The U.S. Military M274 Truck, Platform, Utility, 1 ⁄ 2 Ton, 4X4 or "Carrier, Light Weapons, Infantry, 1 ⁄ 2 ton, 4x4", also known as the " Mule ", " Military Mule ", or " Mechanical Mule ", is a 4-wheel drive, gasoline-powered truck/tractor type vehicle that can carry up to 1 ⁄ 2 short ton (0.45 tonnes) off-road. It was introduced in 1956 and used until the 1980s.
151-430: The M274 Mule was introduced in 1956 to supplement both the 1 ⁄ 4 -short-ton (0.23-tonne) trucks (" Jeeps ") and 3 ⁄ 4 -short-ton (0.68-tonne) trucks (Weapons Carrier Series and M37 series) in airborne and infantry battalions. The M274 evolved from improvements to a vehicle designed at the end of World War Two by Willys-Overland as a medical evacuation litter carrier from areas and terrain that would be
302-829: A 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton class. Bantam officials met with chiefs of Infantry and Cavalry and suggested a contract to further develop military versions of their light car. But in June 1940—as a collaboration with the Quartermaster Corps (QMC), still responsible for U.S. unarmored tactical military vehicles in 1940—the Ordnance Corps initiated a Technical (sub-)Committee, for the QMC to formulate comprehensive, exact specification for this new, very lightweight, cross-country tactical vehicle, capable of carrying personnel and equipment across rough terrain. The committee included
453-457: A 160 in (4.06 m) wheelbase. After a modest production of 516 units of the WF-31, at least 9,500 Dodge WF-32 trucks were built, mostly for lend-lease to Russia. The 1940 VC-series Dodge 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4s were well liked but considered only an interim solution, because they were essentially a modified civilian truck. At the outset of World War II a more military design
604-555: A 'jeep' was said by the FTC ... to have been originated by the American Bantam [Co.] of Butler, PA '[with U.S. Army officers] and to have been [conceived and] developed by that company. " Willys appealed this ruling, and after a five-year investigation, in 1948 the FTC again ruled that "Willys was unfairly taking credit for the creation and was thus using unfair methods of competition. The FTC ordered Willys to stop claiming they were
755-611: A 143 in (363 cm) wheelbase, and the 1938 RF-40 and 1939 TF-40 four-wheel drives were the first for which Dodge moved to separate engineering codes, in the T-200 range (T-200 and T-201 respectively). However, Dodge also eagerly pursued military contracts for half-ton four-by-fours at the same time. The smaller size had outperformed the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4 during testing in 1938, and Dodge had invested greatly in half- to one-ton trucks in prior years. In 1936, Dodge's light, car-based trucks had been crucially redesigned — abandoning
906-440: A 4x4 half-ton in 1939, and began production in earnest in 1940 — both 4x4 half-tons, as well as 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4 and 4x2 trucks. On all 1940 trucks, front sheetmetal was mostly identical to the commercial VC and VF models of that year, with the addition of a big brush guard mounted in front of the grille and headlights. Except for the addition of 4-wheel drive, and custom bodies on the 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton command cars,
1057-485: A Camp Holabird civilian engineer, who was instructed to disregard the presentation, but changed his mind after seeing it. Brown also stayed at the Bantam plant where both Howie and he worked out specifications with Crist for the proposed vehicle. By the end of June 1940, with American Bantam's consultation, the Quartermaster Corps issued their initial specifications. They specified a part-time four-wheel-drive vehicle, with
1208-538: A common platform in such a variety of designs, with payloads ranging from 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton to 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑tons, had no equal in its time, and is seen as an extraordinary feat of the WWII American auto industry. The name of this article would at first suggest a focus on models that are indeed called Dodge WC-numbers, either 4x4 or 6x6. However, the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps' central Standard Nomenclature List (SNL) Supply Catalog , covering
1359-504: A complete redesign by Ford in the form of the 1960-introduced M151 jeep . Its influence, however, was much greater than that—manufacturers around the world began building jeeps and similar designs, either under license or not—at first primarily for military purposes, but later also for the civilian market. Willys turned the MB into the civilian Jeep CJ-2A in 1945, making the world's first mass-produced civilian four-wheel drive. The "Jeep" name
1510-468: A completely redesigned line of pickups and trucks – the art-deco styled, Dodge T-, V-, and W-Series "Job-Rated" trucks, available in an unprecedented number of sizes, payload rates and configurations, aiming the trucks to fit every different job. Well before the onset of World War II, it was clear that the USA needed to update its military. The Quartermaster Corps (Q.C.), responsible at the time for providing
1661-526: A day, and after the Army handed Ford and Willys the blueprints of Bantam's detailed technical drawings—though Bantam proved highly capable and productive during the war, entrusted with manufacturing torpedo -motors and more. However, on 7 April 1942, U.S. patent 2278450 for the WWII jeep, titled "Military vehicle body" had been awarded to the U.S. Army , which had applied for it, listing Colonel Byron Q. Jones as
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#17327807407721812-408: A dual-ratio transfer-case. The low ratio on the 6x6, T‑223 transfer case gave a 1.5 : 1 reduction instead of the direct drive (1 : 1) high gear. The first batch of 1940, small half-ton (G‑505) Dodge VC models, (Dodge code T‑202) received a 201 cu in (3.3 L), 79 horsepower engine, well above their initial commercial rating of 70 hp on
1963-466: A few other engineers and mechanics had rigged together in the factory, back into drawings. The hand-built prototype was then completed in Butler, Pennsylvania , and basically untested, driven by Crist and Probst, to the Army vehicle test center at Camp Holabird , Maryland. It was delivered at 4.30 pm on 23 September 1940, just half an hour within the deadline. The American Bantam Pilot, initially called
2114-488: A few third party after-market modified four-wheel drive 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton trucks, mainly Marmon-Herrington derived Fords, had been bought after 1935, for testing, but the prevailing belief amongst military higher-ups and Congress was, that all the extra four-wheel-drive hardware would make any truck lighter than a 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton payload model, so much heavier that the weight-gain would cancel out any benefits gained from adding four-wheel drive. But after
2265-416: A horse) had already won over many civilians," and British and French forces also wanted them. Ford, an isolationist , would not sign a contract with an overseas government, but local dealers sold over 50,000 Fords to European forces, who militarized them locally, most famously into ambulances. When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, Ford sold directly to his country, delivering another 15,000 cars before peace
2416-551: A light cross-country weapons carrier. However, after World War I, the United States had a big public debt , and the military had masses of left-over war vehicles, so vehicle budgets were drastically cut. During the first half of the interwar period , the Roaring Twenties , despite a booming economy, United States non-interventionism and neutrality policies were supported by both elite and popular opinion, to
2567-415: A lot. Royal Page Davidson used patents of Charles Duryea to modify chassis, with machine-guns and armor shield, from 1898. At the same time, the arrival and growing use of automobiles led to various individuals pioneering vehicle trips across the U.S., followed by the first transcontinental trips by convoys of vehicles. After the U.S. Army purchased its first truck in 1907, of 5-ton payload capacity, in
2718-585: A makeshift table. And with its simple piano hinge , it allowed opening the hood all the way to the upright windshield, without even needing a prop-rod, and giving excellent access to the engine, also because of its wide opening. By then, the U.S. armed forces were in such haste, and allies like Britain, France, and USSR wanted to acquire these new "Blitz-Buggies", that after initially considering 1,500 pre-production units in total , all three cars were declared 'acceptable', and orders for 1,500 units per company were given for field testing and export. At this time, it
