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Extinct WW2 MV's?


M.Rimmer

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I am working on putting together a list of WW2 Allied(mainly American) military vehicles of which none are known in preservation with the aim of tracking down any that are preserved and making it easier for anyone who may find remains of one of these vehicles to identify it. I am not intending to include prototypes or oddballs which never saw service,I'm concentrating on those types which were produced in limited numbers and actually made it into service.

 

I'm using Bart Vanderveen's Historic Military Vehicles Directory as reference.

 

Chevrolet MS4403.Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1941-44 Supplied for Lend Lease. Vanderveen page 343.

 

GMC ACK-353. Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+4 cargo. 1940-42. 1500 supplied to Britain(ex French contract). US Army bought 32 trucks with earth augers in 1941 and further deliveries of cargo trucks were made to the USMC.(I know at least two of the USMC cargo trucks have survived,but as far as I am aware none of the 1500 British trucks have). Vanderveen page 346.

 

GMC ACX-504. Truck,2 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1850 supplied to Britain in 1941(ex French contract). Vanderveen page 361.

 

Dodge VH48. Truck,3-ton 4+2 cargo. 1500 supplied to France in 1939-40. Vanderveen page 361.

 

Chevrolet YS4103/Thornton. Truck,3-ton 6+4 cargo. Ex French contract,2338 supplied to Britain in 1941. Vanderveen page 362.

 

White 704S. Truck 3-ton,4+2 cargo. 1500 ordered by French army in 1939,delivered in early 1940. Vanderveen page 362.

 

Mack EHU. Truck,5-ton,4+2 cargo. In 1942 Britain received 70 of these trucks under Lend Lease along with 180 EHUT tractor units. Vanderveen page 367.

 

Biederman F1. Truck,7 1/2-ton,6+6 tractor unit. Less than 1500 produced during WW2. Used for towing USAAF fuel tankers. Vanderveen page 376.

 

Mack EXBX. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Originally ordered by France as fuel tankers,in 1940 diverted to UK and converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382.

 

Mack NR4. Truck,13-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Used by British Army in Middle East. 200 supplied in 1941. Vanderveen page 382.

 

White 920. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. 145 ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tanker,diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382.

 

White/Ruxtell 922. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Ex-French contract diverted to Britain,used as tank transporters and as heavy cargo trucks. Nearly 250 in service in 1941/42.

 

This is by no means a complete list and if anyone can add to it that would be great. If any of these trucks do survive in preservation I don't know of them but that is not to say they are not out there. If any survive in scrap yards etc they are likely to be little more than a chassis and axles so identification would not be easy. It would be nice to think that one of the types I have listed above could be found and preserved or at least saved from a boat trip to China:-(.

 

Matt.

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I am working on putting together a list of WW2 Allied(mainly American) military vehicles of which none are known in preservation with the aim of tracking down any that are preserved and making it easier for anyone who may find remains of one of these vehicles to identify it. I am not intending to include prototypes or oddballs which never saw service,I'm concentrating on those types which were produced in limited numbers and actually made it into service.

 

I'm using Bart Vanderveen's Historic Military Vehicles Directory as reference.

 

Chevrolet MS4403.Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1941-44 Supplied for Lend Lease. Vanderveen page 343.

 

GMC ACK-353. Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+4 cargo. 1940-42. 1500 supplied to Britain(ex French contract). US Army bought 32 trucks with earth augers in 1941 and further deliveries of cargo trucks were made to the USMC.(I know at least two of the USMC cargo trucks have survived,but as far as I am aware none of the 1500 British trucks have). Vanderveen page 346.

 

GMC ACX-504. Truck,2 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1850 supplied to Britain in 1941(ex French contract). Vanderveen page 361.

 

Dodge VH48. Truck,3-ton 4+2 cargo. 1500 supplied to France in 1939-40. Vanderveen page 361.

 

Chevrolet YS4103/Thornton. Truck,3-ton 6+4 cargo. Ex French contract,2338 supplied to Britain in 1941. Vanderveen page 362.

 

White 704S. Truck 3-ton,4+2 cargo. 1500 ordered by French army in 1939,delivered in early 1940. Vanderveen page 362.

 

Mack EHU. Truck,5-ton,4+2 cargo. In 1942 Britain received 70 of these trucks under Lend Lease along with 180 EHUT tractor units. Vanderveen page 367.

 

Biederman F1. Truck,7 1/2-ton,6+6 tractor unit. Less than 1500 produced during WW2. Used for towing USAAF fuel tankers. Vanderveen page 376.

 

Mack EXBX. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Originally ordered by France as fuel tankers,in 1940 diverted to UK and converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382.

 

Mack NR4. Truck,13-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Used by British Army in Middle East. 200 supplied in 1941. Vanderveen page 382.

 

White 920. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. 145 ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tanker,diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382.

 

White/Ruxtell 922. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Ex-French contract diverted to Britain,used as tank transporters and as heavy cargo trucks. Nearly 250 in service in 1941/42.

 

This is by no means a complete list and if anyone can add to it that would be great. If any of these trucks do survive in preservation I don't know of them but that is not to say they are not out there. If any survive in scrap yards etc they are likely to be little more than a chassis and axles so identification would not be easy. It would be nice to think that one of the types I have listed above could be found and preserved or at least saved from a boat trip to China:-(.

 

Matt.

 

 

 

Good luck,...........:)

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IWhite 704S. Truck 3-ton,4+2 cargo. 1500 ordered by French army in 1939,delivered in early 1940. Vanderveen page 362.
Hi Matt, great idea!

 

A White 704S survives in the Netherlands - see http://www.armymotorcars.com/html/w_2.html. It was discovered in and rescued from a French scrapyard, and then restored by a Dutch collector.

 

Once you start looking for these rarities you will find more than you initially envisaged. Ever heard of a Dodge WK-60? Remains of two have surfaced and are being used to restore one to running condition.

 

Cheers,

Hanno

Edited by mcspool
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Hi Hanno,

 

Great to know a White 704S has survived,and well restored at that!. I did know about the WK-60,in fact the owner now has my Dodge D-15 too.

 

As you say more of these rare trucks probably survive than we think,but it is always good to hear about them

 

Cheers,

 

Matt.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A White 704S survives in the Netherlands - see http://www.armymotorcars.com/html/w_2.html. It was discovered in and rescued from a French scrapyard, and then restored by a Dutch collector.

 

 

 

Hi Matt,

this is a friend of mine in Holland. This 704 is believed to be the sole survivor, and my friend was kind enough to let me drive it a couple of years ago. It is an absolute honey, probably the nicest army truck I have ever driven.

Cheers

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Good to know at least one is in safe hands!. It seems the pre/early WW2 US trucks which were basically civilian vehicles do drive and handle better than later military vehicles. My D15 was like that but useless off road being only 2wd,a wet grass verge was enough to get it stuck.

 

Matt.

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Extinct kit is strange stuff. Up to two years ago I'd have told you the WS10 wireless trailer, of which about 150 were built none survived. This was the view shared by everybody who knew anything about them. Guess what turned up? very shabby , but currently undergoing restoration. Some went to Australia for range use. They were a secure 'mobile phone' unit. So it could be one or more are out there still. Never say never.

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I agree Tony,never say never! the problem is unless we know just how rare some of these things are there is I suppose a danger that a really shabby example might be lost due to being considered "too far gone". A good few years ago a guy had written in to CMV enclosing a picture of a chain drive Mack on Anglesey which he reported had been in the garden of a house for several years but which had reciently been scrapped! The point I'm making is if the chap had written the letter several months earlier the truck would probably have been saved.

 

Another example is a story I was told a few years ago of a late 1930's Chevrolet Ambulance in a barn in the midlands which under the flaking post war paint still had it's Polish markings. It had been bought by someone who intended to use it for classic banger racing.

