Whate make of truck?

[rwhendrix]

My grandfather Eugine Hendrix Served with the AEF 2nd division in France and Germany in 1918-1919. In this photo he is the passenger. I am wondering the make of truck it was. Anyone have a clue on this from the photo? Thanks

 

http://www.scaledtanks.com/rwhendrix/EH9.jpg

 

Edited July 7, 2008 by rwhendrix
picture trouble

[Great War truck]

Yes, it is a "Heavy Aviation". I will give you more info on them when i get back from work later.

 

Tim (too)

[Great War truck]

The Heavy Aviation was built (much like the Liberty B) as a standard design by a number of manufacturers - Federal, Kelly Springfield, Standard, United and Velie for use by the Air Service. You will see that it has AS on the rear bottom of the cab. This was drilled into the side as opposed to having it painted on. I presume that this would prevent pilferage.

 

It had a 4 cylinder Continental E4 engine displacing 349 cubic inches. It carrys on the back the standard B Type wooden body, which is the same as used on the Liberty B, although the Heavy Aviation is in fact a smaller truck.

 

Interesting to see the Indian Head Divisional insignia on the side of the truck, which is quite uncommon.

 

I know of three survivors although two of these were in California and photographed 20 years apart it is always possible that it was the same truck. One in France is being restored. It is quite likely that there are more survivors still lurking in France.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Tim (too)

[rwhendrix]

Thanks for the info! Now I can search for photos and details on the truck. Found this today on anouther forum. These trucks were 'kits' from what I read. They were assembled later in the field?

[Great War truck]

I have just been trying to identify that one and there is not really enough there to give a clue. The front scuttle looks like a Liberty B, but the springs are not big enough, so i wonder whether it is a Light Aviation? Interesting.

 

Unlike the British, the AEF knocked down their trucks into large components, boxed them up and shipped them overseas for assembly. Most of them would have been reassembled at St Nazaire in France. At the end of the war only a few were taken back to the US and these were boxed up again and sent back. I also read that the MTC had too many trucks in the US, so dismantled some, boxed them up and packed them away for storage, taking them out again as and when they were needed.

 

I met a Dutch man who said that he once bought a Liberty B still in its box in Colorado, assembled it and later sold it on. True or not, i dont know, but certainly the amazing Furrer collection was in Colorado for a while and he had 11 Liberty B's in his museum. You never know.

 

Tim (too)

[Great War truck]

Here is a rare survivor in California. If i remember correctly it was being auctioned off as part of a collection held by a technical college. I think it had been in the collection for a while and had been used (many years ago) by students to learn mechanics. I have no idea where it has gone now.

 

 

Tim (too)