2869-434: A militarized commercial 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton, rear-wheel drive truck in 1940 — initially Dodge's model VF-31, cargo (engineering code T-98) under the government SNL number G-618 . The 4x2 model VF-31 was succeeded by the model WF-31 (internally T-118) for 1941 (closed cab tractor) and 1942 (cab and chassis) — both on a 135 in (3.43 m) wheelbase — and the 1942 model WF-32, closed cab, stake and platform cargo truck, on
3020-406: A muddy battlefield trail, control the bike and keep it from stalling, damage, or flipping over; and driver training was both costly in terms of time and money. They had poor off-roading ability and lacked payload capacity. Adding a sidecar provided more stability, but payload and cargo space remained very limited, and having only one powered wheel out of three, still meant the combination got stuck
3171-535: A new internal technical code: T-202. Manufacturing of the half-ton Dodge VC-models (SNL number G-505 ) began in 1940, making these the U.S. Army's first ever light-duty, mass-produced 4-wheel drive trucks. The soldiers also called the light command reconnaissance vehicles "jeeps," but this was also common with several other vehicles at the time. — before that term migrated to the quarter-tons, starting gradually in 1941. A total of 4,640 VC models were built across six variants – mostly pick-ups and reconnaissance cars. On
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#17327807407723322-561: A problem for the standard light vehicle of the period (the Jeep) to access. U.S. Patent 2457400 for the original design was applied for on December 2, 1944 and issued on December 28, 1948. No patent appears to have been issued for the later production model. Further tests by the US Army at Eglin Field, Florida proved it also useful as carrier for both supplies and men. In 1948 the US Army purchased
3473-605: A quarter million units built through August 1945, the G-502 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons were the most common variants in the WC‑;series. After the war, Dodge developed the 3 ⁄ 4 -ton WC‑series into the civilian 4×4 Dodge Power Wagon ; and in 1951, the WCs were replaced by the very similar 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton 4x4 Dodge M-series vehicles . Though the majority of Dodges built were 'Weapons Carriers', "WC"
3624-443: A redesigned WC‑series of 4x4 trucks, uprated to 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton off-road capacity, and their SNL code changed to G-502 . The 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton featured a lower profile truck bed that could seat eight troops, plus under seat stowage compartments; while service-parts remained 80 percent interchangeable with the existing 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton series. Maintaining 80% service parts interchangeability with
3775-415: A series of half-ton trucks, while GM / Chevrolet was instead going to become the standard supplier for 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton trucks. Dodge successfully outbid GMC's 1939 ACK-101 half-ton truck, as well as Marmon-Herrington, who could not retrofit in the required volume or price, not to mention International's M-1-4 half-ton truck, which wasn't built until 1941, for the U.S. Marine Corps . So, when in
3926-493: A small number of these test vehicles with the designation the 'Jungle Burden Carrier' for evaluation in jungle warfare and with airborne forces. There were 11,240 Mules produced between their introduction and 1970, when production ceased. They were used throughout as platforms for various weapons systems and for carrying men, supplies, and weaponry/ammunition during the Vietnam War and in other U.S. military operations until
4077-404: A standardized truck fleet were still ruled out. "This policy was intended to assure speedy production at the outbreak of war, regardless of the maintenance and spare parts problems that might develop later." The new rules more or less allowed the Army to order in late 1939 the U.S. military's first ever light, quantity-produced 4×4 trucks: the half-ton Dodge G-505 VC-series trucks , delivered in
4228-471: A total of 216 different makes and models of motor vehicles to operate, both foreign and domestic, and no good supply system to keep them running. Various light motor vehicles were tested—at first motorcycles with and without sidecars, and some modified Ford Model Ts . But what was needed was a very light, small, battlefield utility vehicle to replace motorcycles (with or without sidecar)—more user-friendly to control, but just as easy to get in and out of. In
4379-610: A two-speed transfer case, three bucket seats, a fold-down windshield, and blackout and driving lights, of just 1,200 lb (540 kg), with a payload up to 600 lb (270 kg), on a wheelbase no longer than 75 in (1.91 m) (the wheelbase of American Bantam's pickup truck), a maximum (collapsible) height of 36 in (91 cm) (three inches above the Howie-Wiley machine-gun carrier), and an engine and drivetrain, capable of smoothly pulling at speeds ranging from 3–50 miles per hour (4.8–80.5 km/h). Its body design
4530-456: A very small niche-market, only filled by after-market conversions, primarily by Marmon-Herrington . By June 1940 the Q.C. had tested and approved its first three standard commercial based, all-wheel drive trucks: the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4 Dodge , the GMC 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 6x6 and a Mack 6-ton 6x6 . With regards to Dodge however, the U.S. military reconsidered its preferences for
4681-604: A wide array of weaponry, especially in the Vietnam War. They could be modified to carry virtually any type of conventional weapon that could be mounted on a truck. Most commonly, the M274 was outfitted with: The M274 Mules were all powered by internal-combustion gasoline engines. The variants of the M274 with respective powerplants were: All Mules had three-speed manual, non-synchromesh transmissions with two-speed transfer cases, and were four-wheel drive vehicles. All Mules except
M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Misplaced Pages Continue
4832-591: A winch — on the WC‑series the winch equipped versions were actually built on a different, longer frame. On the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton rated VF-400 series trucks, the PTO-driven winch had a 10,000 pound capacity, but added almost 1,000 pounds to the vehicles weight, reducing the payload to 2400 pounds. Numbers separated by a comma indicate similar models but with different secondary details. All engines were liquid-cooled, gasoline, straight-six Chrysler flathead engines . Recommended fuel octane rating for
4983-403: A winch, and the second code, in bold print, to the same vehicle, on a longer frame, holding a front winch , typically resulting in a 10 in (25 cm) longer front overhang, and distinctly reduced approach angle. Not only were the winches driven by a power take-off from the engine, but unlike the later Dodge M-series trucks, on which an extension was bolted to the frame when mounting
5134-475: Is rendered particularly desirable for military purposes" and describes the purpose as being "a convertible small car body so arranged that a single vehicle may be interchangeably used as a cargo truck, personnel carrier, emergency ambulance, field beds, radio car, trench mortar unit, mobile anti-aircraft machine gun unit, or for other purposes." For centuries, horses were used for reconnaissance, communications, and pulling loads, whenever wars were fought, but after
5285-484: Is the result of much research and many tests." Hogan credited both military and civilian engineers, especially those working at the Holabird Quartermaster Depot . Nevertheless, Bantam is credited with inventing the original 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ ton jeep in 1940. However, Willys' advertising and branding during and after the war aimed to make the world recognize Willys as the creator of
5436-678: The 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4x4 Dodge trucks were built — initially called the VC series, but the great majority, from 1941, in the WC series, and in more variants. Contrary to what Dodge's nomenclature suggested, the 1941 WC models were a direct evolution of the 1940 VC models, retaining the U.S. Army's G-505 Ordnance Corps Supply Catalog number . For 1942, the trucks bodies and chassis were largely redesigned – heavier frames and drivetrains uprated them to carry 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons off-road. And widening their tracks, while greatly shortening
5587-450: The 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4×4 Dodges arrived, two decisions were made: greatly more of these 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton Dodges were ordered (some 80,000 for the 1941 model year revisions), but also, in June 1940, the Army's tactical trucks payload categories were revised. For the first time, the Army introduced a quarter-ton 4×4 truck chassis class, and just above that, the 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton chassis were going to be supplanted by
5738-428: The 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton models was of great value to both the field mechanics, and spare parts supply chain logistics. It also meant that production of the 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton models could start very quickly, and they could be quickly deployed. The 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, G-505 WC‑trucks remained in various uses to the end of World War II – from 1943 as "limited standard" vehicles. Throughout
5889-565: The 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons improvements meant substantial design changes, they did retain some 80% interchangeable components and service parts with the 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton models — a vital Army requirement, for field maintenance and operability of the trucks. Dodge was the U.S. Army 's main supplier of 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton trucks, and its sole supplier of both 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton trucks and 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 6x6 trucks in World War ;II. With over
6040-521: The 3 ⁄ 4 -tons, the new 6x6, G-507 , 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑tons' main difference was the use of a dual-range transfer-case, sourced out of the prior 1940, 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton VF-400 models, instead of the single-speed box of the 1 ⁄ 2 -tons and 3 ⁄ 4 -tons. The result were the WC-62 and WC-63 cargo, troop and weapons carriers, to move whole 12-troop squad teams per vehicle. Despite having individual drive-shafts from
6191-469: The "BRC 40" Production began on 31 March 1941, with a total of 2,605 built up to 6 December — the number ordered was raised because Britain and the USSR already wanted more of them supplied under Lend-Lease . The Bantam BRC-40 was the lightest and most nimble of the three early production models, and the Army lauded its good suspension, brakes, and high fuel economy. However, as the company could not meet
M274 ½-ton 4×4 utility platform truck - Misplaced Pages Continue
6342-522: The Ford GPW , both formally called the U.S. Army truck, 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, 4×4, command reconnaissance , commonly known as the Willys Jeep , Jeep , or jeep , and sometimes referred to by its Standard Army vehicle supply nr. G-503 , were highly successful American off-road capable , light military utility vehicles . Well over 600,000 were built to a single standardized design, for
6493-718: The Howie-Wiley machine gun carrier , ordered by General Walter Short , then Assistant Commander of the Army's Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and built by Captain Robert G. Howie and Master Sergeant Melvin C. Wiley. Completed in April 1937, with a driver and a gunner laying prone, operating a .30 caliber machine gun, the vehicle was nicknamed the "belly flopper." In France, the project has already been developed and put into production since 1937. The Laffly V15 can be considered
6644-631: The VW Beetle or the Mini , and it has evolved into the currently produced Jeep Wrangler still largely resembling the original jeep design. By 1940, U.S. policies had caused a stark disadvantage compared to Nazi Germany 's aim, building a standard fleet of Wehrmacht (German armed forces) motor vehicles. From 1933, German industry could only produce Wehrmacht-approved trucks. The U.S. Quartermaster's only significant success for standardization, through late September 1939 Army Regulations on tactical trucks,
6795-529: The iconic vehicle of World War II, with an almost mythological reputation of toughness, durability, and versatility." It became the workhorse of the American military, replacing horses, other draft animals , and motorcycles in every role, from messaging and cavalry units to supply trains. In addition, improvised field modifications made the jeep capable of just about any other function soldiers could think of. Military jeeps were adopted by countries all over
6946-605: The "Blitz Buggy." As the War Department deemed American Bantam to not have the production capacity or financial resources to deliver on the scale the Army would need, the other two bidders, Ford and Willys, were encouraged to complete their own pilot models for testing. The contract for the new reconnaissance car would be determined by trials. While Bantam's prototype underwent testing at Camp Holabird from 27 September to 16 October, Ford and Willys' technical representatives were invited and given ample opportunity to observe
7097-481: The 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 6x6, Dodge WC-62 . This table provides the relations between U.S. military and Dodge identification numbers, related to chassis payload classification in U.S. tons (907 kg), wheels and drive, and description of body / vehicle type, in accordance with the U.S. Army Ordnance Standard Nomenclature List (SNL) vehicle catalog . The U.S. government used vehicle (group) numbers starting with 'G-', whereas Dodge indicated models sharing
7248-408: The 1939 T-series 'Job-rated' trucks . Dodge developed their first four-wheel drive truck in 1934, requested by the U.S. Army — an experimental 1 1 ⁄ 2 ton rated model, designated K-39-X-4(USA), of which 796 units were ordered, in multiple configurations. Timken supplied driven front axles and transfer-cases, which were added to a militarized commercial truck. The Timken transfer case
7399-420: The 1939 TC half-tons. The four-speed gearbox fitted, was a stock option on the civilian Dodges, and so were oil filters, oil-bath air cleaners, and heavy-duty generators. The 1941 model-year T‑207-series trucks were again classed as G-505 half-tons, but these were powered by a 218 cu in (3.6 L) straight-six of 85 hp, taken from Dodge's 3 ⁄ 4 - and one-ton commercial trucks. When
7550-458: The 1939 commercial model TE-30 cab , with a brush-guard fitted in front of the grille and headlights — but with a Dodge developed front driving axle, directional, cross-country tires, and a military cargo body. Importantly, one thousand of the VF-400 series cargo trucks were equipped with a power take-off , gear-driven Braden model MU 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) capacity winch — a feature that
7701-409: The 1980s. As a completely open and exposed vehicle, they offered absolutely no protection to the driver, yet that was relatively unimportant as they were mainly used as cargo carriers and medium-range infantry support vehicles, rather than tactical vehicles. The driver's seat could be removed and the steering column moved forward and the vehicle driven in reverse to accommodate more cargo. If under fire
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#17327807407727852-458: The 360 different models of vehicles now in the Army ... involve nearly a million items of spare parts which neither the War Department nor any other authority can control." This was bad for logistics in times of war, both in terms of supply chains , as well as hindering troops' mobility by, blocking the ability to repair one vehicle by scavenging parts off another. And the Army could still only get multi-axle drive on "tactical" trucks, "requiring
8003-696: The 75th anniversary of the Bantam jeep, invented and originally manufactured in Butler, Pennsylvania, " therein explicitly resolving that Bantam of Butler, PA, invented the jeep, calling it "one of the most famous vehicles in the world," were the only party to deliver a working prototype of a light four-wheel drive reconnaissance car within the required seven weeks, which withstood 30 days of Army testing at Camp Holabird, then further developed that car, and manufactured 2,675 jeeps, before losing further production contracts to Willys and Ford Motor Company, for fear that Bantam would not be able to ramp up production to 75 jeeps
8154-744: The A5 variants had four-wheel steering. Only the A5 variants had electric ignition as standard. They had no suspension aside from the low-pressure tires and the seat cushions. The lower speeds and high power (14 hp or 10 kW) of the Mule made it a versatile off-road vehicle. It could climb over logs, go up steep slopes, and cross rivers in first gear. Low range First – 1 mph (1.6 km/h) Second – 4 mph (6.4 km/h) Third – 9 mph (14 km/h) High range First – 7 mph (11 km/h) Second – 18 mph (29 km/h) Third – 25 mph (40 km/h) Willys MB The Willys MB and
8305-559: The American Bantam prototype, known as the Bantam Reconnaissance Car, or BRC Pilot, in just two days, and worked up a cost estimate the next day. Bantam's bid was submitted, complete with blueprints, on the 22 July deadline. American Bantam had purchased the assets of American Austin Car Company from the bankruptcy court and had developed their own line of small cars and engine technology, free of licenses from
8456-627: The Army revised the categories. For the first time, a quarter-ton truck tactical (4×4) chassis class was introduced, at the bottom of the range, and the 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton chassis was supplanted by a 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton payload class. By the eve of entering World War II, the United States Department of War had determined it needed a 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, cross-country reconnaissance vehicle. Although 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4×4s had outperformed 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4×4 trucks during testing in 1938,
8607-472: The Army's demand for 75 vehicles a day, production contracts were also awarded to Willys and Ford. Dodge WC series The Dodge WC series (nicknamed " Beeps " ) is a prolific range of light 4WD and medium 6WD military utility trucks , produced by Chrysler under the Dodge and Fargo marques during World War II . Together with the 1 ⁄ 4 -ton jeeps produced by Willys and Ford ,
8758-691: The Army's trials. Exterior changes, mainly mounting flat and square front fenders, instead of the first car's bulbous round ones, identify the BRC (Bantam Reconnaissance Car) Mark IIs, also called the "BRC 60" . Both the Willys "Quad" and the Ford "Pygmy" prototypes were very similar to the Bantam Pilot and were joined in testing by Bantam's Mark II models. The Willys Quad immediately stood out because of its strong engine of 60 gross Hp ( SAE ), which
8909-552: The Army), were a continuation of their experimental pre-war predecessors, the RF-40(-X) and TF-40(-X) (or T-200 / T-201), still riding on a chassis of the same 143 in (3.63 m) wheelbase. Production consisted of just over 6,000 closed cab, open bed cargo trucks, plus just under 400 dump-trucks. Like on the 1 ⁄ 2 -ton VC-series, the 1940 VF-400 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton models simply used civilian front sheet-metal, based on
9060-509: The British Austin Motor Company . As the only small car manufacturer in the United States at the time, their design concept was initially to leverage their commercial off-the-shelf components as much as possible. Bantam adapted front sheetmetal body-stampings from its car line: the cowl, dashboard, and curvy front fenders. However, once Brown returned to Camp Holabird, Crist reviewed their thinking, and realized that
9211-604: The Dodge 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton G-505 and 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton G-502 trucks made up nearly all of the light 4WD trucks supplied to the U.S. military in WWII – with Dodge contributing some 337,500 4WD units (over half as many as the jeep). Contrary to the versatility of the highly standardized jeep, which was mostly achieved through field modification, the Dodge WC‑;series came in many different, purpose-built, but mechanically uniform variants from
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#17327807407729362-532: The Dodge half-ton VC and WC trucks were part of the Army G-505 series. Some 77,750 four-wheel drive 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton WC numbered trucks were produced from late 1940 to early 1942, under War Department contracts. Additionally, aside from the fully military 4WD models, a small total of 1,542 two-wheel drive units retaining civilian sheet-metal were also supplied to the U.S. military, bearing WC model numbers in this same range. These models carried
9513-597: The French Jeep. 1,200 of these four-wheeled vehicles were produced before the debacle of 1940. By 1939, the U.S. Army began standardizing its general-purpose truck chassis types by payload rating, initially in five classes from 1 ⁄ 2 to 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 short tons (0.45 to 6.80 t). The Quartermaster Corps saw that the Army needed truck chassis to be standardized in crucial basic functional 'types' (body models), and within "payload capacity" classes. Additionally, some crucial features could not be equipped by
9664-699: The G-507, T-223, 6x6 trucks. In 1940 the Army revised its range of standard, payload-based, general-purpose truck classes: a 1 ⁄ 4 -ton "small truck" requirement was added, (these became famous as the WW II 'jeeps' , after many other nicknames); and after buying over 80,000 1 ⁄ 2 -ton trucks from Dodge, the U.S. Army instead wanted 3 ⁄ 4 -ton rigs – and some more heavy categories were specified. The Quartermaster General wanted to start direct negotiations with Dodge, GM and Mack for certain models immediately, but not until after February 1941 could
9815-598: The German Army. Moreover, lessons were learned, and a second program to develop a cheap, light, nimble multipurpose off-roader, the Volkswagen Kübelwagen , had already started in 1938. America's military faced a severe catch-up situation, both in time and knowledge. In June 1940, the race was on to produce a lightweight, four-wheel-drive cross-country vehicle for the U.S. Army, capable of carrying equipment and personnel across rough terrain. The idea of
9966-550: The Model 30/35 tourer, in 1914. It was stronger and more high quality than the ubiquitous Ford Model T , and in 1916, Dodge cars proved their durability, both in the 1910s U.S.–Mexico Border War — the U.S. military's first operation to use truck convoys, as well as in World War I, when some 12,800 Dodge cars and light trucks were used, primarily as ambulances and repair trucks., but also as staff and reconnaissance vehicles. All
10117-739: The QC to commercial trucks after procurement. Cross-country capabilities, like increased ground clearance and multi-axle drive, had to be designed and built into the trucks from the factory. The Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee concurred, and in June 1939 requested the Chief of Staff's approval, to start standardizing truck chassis and bodies procured for the Army into five payload classes: 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 2 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 4‑ton, and 7 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton and all tactical trucks had to have (part-time) all-wheel drive capability. Furthermore, to achieve
10268-450: The Quartermaster Corps choose manufacturers directly, based on their engineering and production capabilities. One deciding factor had to do with availability of certain critical components, like transfer cases and especially constant-velocity joints , not often used on commercial trucks until then, but all-wheel drive vehicles all needed these, to drive their front wheels smoothly. Additionally, all-wheel drive trucks needed two or three times
10419-661: The SNL-code G-613 , and brought the total number of half-ton WC‑series up to some 79,300 units, and the grand total of all half-tonners (VC and WC; 4WD and 2WD) to almost 84,000. From August 1941, the Dodge T-211 models received the uprated 92 hp (gross) engine, that was from then on fitted to all WC trucks produced through August 1945: the T-215 half-tons, all of the G-502, 3 ⁄ 4 -ton models, as well as
10570-606: The T‑;212 'D8A' and the T‑236 '3/4 Ton APT' (for 'Air PorTable') respectively; and further production of T-203 variants became indicated as both the T-203B, and as the WF series. By contrast, Chrysler / Dodge Canada built another 165,000 mostly three-ton trucks, a hasty addition to the production of Canadian Military Pattern trucks, that were more closely derived from the commercial Dodge T-, V-, and W-Series trucks, and
10721-462: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opened a case, charging Willys-Overland with misrepresentation in their advertising and news claims, on 6 May 1943. According to the New York Times , the FTC ruled that Willys did not perform the "spectacular achievement" of creating, designing and perfecting the "jeep" together with U.S. Army Quartermaster officers, but that: " The idea of creating
10872-404: The U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps recommended the acquisition of a new kind of military vehicle, "... of light weight and compact size, with a low silhouette and high ground clearance, and possess the ability to carry weapons and men over all sorts of rough terrain." The U.S. Army started looking for a small vehicle suited for reconnaissance and messaging, while at the same time searching for
11023-415: The U.S. Army further batches of 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4x4 trucks in 1938, 1939 and 1940. In 1938, a batch of 1,700 experimental RF-40-X-4(USA) trucks were procured, and a further 292 experimental units, typed TF-40-X-4(USA) in 1939 – the first to be built, based on Dodge's new for 1939 T-, V-, and W-Series trucks. All of the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton Army 4x4s, including the 800 trucks of 1934, rode on
11174-530: The U.S. an increase in size of both the regular Army and the National Guard. The War Department was also authorized to spend an additional $ 12 million on motor transport. The Army then ordered the U.S. military's first ever production quantity of light , 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 4×4 tactical trucks: going on 5,000 Dodge G-505 VC series , which arrived by the Spring of 1940. Until that point, only
11325-520: The U.S. had during WWII." With some 640,000 units built, the 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton jeeps constituted a quarter of the total military support motor vehicles that the U.S. produced during the war, and almost two-thirds of the 988,000 light 4WD vehicles produced, when counted together with the Dodge WC series . Large numbers of jeeps were provided to U.S. allies, including the Soviet Union at
11476-709: The US Army during the war, called the vehicle "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare." In 1991, the MB Jeep was designated an "International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark" by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers . After WWII, the original jeep continued to serve, in the Korean War and other conflicts, until it was updated in the form of the M38 Willys MC and M38A1 Willys MD (in 1949 and 1952 respectively), and received
11627-589: The United States and the Allied forces in World War II , from 1941 until 1945. This also made it (by its light weight) the world's first mass-produced four-wheel-drive car, built in six-figure numbers. The 1 ⁄ 4 -ton jeep became the primary light, wheeled, multi-role vehicle of the United States military and its allies, with President Eisenhower once calling it "one of three decisive weapons
11778-476: The VC trucks remained in use until the end of the war. The Dodge VC models were built a year ahead, and in a slightly greater number than any of the pre-standard quarter-ton jeeps that followed. In 1940, Dodge also built 6,472 four-wheel drive 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton trucks, under two U.S. contracts – one awarded to Dodge, and one to Fargo. The models VF-401 to VF-407 (or engine/tech type T-203 by Dodge – and G-621 by
11929-642: The WC ;series, conveys both by its title, "SNL G-657 – Master Parts List, Dodge Trucks" , as well as by the explicit types list on its second page , that (because of the large amount of shared parts and components), the family of vehicles must at least be considered to include the: Additionally, close variants of the T-207 WC-1, and of the T-214 WC-51/WC-52, were derived and made in Canada, as
12080-519: The amount of driven axles, meaning more gears to cut for all the differentials. Produced until the war by a just a few specialized firms with limited capacity – from spring 1942, Ford, Dodge and Chevrolet joined in fabricating these in mass quantity, and Dodge were experienced in making quality, precision parts, since the earliest beginnings of the company. While the Army bought many half-ton WC series trucks, Dodge had to replace them with new 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton trucks. In late 1941, Dodge introduced
12231-424: The approach angle. The winch capacity was originally rated at 5,000 lb (2,270 kg) pull-strength, but in late 1943 the wire rope size was upgraded from 3 ⁄ 8 in (9.5 mm) to 7 ⁄ 16 in (11 mm), the capacity rating was raised to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg), both on 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons and the 6WDs. The chassis and certain other components were strengthened in
12382-413: The battlefield to this day. But motorcycles also had serious limitations. One could be fast on a decent road, but many roads were still so bad, that the U.S. already had a Good Roads Movement in the late 19th century, as increased usage of bicycles required improving the surfaces of existing wagon and carriage trails. The motorcycles of the era were not ideal; only the best motorcyclists could endure
12533-445: The build-up for the war almost immediately after this. Although in 1936, a Marmon-Herrington converted half-ton Ford had become the Army's first light 4-wheel drive, and the Army had initially standardized Dodge's 4x4 trucks in the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton class — following Dodge's push for building 1 ⁄ 2 ‑tons, after mid 1940 the Army decided they preferred Dodge to build the light-duty four-wheel drives, contracting for
12684-516: The competition. And only Bantam provided a proper set of technical drawings. Ford joined later, after being approached directly. Although Willys was the low bidder, Willys was penalized for needing more days to make a prototype, and the dollars penalty per extra day put Willys' price above Bantam's – earning them the contract, as the only company committing to deliver a pilot model in 49 days and 70 more pre-production units in 75 days. American Bantam's chief engineer and plant manager, Harold Crist ,
12835-470: The conventional belief that all the extra weight, costs and mechanical complexity of adding 4-wheel-drive wouldn't be worth it on any general purpose military vehicle with an off-highway payload capacity, below the (up to that point) standard 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton Army cargo unit. Mirroring the civilian market, where the use of all-wheel drive was practically non-existent in anything below 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton payload vehicles. Light-duty off-roaders were
12986-426: The design of the new, longer, double the payload rated models, and many of these changes were incorporated back into subsequent production of the 3 ⁄ 4 -ton G-502 models as well. Although this caused some inconsistency in the mechanical uniformity of the 3 ⁄ 4 -tons, it did keep parts the same as much as possible between the 3 ⁄ 4 -tons and the new 1 1 ⁄ 2 -tons, benefiting both
13137-414: The direction of Major General Courtney Hodges , Chief of Infantry, these G-502 troop- and weapons-carriers were therefore stretched in 1943, with an additional driven rear axle, to derive 48 in (1.22 m) longer 6-wheel drive , 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton trucks. Using the same engine, gearbox, and cockpit, and sharing much of the other mechanicals, plus near-identical front-half sheet-metal as
13288-717: The early 1930s, the Infantry Board at Fort Benning had become interested in the British Army 's use of the tiny Austin 7 car in a reconnaissance role, and in 1933 received a car from the American Austin Car Company in Pennsylvania which built them under license. Ever since then, their devout on-the-road salesman and (Washington) lobbyist, ex-military Harry Payne kept approaching many U.S. Army and Defense branches and officers, hoping to sell
13439-488: The early 1930s, the U.S. Army experimented with a bantam weight "midget truck" for scouts and raiders. A 1,050 lb (480 kg), low-slung mini-car with a pick-up body, provided by American Austin Car Company , was shown in a 1933 article in Popular Mechanics magazine. One of the pictures showed that the vehicle was light enough to be man-handled—four soldiers could lift it from the ground entirely. But it
13590-577: The end of the war, the whole world saw the horse as hopelessly outclassed." Nevertheless—crucially—using four-wheel drive still remained tied to heavier trucks, of 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton to 5-ton capacity. All through World War I, there were not any light four-wheel-drive vehicles yet. Immediately after World War I, the further and future use of motor vehicles was considered. In many roles, motorized vehicles had successfully replaced horses and other draft animals , but several roles remained that required better or more specialized vehicles. In 1919 already,
13741-991: The entire Lincoln Highway , from New York City to the Panama–Pacific World Exhibition in San Francisco, taking four months—for making a film about it. Starting in 1916, the Quartermaster Corps was servicing over 100 "motor trucks," of as many as 27 "varieties"; and in March that year, the U.S. Army decided to form its first two motor companies, to be used immediately in the Pancho Villa Expedition in Mexico, starting 14 March 1916. One company got 27 four-wheel drive, 2‑ton, Jeffery off-road Quad trucks . The other got 27 heavy-duty, 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, long wheelbase, rear-wheel drive White trucks . The U.S. War Department procured
13892-544: The factory, much akin to the later family of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles . The WC series evolved out of, and was part of a more extended family of trucks, with great mechanical parts commonality, that included open- and closed-cab cargo, troops and weapons carriers, (radio) command, and reconnaissance cars, ambulances, carry-alls, panel vans , and mobile telephone installation and (emergency) field workshop trucks. The Dodge WC series were essentially built in two generations. From 1940 to early 1942, almost 82,400 of
14043-527: The first all-military design Dodge developed in the build-up to full mobilization for World War II, and they were the U.S. Army's first standard light 4x4 trucks — prior to the quarter-tons — when the U.S. formally declared war in December 1941. Soldiers would sometimes call the new vehicles 'jeeps', as was still common practice before the term migrated to the yet to be introduced Willys and Ford 1 ⁄ 4 -tons, and eventually stuck to those. Both
14194-641: The first days of September 1939, World War Two had escalated in Europe, with Hitler's invasion of Poland , and the Nazi German forces showed the world a new, highly mobile form of warfare, dubbed ‘ Blitzkrieg ʼ, or lightning war, by a coordinated combination of fast moving tanks and motorized infantry , (self-propelled) artillery , and air support. In response, President Franklin Roosevelt , made an emergency proclamation on September 8, 1939. It authorized
14345-522: The first half of 1940, but these were still not light enough for the jobs that both the Infantry and Ordnance branches required it for. By contrast, Germany had already completed a development program to produce off-road capable "Standardized Military Vehicles" (the Einheits-PKW der Wehrmacht ), from 1933 to 1938, which had already yielded a fleet of tens of thousands of standardized vehicles for
14496-544: The first stage, the winning manufacturer(s) were given just seven weeks (49 days), from the moment of awarding the contract, to submit their first fully functional prototype and 75 days for completing 70 test vehicles in total. The Army's Ordnance Technical Committee specifications were equally stringent: the vehicle would be four-wheel drive , have a crew of three, on a wheelbase no longer than 75 in (1.91 m), later stretched to 80 in (2.03 m), and tracks no wider than 47 in (1.19 m). The height with
14647-799: The greatest battlefield mobility." Meanwhile, in Asia and the Pacific, Japan had invaded Manchuria in 1931 and was at war with China from 1937 . Its Imperial Army used a small, 2,425 lb (1,100 kg), three-man crew, four-wheel-drive car for reconnaissance and troop movements, the Kurogane Type 95 , produced in limited numbers from 1936. In 1937 Marmon-Herrington presented five 4×4 Fords, and American Bantam (previously American Austin) once again contributed—delivering three Austin derived roadsters in 1938. The U.S. Army itself had also built an experimental light, low-profile scout and gun mover,
14798-445: The grille — the WC‑series came with wide-open, almost flat fenders that prevented mud build-up, clogging rotation of the wheels — as well as a redesigned, sloping nose with an integrated, round, grated grille / brush-guard. A new ambulance with a fully enclosed, all-steel box rear body was designed, on a longer, 123 inch wheelbase; and PTO-driven winches were now fitted to some models. The 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton WC models were
14949-494: The half-ton 4×4 trucks—both from Marmon-Herrington Ford, and the 1940 Dodge VC series —still proved too large and heavy, and insufficiently agile off-road. Anxious to have a quarter-ton truck in time for America's entry into World War II, the U.S. Army solicited proposals from domestic automobile manufacturers. Recognizing the need to create standard specifications, the Army formalized its requirements on 11 July 1940, and submitted them to 135 U.S. automotive manufacturers. In
15100-558: The idea of a small, lightweight reconnaissance car to someone Army or Defense, getting some much-needed government contract business for his company. And Payne kept pushing while American Austin had gone bankrupt and its assets were reincorporated into American Bantam . In 1938, American Bantam again loaned three much-improved cars to the Pennsylvania National Guard for trials during summer maneuvers, which were received as reliable, economical and practical. During
15251-423: The initial T-207 WC half-tons was just 60–65, going by the dashboard data plate. The side-valve engines were mated to drive-trains of four-speed manual transmissions and a single-range transfer case , offering part-time four-wheel drive . Only the drive-trains in the 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton models, the 1940 T‑203, VF-400 trucks, and the 1943–1945, G-507 , T‑223 six-wheel drives , had
15402-465: The inventor on the patent, though he had performed no work on the design of the vehicle. Filed on 8 October 1941, stating in the application that "The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon," the patent relates to a "small car vehicle body having convertible features whereby it
15553-515: The jeep originated with the infantry, which needed a low-profile, powerful vehicle with four-wheel drive and it was turned over to commercial companies (chiefly Bantam , Willys , and Ford ) to deliver—the development repeatedly being described as a " design by committee ." In fall 1941, Lt. E.P. Hogan of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps wrote: "Credit for the original design of the Army's truck 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, 4×4, may not be claimed by any single individual or manufacturer. This vehicle
15704-477: The jeep. When Willys first applied to trademark the "Jeep" name in February 1943, Bantam, Ford and other companies objected, because of their contributions to the jeep and the war effort. Although many other companies advertised their patriotic efforts to producing the 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton jeeps—including Ford, featuring their own GPW jeeps in their ads—nobody took their claims as far as Willys-Overland, and
15855-404: The last of Dodge's 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4 trucks for the war. Although the Army had steadily taken the bulk of its trucks in this category from Dodge / Fargo up til then, further production of 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 4x4 trucks was instead awarded to GM's Chevrolet G506 , which became the standard in this segment for the rest of the war. Aside from four-wheel drive trucks, production started for
16006-520: The late summer of 1913, the Army Medical and Quartermaster Corps (QC) took a 3 ⁄ 4 -ton QC field-truck, on a 922 mi (1,484 km) multi-leg experimental trek through Alaska for the state's Road Commission—both to try the truck's bad-road supply and maintenance abilities as well as test the state of several important overland connections in the rough territory. 1915 followed the first successful transcontinental motor convoy , traveling
16157-438: The later 1930s and the 1940s. Crucial developments for Dodge were the switch to specific truck-frames and bodies in 1935, for a new, 1936 model-year truck generation. The dedicated truck frames were heavier and stronger than the lighter passenger-car chassis. In 1938, Dodge opened a very large new factory , dedicated to truck manufacturing, and later that same year, Dodge introduced a drastically redesigned new truck line-up again:
16308-458: The lowest bid that met requirements and specifications, often different makers. However, saving a small percentage initially, on the procurement, overall proved "penny wise, pound foolish" because it led to problematic diversity of the fleet, requiring too much training of operators and mechanics for maintenance and repairs, and an unmanageably large supply of non-interchangeable spare parts: "The commanding officer at Holabird reported in 1935 that,
16459-546: The mass-produced cargo/troop and command trucks, the WC-52 and WC-57 are identical to the WC-51 and WC-56 , but have a longer frame, extending further forward to the protruding front bumper with front-mounted winch. After the U.S. Army reorganized from using eight-troop rifle squads to twelve-men squads, a whole squad could no longer be carried as a unit in a single 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, 4x4, WC-51 or WC-52 truck. At
16610-427: The military with non-combat vehicles, moved to standardize truck designs, and by 1939, as the war in Europe erupted, the Army had settled on five payload-based general-purpose, cross-country truck classes: 1 ⁄ 2 -ton , 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton , 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -, 4- and 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ton . Introduction of a 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton standard 4WD class meant a significant doctrine shift, away from
16761-485: The most prolific motor-tools in the Allied arsenal. Cavalry , mounted infantry , scouts , and messengers could now be mobilized in combat with much greater speed, agility, and near tireless machines, exactly what was wanted for relaying critical orders, getting munitions to machine guns, and scouting miles ahead of advancing units. The quick and nimble motorcycle, "ridden hard through shot and shell to secure victory," has made itself irreplaceable in specific roles on
16912-492: The needed level of standardization, the Quartermaster General urged trucks should be bought en masse from there on. Acting Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall , approved the procurement policy in the summer of 1939. The Quartermaster Corps also wanted to require the truck industry to use dimensionally interchangeable components, but further standardization measures were not approved until 1940. However, in 1940,
17063-419: The new vehicle would have to be mostly new, rather than simply a modified version of an existing Bantam model. He and others at Bantam immediately set about sourcing the right components: transmission, transfer case, driveshafts and axles. Bantam's own engines made just 22 hp, so a 112 cu in (1.8 L) Continental four-cylinder, making 45 horsepower and 86 lb⋅ft (117 N⋅m) of torque
