much deeper and was thankful for elements that make life easy like pure foods, daily fitness and straightforward automotive lifestyle technologies.

The British manufacturerd FV1119 Leyland Martian 10 ton Six Wheel Drive Recovery Truck was one of a series of highly specialised trucks developed by Leyland Motors during the late 1940's for Military use and incorporated a number of standardised components. The Recovery Vehicle was intended to be used for frontline recovery work and to complement the hard-pressed Scammell Recovery Vehicles already in service in the late 1950's. The Leylands appeared in service in the early 1960's and only a handful would seem to have survived to the mid 1990's, one of the last reportedly in Hong Kong. The truck was the first British Army Breakdown Vehicle to incorporate a pedestal mounted rotating crane as its main lifting device. The Martian also fulfilled the role of an Artillery Tractor fitted with a crewcab for 12 Gunner's, and also came as a General Service Vehicle, carrying supplies and ammunition.

General characteristics:-

▪︎Manufacturer: Leyland Motors

▪︎Developed: 1940's

▪︎In Service: 1940's to 1970's

▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce B80 (later B81) 6.5 litre straight-8 petrol 175hp to 220hp

▪︎Transmission: 4 speed manual

▪︎Suspension: Walking beam

▪︎Maximum Speed: 40 mph

▪︎Consumption: 3.5 mpg

▪︎Lifting Capacity: 15 ton Rotating crane

▪︎Winching Capacity: 40 ton Rear winch

▪︎Stabiliser: Ground Anchor

▪︎Variants: Artillery Tractor / General Purpose Vehicle.

www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4495814

Pre-57th Presidential Inauguration 2013: Penn Quarter on 7th Street at Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC on Sunday afternoon, 20 January 2013 by Elvert Barnes Photography

FIRST AID TENT at Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street

Learn more about the logisitics, designs and locations of the 2013 Inaugural Parade First AID tents at www.army.mil/article/94158/

SETTING UP for 57th PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION 2013 PARADE

Visit Elvert Barnes 57th PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION 2013 docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/2013Inauguration.html

The Bedouin drivers of these 4 X 4's enjoyed the thrill of preparing a steep descent down this tall sand dune.

The AEC Militant (aka ''Milly'') was a post-war development by AEC of the AEC Matador Artillery Tractor used during World War Two. Externally the most noticeable development was the cab, which was considerably enlarged. Unlike the Matador only six-wheel versions were produced. Four-wheel versions are extant, but they are probably conversions and one is a Matador with a Mk.I Militant cab. Other changes included the fitting of a larger, 11.3-litre 6-cylinder, diesel engine and the use of a steel frame for the cab, rather than the ash (fraxinus) wood frame of the Matador. The Militant Mk.I was produced in 6x4 and 6x6 form. Although primarily intended as a replacement for the Matador Artillery Tractor, other variants included an Articulated Lorry Tractor Unit, a General Service or Cargo Lorry with a longer wheelbase and as a chassis for mounting various Cranes, usually supplied by Coles.

The Militant served with the British Army and some other Armies in most parts of the world, it was intended as an improved Artillery Tractor, but after World War Two, the development of large Artillery Pieces was gradually dropped in favour of more effective Rockets and Missiles, making this role largely redundant during the Militant's service life. Crews had mixed views of the Militant, because it had no power steering, it took considerable effort to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds and in difficult conditions. However, it was credited with a good cross-country performance and was often used to recover the six-wheel drive Alvis Stalwart Amphibious Lorries that bogged in difficult conditions. (The Mk.III did have a power assist Steering Ram). Most variants were fitted with a chassis-mounted winch that was driven through the gearbox, this was intended for manoeuvering of the Towed Field Gun and for self-recovery of the vehicle, proved extremely strong and reliable. The Militant gained the nickname ''Knocker'' from its Military Crews which may have been due to the rhythmic sound of the slow-revving engines.

The ''Knocker'' was the nickname of the Mk.I and the one Mk.I CALM was still in service with each RCT Transport Squadron until the AEC fleet was replaced by the Bedford 14 Tonne 6x6 in the early 1990's. AEC Mk.III Recovery Trucks were replaced by Foden GS Recovery 6x6. Many Militants were sold off by the Army in the 1970's and were purchased as Heavy Recovery Vehicles or for forestry use by civilian operators. They were not as popular for forestry operations as their predecessor the Matador because the extra length and an extra axle made them less manoeuvrable in confined spaces. However, some users simply shortened the chassis and removed one axle, effectively creating a more powerful version of the Matador. AEC MK.I Militant's were still in service as late as 1985, the MK.III's were still in service as late as 1990.

