548
Willys MB.
16 pictures with letters.
August 11, 1940, the US government announced a competition for a light multi-purpose vehicle for the US Army. The vehicle load capacity of 250 kg had he not weigh more than 590 kg, have a four-wheel drive and modest dimensions. However, one hundred thirty-five potential contestants responded to only two - American Bantam, which produced small car fun in modest amounts and on the verge of bankruptcy, and Willys-Overland. And present the first prototype of the date specified by the customer - by the way, 49 days after receiving the application - was only able to Bantam, who had hoped to obtain a military order to improve their financial affairs.
The prototype was delivered to the test site just before the deadline. Received prozvie 'Bantam Blitz Buggy' four-wheel drive Bantam BRC was heavier than it had been provided by the terms of the competition, but on the other hand, the competitor in the face Willys was able to provide in time, only the first sketches of the prototype, although the estimated cost of Willis and was almost half below.
Pilot instance Bantam BRC, 1940:
And this is - its modern replica next to the serial of the same passenger Bantam 1940. Rumor has it that develop a similar machine on Bantam began even before the ad of the contest, and even he was provoked with the filing of this office through "their people" in the government ...:
In terms of competition, in parallel with the tests of the first prototype, manufacturers had to quickly release an experimental batch of 70 cars, however, due to the fact that time was represented by only one prototype, a few dates have shifted, and representatives of the competition - and including Willys'a in the process Ford'a vengeance attended the trials of the prototype Bantam. Moreover, the drawings of the car have been declared the property of the US Defense Department, and copies given to the representatives of these two firms.
However, his seventy-second series of prototypes, they are also BRC-60, Bantam still built taking into account the shortcomings identified during testing of the first sample. They had been more "military" look and reinforced chassis.
In the photo - the only remaining of the 70 built experimental series Bantam .:
By this time arrived, and competitors. Willys submitted to the contest their Quad, surprisingly similar to the Bantam:
A Ford - at least similar to the same Bantam Pigmy:
A small proportion of cars from each lot of 70 pieces from each manufacturer was equipped with all the steered wheels:
From left to right - Bantam BRC-60, Willys Quad and the Ford Pigmy .:
And the BRC, and Quad, and Pigmy were considered "as a whole fulfills the conditions of the competition," and all three manufacturers have been ordered yet fifteen hundred copies of the modified car, although the overall Willis and proved himself better than others, largely due to significantly more powerful engines - 60 hp compared to 45 at the Bantam and Ford 46.
Automobile Industry Party issued taking into account the comments of the military acceptance, even more like each other. However, Bantam, releasing up to December 1941 around 2600 machines called BRC-40, in this activity in the automotive sector has completed and started production of trailers to the winner. A number of BRC-40 was delivered to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Act, where the driver called them "bows."
Industrial Machinery Ford parties are called GP. Not from the General Purpose, as is commonly believed, and from the Government and the base 80 & quot ;, denotes the Ford letter P. However, the victory went to the Jeep.
Willys Military model A, short - Willys MA - winner. A large part of them also went to Lend-Lease to the USSR.
The contract for the supply of 16 000 vehicles for the army received a result, the company Willys-Overland, released to the time 1, 553 machines MA. Upgraded version, which absorbed all the best from all three prototypes Fábregas name MB. It is, in fact, is the very well-known Willis, who is also the jeep. An early version of the machine with a protective grille, welded steel bars, the name of his homeland - 'slat-grille'.
When it became clear that Willis alone can not cope with the issue required the army number of jeeps, their production under license started Ford, in his performance machine had the designation Ford GPW (W from Willys), characterized by non-essential technological parts and stamped sheet steel grille that soon migrated to production cars Willys. All the years of World War II produced about 360 thousand Willys MB (of which 25, 000 - slat-grille) and about 280 thousand Ford GPW.
A couple of curiosities. A prototype semi-tracked Willis - Willys T-28 .:
Three axle Willys MT-TUG 6x6 .:
And while everything.