17214-676: The now major Robert Howie, invited for his expertise, having actually built an ultra-light prototype infantry-support vehicle, officers representing the Quartermaster Corps, and the Army's using arms: Infantry, Cavalry, and the two Coastguard divisions, as well as civilian engineers, mainly from Camp Holabird and Bantam. To begin with, the committee sent an Army delegation including Howie, and Camp Holabird vehicle testing engineers, to Butler, Pennsylvania , to visit American Bantam's factory, being invited to an extensive demonstration there, to evaluate their compact cars and production facilities. Once there, Howie stayed several days, and also Robert Brown,
17365-536: The one hand, these 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton VC trucks proved so successful, that much greater quantities were immediately ordered, and they were further developed into the G-505 , 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton WC models built in 1941. On the other hand, an even lighter and smaller 4x4 truck was needed: a quarter-ton , that would soon replace the Dodges as the U.S.' lightest 4x4 military trucks. Although no longer standard,
17516-477: The point of isolationism , and no real budgets were allocated. Then, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 , and the following Great Depression resulted in economic austerity policies lasting until the end of the 1930s, thus curtailing any development of new military vehicles, like a light 4WD car. At the same time, there was a drive for standardization. By the end of World War I, U.S. forces overseas had
17667-526: The previous three U.S. wars, but in the new century, his cavalry forces had to move quicker, with more range and more personnel. He was the first to deploy motorcycles, in the Mexican Border War , predominantly a cavalry campaign over wide regions of the Southwest, where Harley-Davidson motorcycles provided to the Army gave the U.S. the advantage over the horse-mounted Mexicans. The U.S. Army
17818-415: The remaining eleven were subsequently rebuilt by the same firm, as G-552 , XAC-3, amphibious 3/4‑ton trucks. Both the 1 ⁄ 2 ‑tons and the 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons were built based on Dodge WC series mechanicals. The vehicles performed well in testing, but neither Britain nor the U.S. decided to standardize them. Armored A single armored car prototype was built, based on
17969-411: The same technical configuration by a common 'T-' number, and their individual model numbers starting with two letters, like 'WC-'. The U.S. Army simply considered the 1941 half-ton Dodge WC series as evolutions of the initial 1940 VC series – all within the half-ton, 4x4, SNL G-505 truck range. In the case of two model codes separated by a slash , the first code refers to the vehicle without
18120-625: The same is true for the 15,000 ' parts bin special ' (T-234) "Burma Road" trucks , ordered by Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek , at the time an ally against Japan . Dodge had been the United States military's primary supplier of light wheeled vehicles, since before the U.S. joined the First World War . After starting business in 1900, producing precision engine and chassis components for other car builders in Detroit — Ford and Oldsmobile chief among these — Dodge introduced their first car,
18271-448: The soldiers liked very much, in such a lightweight, open-top car. Chief engineer Delmar 'Barney' Roos had been working on Willys' four-cylinder car-engine for years, and with many detail changes had managed to get it to 60 hp from an initial low forties output. The Ford Pygmy on the other hand was held back by its tractor engine, Ford's only four-cylinder engine still made in 1940 – despite serious efforts to make it stronger. Dale Roeder
18422-648: The sole creator of the Jeep." Some 70 years later, in a late 2012 article, the Defense Acquisition Research Journal still called the jeep design "...a product of a massive team effort, including all three manufacturers as well as Army engineers, both military and civilian." Moreover, in 2015, the Pennsylvania General Assembly unanimously adopted a non-controversial House Resolution (382): " ...commemorating
18573-401: The start of the 20th century, motorcycles were the first motor vehicles eagerly adopted by the military, either to replace mounted/ridden cavalry horses , or to motorize infantry . The armies of World War I relied on marching men, horses, and railways for movement but its new technologies introduced motor vehicles: the first tanks , armoured car, and artillery tractors. Motorcycles were
18724-545: The steering column could be moved further forward and down, so the operator could operate the vehicle while crawling behind it. They were phased out from military usage in the 1980s with the introduction of the HMMWV series vehicles. The HMMWV was, however, unable to fulfill the role of the Mule, so the M-Gator, a military variant of the popular John Deere Gator vehicle, was introduced. The M274 Mules were often outfitted with
18875-425: The summer of 1940 the largest government truck contract awarded went to Chrysler's Dodge / Fargo Division, for more than 14,000 (mostly) 4x4 trucks, this was in the midst of the transition, and thus included both orders for 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton and 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton trucks, as GM / Chevy still needed to tool up for mass-producing 4WD 1 1 ⁄ 2 -tonners. Dodge had started developing designs for
19026-409: The time. Aside from large amounts of 1 1 ⁄ 2 - and 2 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton trucks, and 25,000 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton Dodges, some 50,000 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton jeeps were shipped to help Russia during WWII, against Nazi Germany's total production of just over 50,000 Kübelwagens , the jeep's primary counterpart. Historian Charles K. Hyde wrote: "In many respects, the jeep became
19177-466: The transfer-case to each rear axle, there is no way to disengage one of the rear axles to achieve 6x2 drive. The G-507 runs in either 6x4 or 6x6 configuration. The WC-63 was (just like the WC-52) equipped with a longer frame, housing an engine power take-off drive-shaft from the transfer-case forward, to drive a Braden MU2 winch, mounted on a 10 in (25 cm) more protruding front-bumper, reducing
19328-460: The trucks followed the 1939 procurement doctrine, to "use commercial trucks with only a few modifications such as brush guards and towing pintles to fit them for military use." The first of the 1 ⁄ 2 -ton, 4x4, VC series military trucks were based on Dodge's 1939 commercial, one-ton rated model TC -series . The military VC models kept the same wheelbase and got the same civilian engine upgrade for 1940, but gained four-wheel drive, and
19479-482: The uniformity and ease of production of all the different models, as well as the 3 ⁄ 4 ‑tons, making them even more rugged from then on. Amphibious Twelve G-614 half-ton capacity, 4x4, XAC-2 / ex perimental ' A qua- C heetah', amphibious vehicles were built in 1942, by the Amphibian Car Corporation . One unit was submitted to Britain for testing, (under Lend-Lease), and
19630-488: The use of passenger car frames, instead for the first time built on distinct, modern truck-style chassis, with the frame-rails welded to the cross-members on their half-ton to one-ton rated trucks. Additionally, Dodge had built their all new, very large Warren Truck Assembly plant in Michigan, specifically for mass-production of light and medium trucks, opened in 1938. Then, for the 1939 model year, Dodge again presented
19781-617: The vehicle and study its performance. To expedite Ford and Willys' prototypes, the War Department forwarded the Bantam's blueprints to them, claiming the government owned all designs in the proposals submitted to it in the bidding contest. American Bantam chose not to dispute this. Bantam continued building the further 70 prototypes, as per the initial contract. Bantam's original no.01 first remained at Holabird for incessant shake-down and breaking point testing, and ad-hoc fixes and improvements of weaknesses, while by November 1940, Ford and Willys also submitted their first prototypes to compete in
19932-747: The vehicles as rolling chassis , which the manufacturers had to expedite to El Paso, Texas . The wagon bodies for the chassis came from the Quartermaster Depot. The most suitable truck capacity found by the Quartermaster General for Army use to be 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, matching both the country roads nature, the strength of bridges, as well as the existing troop supply system, at the time also using standard 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, four-mule wagons. Meanwhile, World War I had been raging in Europe since 1914. More than five years before, Henry Ford had launched his Model T . "... Its speed, durability, stamina, and ease of maintenance (compared to