▪︎Type: Medium / Heavy Artillery Tractor / Multi-Purpose Support Vehicle / 10-ton Cargo Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Designer & Manufacturer: AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1964

▪︎Number Built: 3,200

▪︎Variants: O859 (6x4) / O860 (6x6)

▪︎Mass: Unladen 10.3 to 10.5 tons / Length: 24ft 1in / Width: 8ft / Height: 9ft 8in

▪︎Powerplant: AEC A223 straight-six diesel engine, 150bhp

▪︎Drive: 6x4 or part time 6x6

▪︎Transmission: 5F1Rx2

▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs inverted at the rear

▪︎Maximum Speed: 25mph.

Information sourced from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Militant#:~:text=The%20AEC%20Mi...(or%20%22Milly,six%2Dwheel%20versions%20were%20produced.

Picadilly Circus

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

Big Ben

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ45 wagon.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Land_Cruiser_(J40)

Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.

Monday, November 24, 2025.

For my video; youtu.be/iq3-i2ubKjw?si=7OPAgSuUUVbNqqr_

Utility Vehicle,

heavy-duty grounds maintenance and transport vehicle,

Ardingley-Sprott, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Pet Dairy cow display at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. Over the weekend my wife and I visited the event.

seen while hiking the Bison Pasture Trail located near Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.

My Site - My Focus!

in Stuttgart, Germany.

The rally on the anniversary of the workers' movement is for me important tradition!

Important for democracy, freedom and social justice!

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved.

AUSTIN WN1 ''CHAMP'' 4X4 -

Firstly identified as Truck, ¼ ton, CT (Combat Truck) 4x4; later Truck, ¼ ton, GS (General Service) 4x4 Cargo and FFR / FFW (fitted for radio / wireless). This vehicle was known as the ''Champ'' the name originally given to the WN3 civilian version which was made in very limited numbers - some were converted to the ''Firefly'' Austin Champ Fire Appliance and Light Rescue vehicles. Only two examples of the earlier WN2 models were built. In 1947, prior to the limited production run of the Wolsley ''Mudlark'', the Nuffield Organisation had experimented with a replacement for the ''Jeep'' in the form of the ''Gutty'', but only went to three prototypes. The FVDE FV1800/FV1801 vehicles (known as the ''Mudlarks'' and the ''Champs'') were designed to be a combat Truck class with high specifications.

The Champ was manufactured from 1951 under contract No. 6 VEH 5531, but some modifications were made. In time 11,700 vehicles were issued to the Army (including the Parachute Brigade) Royal Marines and later the Territorial Army. It was full air-transportable and served in Africa, Germany, Cyprus, Libya and the Suez Campaign, early vehicles were sent for troop trials at the end of the Korean War.

Military needs changed during the 1948-1955 period and resulted in the downgrading of the FV1801 from Combat Truck (CT) to General Service (GS) in 1955. The Champ was quickly overtaken by the superior and far less expensive Land Rover - at around £1,300 each, they were double the price of a Land Rover. The last Champ entered service in 1956 when some were already being sold off. Some of the design features were being incorporated in the Austin ''Gipsy'', 21,208 were built between 1958 and 1967 as a civilian replacement for the Champ and rival for the Land Rover.

This example (Chassis No. 8529 / Body No. 8330) went into Army service 22nd November 1954 (Registration 85 BE 29) was struck off 15th March 1966 and became privately owned. In 1987 it was gifted to the Imperial War Museum, and then gifted to the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum by their trustees in September 2012 following many years being stored, totally dismantled, at Duxford.

▪︎Engine: Rolls-Royce B40 (No. 60250) 4-cylinder 2,838cc with 69bhp

▪︎Length: 12 ft

▪︎Width: 5 ft 1 in

▪︎Height: 5 ft 10 in.

Information from the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum.

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.

Wireless Set No.19 -

The designs for this transceiver were developed by RSRE and Pye in 1940 and after producing a number of Mk.I equipments it then continued in development, emerging as the Mk.II in 1941 and finally the Mk.III in 1942. The sets were used by the British Army up to the early 1950's and by Canadian Divisions during WWII. Besides being built in the UK, the sets were also produced by a number of different manufacturers in Canada and the USA. Once designs had been customised for ease of sourcing American components, by liaison between Pye and a four man Canadian team, the firms selected to manufacture the sets were Northern Electric, Canadian Marconi and RCA Victor in Canada, and Zenith, RCA and Philco in the US.