Source:
August 11, 1940, the US government announced a competition for a light multi-purpose vehicle for the US Army. The vehicle load capacity of 250 kg had he not weigh more than 590 kg, have a four-wheel drive and modest dimensions. However, one hundred thirty-five potential contestants responded to only two - American Bantam, which produced small car fun in modest amounts and on the verge of bankruptcy, and Willys-Overland. And present the first prototype of the date specified by the customer - by the way, 49 days after receiving the application - was only able to Bantam, who had hoped to obtain a military order to improve their financial affairs.
The prototype was delivered to the test site just before the deadline. Received prozvie 'Bantam Blitz Buggy' four-wheel drive Bantam BRC was heavier than it had been provided by the terms of the competition, but on the other hand, the competitor in the face Willys was able to provide in time, only the first sketches of the prototype, although the estimated cost of Willis and was almost half below.
Pilot instance Bantam BRC, 1940:
And this is - its modern replica next to the serial of the same passenger Bantam 1940. Rumor has it that develop a similar machine on Bantam began even before the ad of the contest, and even he was provoked with the filing of this office through "their people" in the government ...:
In terms of competition, in parallel with the tests of the first prototype, manufacturers had to quickly release an experimental batch of 70 cars, however, due to the fact that time was represented by only one prototype, a few dates have shifted, and representatives of the competition - and including Willys'a in the process Ford'a vengeance attended the trials of the prototype Bantam. Moreover, the drawings of the car have been declared the property of the US Defense Department, and copies given to the representatives of these two firms.
However, his seventy-second series of prototypes, they are also BRC-60, Bantam still built taking into account the shortcomings identified during testing of the first sample. They had been more "military" look and reinforced chassis.
In the photo - the only remaining of the 70 built experimental series Bantam .:
By this time arrived, and competitors. Willys submitted to the contest their Quad, surprisingly similar to the Bantam:
A Ford - at least similar to the same Bantam Pigmy:
A small proportion of cars from each lot of 70 pieces from each manufacturer was equipped with all the steered wheels:
From left to right - Bantam BRC-60, Willys Quad and the Ford Pigmy .:
And the BRC, and Quad, and Pigmy were considered "as a whole fulfills the conditions of the competition," and all three manufacturers have been ordered yet fifteen hundred copies of the modified car, although the overall Willis and proved himself better than others, largely due to significantly more powerful engines - 60 hp compared to 45 at the Bantam and Ford 46.
Automobile Industry Party issued taking into account the comments of the military acceptance, even more like each other. However, Bantam, releasing up to December 1941 around 2600 machines called BRC-40, in this activity in the automotive sector has completed and started production of trailers to the winner. A number of BRC-40 was delivered to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Act, where the driver called them "bows."
Industrial Machinery Ford parties are called GP. Not from the General Purpose, as is commonly believed, and from the Government and the base 80 & quot ;, denotes the Ford letter P. However, the victory went to the Jeep.
Willys Military model A, short - Willys MA - winner. A large part of them also went to Lend-Lease to the USSR.
The contract for the supply of 16 000 vehicles for the army received a result, the company Willys-Overland, released to the time 1, 553 machines MA. Upgraded version, which absorbed all the best from all three prototypes Fábregas name MB. It is, in fact, is the very well-known Willis, who is also the jeep. An early version of the machine with a protective grille, welded steel bars, the name of his homeland - 'slat-grille'.
When it became clear that Willis alone can not cope with the issue required the army number of jeeps, their production under license started Ford, in his performance machine had the designation Ford GPW (W from Willys), characterized by non-essential technological parts and stamped sheet steel grille that soon migrated to production cars Willys. All the years of World War II produced about 360 thousand Willys MB (of which 25, 000 - slat-grille) and about 280 thousand Ford GPW.
A couple of curiosities. A prototype semi-tracked Willis - Willys T-28 .:
Three axle Willys MT-TUG 6x6 .:
And while everything.
Source:
