Survivors in Post War Civvy Use

[Shamouti Ben Yafo]

I am interested in old MVs in civilian hands.

We all know about the Allied surplus stock which ended up in all sorts of applications (like the DUKW used by an English resort's lifeguards, BR's and others' Amazon/Coles cranes, etc.) but what about the Axis stuff on the continent? Surely, some of it must have seen use, for so much to have survived? What of post-war production = I think I read somewhere that the Lancia 3RO was produced for a few years, while in Germany the NSU Kettenkrad was popular in farming and forestry.

 

What say you, esteemed comrades?

[N.O.S.]

Sounds like you will be eager to get Theo Barten's second book in the Frituur Zorro series - focusing on German and Italian vehicles in post war use. His first book shows a Fammo in use as a French garage truck.

 

I recently was able to inspect in France a very rare Horsch 4x4 survivor which had been used as a garage recovery truck - the original front-mounted engine had been replaced with a winch and a replacement engine installed in the rear position (the transnmission layout allowed for these vehicles to be built with either front or rear engine drive). The owner is busy returning it to original spec, what a job!!

[Pzkpfw-e]

I can't see much Axis kit continuing in production, as Europe would've been awash with surplus Allied kit!

Certainly a number of Sdkfz250/251 chassis were used as agricultural tractors, as were their unarmoured versions, plus the other similar half-tracked vehicles, eg the FAMO displayed in the Musee Aout '44 in Falaise.

From

To

Here's a Kettenkrad coversion.

Made by Babiole, a French vinyard tractor manufacturer. The drive is reversed.

Some 550 Kettenkrad were manufactured post war, up until 1948.

Edited October 31, 2010 by Pzkpfw-e

[steveo578]

There was a fair number of axis MVs surviving into the 1960s, numerous types of Opel trucks and even ex wehrmacht Opel Buses, Steyr 1500 series and heavier trucks esp. Nags, Manns and Mercs with 5ton cranes. RSO tractors were used in forestry and of course the RSO was modified and produced post war as a forestry half track. Without get them off the shelf Wheels and Tracks probably had several in almost every edition.

 

Steve

[Shamouti Ben Yafo]

But did you know that the Opel Blitz was imported here before the war? Civilian use only and I don't know if any survived.

 

VW Kuebels were produced for a while as vans for the German Post Office; I think they were the type with beetle bodies and a square box on the back. Some of these were used during the war as ambulances.

 

I think I may well invest in Frituur Zorro (what a magnificent name!) II.

 

Those pictures, Pzkpfw-e, sound fascinating - but they're not displaying on my PC.

[Tony B]

twenty five Ex mil K3's and some MW's were working in Jersey as farm vehcles up to the late sixtes. The DUKWS kept going till mid seventies.i

[theo barten]

Well, it seems not everybody is familiar with our books dealing with these subjects: Frituur Zorro 1 and 2. Volume 3 will appear in september 2012.

Check out our website:

 

http://www.frituurzorro.nl

 

These books are no money-makers for us. Every penny (euro) we invest in other titles. We have more of them up in our sleeve...