wc weapon carriers in Africa in ww2

[Chris Davis]

Speaking of desert Dodge, I remember seeing some nice desert photos on a site some time ago. This was taken recently, I believe it was of some dutch guys who took their Dodges (5) to africa. All with sand colors. Looked like a nice trip. Never found the site again. If someone knows the site, I'd really like a link.

Marty

I saw that too... I don't think the site is up any more, but here's a couple of the photos I saved.





Chris

[Chris Davis]

So 3/4 tons were around for Torch. I guess I remember reading somewhere that the WC55 was used in Africa too... where they found the 37mm gun wasn't so effective on Panzers.

[Chris Davis]

Chris Davis.
Very nice WC51, shame you cut the 64 1/2 Muzzy off the pic, another classic on my wish list along with a '69 Charger R/T , '70 Challenger R/T, Viper SRT 10, Superbee.

Here's a little more of the Mustang for you Phil...

[Chris Davis]

WOW! AS GOOD AS YOUR TRUCK LOOKS I WOULDNT CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE THOUGHT .

STEVE A

Thanks Steve, It did turn out pretty well... funny at the show most of the other vehicles were worth a lot more, but the WC-51 got a LOT of attention.

[samason]

There's a mustang in that picture? Funny.... i didnt notice one.

[martylee]

Hey Chris!

That was exactly the photos I was thinking of. Are you sure you don't have any more of those?
Thanks anyway!

Marty

[Ugg]

Hey Chris:

I was just talkin to Lee down in LA. We were wonderin why ya went with the plywood pieces instead of planks on the Carryall? BTW, do ya happen to off hand know the weight of the MU2 winch? Oh, I forgot to add, it's ALWAYS a pleasure to view your work.

Later

[Chris Davis]

Hey Chris!

That was exactly the photos I was thinking of. Are you sure you don't have any more of those?
Thanks anyway!

Marty

Here's the rest of the ones I can find:























There might of been more, but those are all I can find in my little archive.

Looks like a tour group of some sort... I also like the photos of salvaging bits off one they found out there in the desert.

Actually... it looks like that WC52 they are taking parts off from was painted Sand color... another WWII sand WC reference.

[Chris Davis]

Hey Chris:

I was just talkin to Lee down in LA. We were wonderin why ya went with the plywood pieces instead of planks on the Carryall? BTW, do ya happen to off hand know the weight of the MU2 winch? Oh, I forgot to add, it's ALWAYS a pleasure to view your work.

Later

Thanks Ugg... I'm always my worst critic and find stuff all the time I wish I had done better. The plywood in the WC53 is an example of that. I had to have the Carryall ready for the 4th of July parade and I just ran out of time. I put the plywood in as a temporary floor until I had time (and $) to do the oak.

Actually I did the same thing for the same reasons on my WC51.

[martylee]

Thanks for posting the rest of the photos. It was fun watching them again. I kinda want a wc63 as well...


Marty

[martylee]

I think you can see the flag of the dutch group keep them rolling on some of the cars. And it's no suprise that it's them. They have a website. ktr.nl .

Marty

[Tony B]

Fantastic truck, don't care about cricket so not upset. The tyres actually look like Norwegian snow tyres. Sand tyres for Ww2 had a complete cicular tread. Look up Popsiee's private army on the net. He was a Polish guy that started the first private desert army group. They used aircraft tyres on fords if I remember correctly.

[Robbo]

I believe that the Library of Virginia's Hampton Roads photo collection has pictures of the vehicles used in the North African Torch Landings:

http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/photo/index.htm

Go to the Signal Corps Collection and search for:

Task Force A or limit the year to 1942

No sign of any desert sand paint on these vehicles but once on the ground in N Africa, the green paint would have stuck out against the brown landscape - not a good look.

[Tony B]

I've also seen trucks with oil and sand over the windscreens or painted over to prevent reflection

[Ray Edsall]

Cricket . 5 - zip .Not a bad effort . I think the plane that was lost in the desert was an Avro Tudor .They got geographically embarresed and run out of juice over the sahara . They were on there way to South Africa .There was a doco on tv about it just recently .The baby who was on board was now in his 50,s and went along on the expadition that was trying to recovere the wreck .The local,s had salvaged most off the plane over the years and there was not much left .I think the French Foreign Legion {FFL}rescued them .The wrecked wc that the dutchy,s were working on could have been a FFL vehicle ,Left over when the French got evicted from North Africa Ray ,