Many Mk.II versions were made for the ''Lend-lease'' program in which much military materiel including not only smaller items such as these but also aircraft such as the Spitfire were sent to Russia to combat Nazi aggression. As a result of this programme many of the No. 19 sets still around have dual English and Russian legends on their front panels. Physical dimensions are 17.5" x 8.5" x 12.5" and it weighs in at 40lb. A range of ancillary equipment was used with the set, including dynamotor based power supply, ATU and whip aerial, combined headphones/mic and sometimes a high power amplifier.

Performance wasn't wonderful, as the set used grid modulation which reduced the range, compared with the more beefy technique of plate modulation. However it should be remembered that the set had a limited design performance in keeping with its intended operational use. As the set covered three amateur radio bands (160, 80 and 40 metres) it was popular in the 1950's when the availability of commercial equipment was limited and expensive and of course the norm was amplitude modulation in those pre-SSB days.

Using the set on ''Top Band'' the high end of which was just achievable, the set provided HF inter-tank and tank-to-HQ R/T, CW and MCW comms, over the band 2-8MHz and had a range of 10 miles R/T or 15 miles CW. The VHF inter-tank set used the ''super-regenerative'' technique and had a range of 1000 yards using a small band centred on 235MHz.

There is also an intercom facility, using a pair of 6V6's, for the tank crews. The HF part, the ‘A’ set, has an integral mechanical feature enabling, by means of a ‘flick’ switch to rapidly change between two frequencies. Use of the VHF part, the ‘B’ set, was phased out in the 1950's as the Larkspur range of VHF FM equipment came into service. The Royal Armoured Corps replaced their latest modified No. 19 Sets with the very similar C12 in the mid-50's and this in turn later by the newer C13.

Information sourced from - www.radiomuseum.co.uk/ws19.html

Bandvagn 202 (Bv 202) is an amphibious oversnow tracked articulated, all-terrain vehicle developed by Bolinder-Munktell, a subsidiary of Volvo, for the Swedish Army in the early 1960's. The vehicle is formed by two rubber Kegresse track units with a multi-directional pivot in between. The front unit contains the engine and gearbox through which power is delivered to the front and, via a propshaft in the pivot mechanism, the rear tracks. A hydraulic ram on the pivot "bends" the vehicle in the middle to steer it - there is no braking of track units for steering as on conventional tracklaying vehicles.

The controls are a conventional steering wheel on the left hand front of the vehicle. It can reach a speed of 24 mph on land and 3.1 mph (4 kn) on water. The Bv 202 carries a driver and a commander in the front unit and up to 8 troops or 1,763 lb in the trailer unit. It can be adapted for other applications. Production started in Arvika in 1964 and ended in 1981. The Bv 202 has since been succeeded by the Hägglunds Bandvagn 206.

The Bv 202 was designed to transport troops and equipment through snow or boglands in the northern parts of Sweden. The last Swedish unit to use this vehicle was the Cavalry, who found that the manual gearbox Bv 202 was much quieter than the automatic transmission Bv 206. In the Norwegian army units that had both Bv 202 and Bv 206 ran the Bv 202 as the first vehicle if the snow conditions were challenging. The Bv 202 performed better in deep and/or difficult snow conditions.

The Mk. I Bv 202 is powered by an 82.5 bhp Volvo B18, the Mk. II by the 97 bhp B20. It has less ground pressure than a skier and is fully amphibious. The Bv 202 was used by NATO forces, and replaced the older Swedish Snow Trac ST4 Over-snow Vehicle, which was employed by the British Royal Marines under NATO.

Specifications -

▪︎Type: Tracked frame-steered vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: Sweden

▪︎Designed: 1957 to 1961

▪︎Manufacturer: Bolinder-Munktell

▪︎Produced: 1964 to 1981

▪︎Number Built: 1 700

▪︎Variants: Mk. I / Mk. II

▪︎Mass: 6,400 lb / Length: 20 ft 3.1 in / Width: 5 ft 11 in / Height: 7 ft 3 in

▪︎Crew: Driver + 1 passenger (front car) / 8 passengers (rear car)

▪︎Secondary Armament: Ksp58 machine gun on pintle mount

▪︎Powerplant: Volvo B18B in Mk. I 82.5 hp / Mk. II B20B 97 hp

▪︎Payload Capacity: 1,763 lb (in terrain)

▪︎Steering System: Articulated frame-steering - Mk. I mechanical hydraulic / Mk.II orbitrol hydraulic

▪︎Drive: Tracked, with 0.22 lb / 0.78 in ground pressure

▪︎Transmission: Mk. I VOLVO M 42 / Mk. II ZF

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 17.15 imperial gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 124.27 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 24 mph - roads / 3.1 mph - water.

Information sourced from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandvagn_202