 

I'd be willing to bet there are still rare MV's sat in yards,fields etc in the UK which might be the only surviving example of their type but which will end up as scrap either because no one knows what they are or they are considered too far gone.

 

Matt.

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I'd be willing to bet there are still rare MV's sat in yards,fields etc in the UK which might be the only surviving example of their type but which will end up as scrap either because no one knows what they are or they are considered too far gone.

 

Matt.

 

 

Or the price of scrap goes up again, once china's finished hosting the olympics........

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Happened with Silver a while ago. Scrap price got so high people were selling stuff for scrap at pittance of the antique value. Follow the £ I'm afraid.

 

There was also the fact that at that time British WW 1 war medals could be brought as an item for approx 50p and sold as scrap silver for £3.00 :shocked: many groups were split up at this time and pairs (`Mutt & Jeff` )had the silver one sold and the other thrown away as it was worthless :(:cry::cry::argh:

 

 

Ashley

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  • 2 years later...
A White 704S survives in the Netherlands - see http://www.armymotorcars.com/html/w_2.html. It was discovered in and rescued from a French scrapyard, and then restored by a Dutch collector.

 

 

 

Hi Matt,

this is a friend of mine in Holland. This 704 is believed to be the sole survivor, and my friend was kind enough to let me drive it a couple of years ago. It is an absolute honey, probably the nicest army truck I have ever driven.

Cheers

 

Hi Mark, only just now stumbled over this thread! the White is very much still alive, and here some pictures before and after (2nd restoration after 16 years of use!) know of 3 more, but all in varying deplorable conditions.

 

As_Found_001.jpg

 

As_Found_008.jpg

 

hpa0002.jpg

In German livery

 

090820101506.jpg

As it is now, French again

 

Regarding the Model 920 White, there was one at the same scrapyard as my 704S came from, but highly modified, I used the cab, in aid to restore mine, the rest is now scrapped, and an Aldi supermarket is there on that spot, who said the germans lost the war!!!!

 

 

Cheers, Lex

Edited by welbike
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White 920. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. 145 ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tanker,diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382.

 

White/Ruxtell 922. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Ex-French contract diverted to Britain,used as tank transporters and as heavy cargo trucks. Nearly 250 in service in 1941/42.

 

At least 2 of these survive (dont know which model they were but definately WW2 White 6x4 ex tanktransporters), albeit rather modified, chassis cut down and different power plant.

 

Another rarity on the verge of extinction as far as I can tell is the Scammell Pioneer TRMU20 tanktransporter. Dont think there are any complete units left, and possibly only one tractor unit left.....unless anyone knows differently?

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Anyone who is into Dodges already knows of it, but there is precisely one VK62B Dodge heavy duty 3 ton left on the planet;

 

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/dodgerestoration.htm

 

I don't have a production date for Bess the crewbus, but the bodywork drawings in the UK were dated January 1941, and the 1940 grille style with the holes for the brushguard stays weren't used much after September 1940, so that sort of period.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...
Rick got the VK62B complete enough to take it to a show this last month;

 

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/dodge_rebuild/part39-raceretro.htm

 

 

Gordon,

 

Excellent stuff!

 

I saw a movie the other day, called "Dresden", and it showed some wartime clips of the airplanes taking off. One of the clips showed a Dodge crewbus with crew disembarking.

 

Hanno

 

PS: There is something wrong with your link, this one should work: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/dodge_rebuild/part39-raceretro.htm without redirecting you via https://outlook.hostedservice2.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/dodge_rebuild/part39-raceretro.htm

Edited by mcspool
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Darned computers.....

 

With a bit of luck I may just have landed another wartime Dodge which would be a one off survivor ( as far as I know anyway ) but no details till it is in a container headed my way or I'll jinx it.

 

Gordon

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Hi Guys

Sorry to jump in on this thread as the M813A1 (Cummins powerd) i have seems to be the only one i can find as i have been asking all over the place for one but to no avail but if you come across one in the uk i would be greatfull to hear about it

 

Many Thanks

Pete

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