20083-463: The war, Dodge was the U.S. Army's sole producer of 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton trucks, and built a total of 255,193 of these, across all variants, from April 1942 to August 1945. Standard vehicles in the 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton 4x4 class were the WC-51 / WC-52 Weapons Carrier, WC-56 /-57 /-58 (Radio) Command Reconnaissance, WC-53 Carry‑all, and the WC-54 Ambulance. In
20234-460: The wheelbase on the main models, plus lowering the bodies' center of gravity, gave them a much more square stance, with a much better break-over angle and side-slope stability. The trucks thus became the shorter G-502 , 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, 4×4 truck (Dodge) , and from 1943 also the longer , stretched G-507 , 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 6x6 personnel and cargo truck (Dodge) — all while retaining Dodge WC model codes. Although
20385-499: The while, Dodge maintained its reputation for high quality truck, transmission, and motor parts they kept making for other successful manufacturers. Dodge civilian, commercial trucks were at first largely based on their passenger cars, offering light- and medium-duty trucks, like pick‑ups, station hacks , panel vans, and carry-alls . Dodge's passenger-car chassis were sturdy enough for such trucks, from their 1914 introduction. But Dodge expanded into medium-heavy duty trucks during
20536-510: The windshield folded down was also raised, to 40 in (1.02 m). The diminutive dimensions were similar in size and weight to American Bantam's compact truck and roadster models. It was now to carry a 660 lb (300 kg) payload and be powered by an engine capable of 85 lb⋅ft (115 N⋅m) of torque. The most daunting demand, however, was an empty weight of no more than 1,275–1,300 lb (580–590 kg). Initially, only American Bantam Car Company and Willys-Overland entered
20687-665: The world, so much so that they became the most widely used and recognizable military vehicle in history. Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe in World War II, wrote in his memoirs that most senior officers regarded it as one of the five pieces of equipment most vital to success in Africa and Europe. General George Marshall , Chief of Staff of
20838-507: Was Ford's team leader behind the Pygmy, and his team managed to tune the motor from 30bhp to the specified 40bhp, by using a different camshaft and a bigger carburettor. More importantly, the Ford's front sheetmetal design was the cleverest, fusing all the front lighting behind a straight grille grate, side by side, into one cheap, integrated whole, under a wide, flat, and horizontal hood, useful as
20989-521: Was acknowledged the original weight limit (which even Bantam's Mk.II could not meet) was unrealistic, and it was raised to 2,160 lb (980 kg). On 22 January 1941, the Quartermaster Corps Technical Committee advised standardization of the jeeps across all manufacturers. For the ensuing pre-production runs, each maker's vehicles received further revisions, and new names once more. For 1941, Bantam's got called
21140-464: Was an experienced automobile engineer who had early-on worked on the first Duesenberg and been an engineer at Stutz Motor Company of Indianapolis for 18 years, worked a spell for Marmon , and then for Bantam from 1937 to 1942, drafted freelance Detroit designer Karl Probst to collaborate. Probst initially turned Bantam down, but agreed to work without pay after an Army request and began work on 17 July 1940. Probst laid out full design drawings for
21291-453: Was carried over on many of the subsequent 1 ⁄ 2 -ton and 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton WC series models, directly from 1941. And although the light-duty WC models that followed, did not receive the VF-400's two-speed transfer cases, these did return on the 1 1 ⁄ 2 -ton 6x6 trucks, the WC-62 and WC-63 . An ambulance model, VF-407 , was also designed, but only three units were built, likely experimental. These proved to be
21442-422: Was laid out. Dodge evolved the 1940 VC‑1 to VC‑6 into the equally half-ton rated WC series of military light trucks, produced in 38 model variants, of which 30 were four-wheel driven, in varying amounts — thousands of some models were produced, while only a few of some others were made. Where the military VC‑series still used much civilian sheet-metal, distinguished by a brush-guard in front of
21593-642: Was not abbreviated from this, but a regular Dodge model code – initially "W" for 1941, and "C" for a nominal half-ton payload rating. However, the "WC" model code was simply retained after 1941 — for both the 3 ⁄ 4 -ton , as well as the 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton rated 6x6 Dodges. All in all, not counting mechanically related variants, the WC series alone involved 52 model versions (thirty 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4×4, eight 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 4×2, twelve 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton 4×4, and two 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton 6×6 models). Creating vehicles of
21744-551: Was selected, mated to a Warner Gear transmission. Custom-built four-wheel drive-train components included the Spicer transfer case to send power to the front and rear axles. They were both Spicer-made, originally Studebaker Champion rear axles, but modified for four-wheel drive use. Using off-the-shelf automotive parts where possible had helped to design the car and draw up its blueprints quickly. By working backwards, Probst and American Bantam's draftsmen converted what Crist and
21895-635: Was signed. Britain, France, and Russia were already buying American-made four-wheel-drive trucks from the Four Wheel Drive Auto Company , and Jeffery/Nash Quads , because on the muddy roads and European battlefields, they would not get stuck all the time. The United States procured thousands of motor vehicles for its military, including some 12,800 Dodges, plus thousands of four-wheel-drive trucks: 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton Nash Quads, and 3- and 5-ton FWD trucks. General John J. Pershing viewed horses and mules as acceptable for
22046-442: Was so pleased with further innovations, like a sidecar as a platform to mount machine-guns, that the U.S. procured many more motorcycles than 4WD trucks for World War I. "Entire infantry units were mobilized on motorcycles, and they also provided an ideal way to rapidly deploy machine gun crews into position. Medical units used them to evacuate wounded on stretcher-equipped sidecars, and to return medical supplies and ammunition." "By
22197-401: Was still only rear-wheel drive. After 1935, when the U.S. Congress declared World War I vehicles obsolete, procurement for "remotorization of the Army" gained more traction, but pre-war, peacetime budget restrictions still meant that the U.S. Comptroller General imposed open bidding on every additional, or even incremental procurement. Each time, the Army was forced to award the contract to
22348-412: Was that the War Department limited procurement to just five payload chassis types (categories), from 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton to 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton —but only "models produced commercially by two or more competing companies..." The Army was still to use "commercially standard" trucks and parts, with only minor modifications, like brush-guards, tow-hooks, etc. Specially designed vehicles or
22499-414: Was the first part-time design, that allowed the driver to engage or disengage four-wheel drive using a lever inside the cabin. In spite of the limited 1930s U.S. military budgets, the 1934 trucks served well enough that, after a couple of years, Dodge received further Army contracts for 1 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 4-wheel drive trucks, and these were further developed from the late thirties. Dodge built
22650-483: Was to be rectangular in shape, including a sketch drawing, handed to the Ordnance Technical Committee. By now the war was underway in Europe, so the Army's need was urgent, but also very demanding. No sooner than July 1940, some 135 manufacturers of automotive or similar equipment were approached by a government letter to submit bids, to be received by 22 July, a span of just eleven days. In
22801-584: Was trademarked, and grew into a successful, and highly valued brand. The success of the jeep inspired both an entire category of recreational 4WDs and SUVs , making "four-wheel drive" a household term, and numerous incarnations of military light utility vehicles . In 2010, the American Enterprise Institute called the jeep "one of the most influential designs in automotive history." Its "sardine tin on wheels" silhouette and slotted grille are perhaps even more instantly recognizable than
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