"Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW modifications, sugestions, and ideas, official MWO's and unofficial WWII field mods NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
Post Reply
User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

"Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Fri May 28, 2010 11:09 am

Hi everyone
I am looking into making my own British Airborne Jeep... starting from the front bumper. Looks like there are two different styles (maybe early and late?). Who can elaborate a little about how these bumpers were made?
Thanks
Marcello
Last edited by seacon on Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
horrocks
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1810
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:34 pm
Location: Ongar, England

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by horrocks » Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:22 am

Marcello, you could save yourself the trouble. There is someone selling repros on ebay UK.
Toby

Willys MB 3/13/42 127415
Willys MB 1/9/45 404620

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:29 pm

OK, folks
I am back...
Quite a few things happened since the last entry to this thread. First and foremost, I got a reprinted copy of Rob & Monica van Meel book. Not exactly what I was hoping for but it is a good starting point. The contrast in the photos in my copy is so dark that it is very difficult to make out the details. The drawings are OK, though. I have decided to build a replica of an airborne jeep as used by the field artillery units. Too bad I have not been able to locate a single photo of a suitable "original" specimen to copy... Next, I bought some iron stock in the size and shape needed to fabricate some of the details. A cheap repro F marked front bumper was obtained as were all the electrical bits to move to the dash the horn button (a nice repro off eBay), fit the rear axle floodlight (not lucky here: the floodlight was broken in the sealed NOS box!!!) and trailer connection (all NOS).
The idea is to assemble GPW 56798 (unproperly backdated to a Ford script body) with the following "british" airborne mods: shortened front bumper with provision to carry the pick, front spare wheel fittings, BO markers moved to the fenders, rack for 75mm how shell containers, quick releasable steering wheel, horn button on dash, three jerrycans holders, towing "triangle", no side handles, spare wheel carrier and right headlight, provision for a couple of rifle holders on the cowl.
Well, that's it for now. I am off to the drafting table. I will post my progress and a few photos...
ciao
m

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:34 pm

First question for the experts:
I was wondering if the "early" modified front bumper retained the wood stiffener?
Who can shed some light on this?
ciao
m
Attachments
bumperpick3.jpg
bumperpick3.jpg (139.64 KiB) Viewed 21203 times

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:48 am

Little update:
Had the 4x6" reinforcement plate for the front bumper cut from a 3/8 plate. Now it needs the hitch and cranking handle hole. The little triangle hitch was cut from .50" plate. The braces for the towing bars came from the appropriate angled stock. These were heated up and hammered to shape to create the hinges. Will finish up those later. While I was at it I prepared the parts to assemble the front spare wheel carrier and clamp. These were done following Rob's book drawings and ... look very thick when comparing to original photos.
Still haven't worked out if the wood stiffener was left inside the fabricated part on early airborne jeeps. It looks too thin when is made with 1/8" plates. There is something that has to addressed here...
More later
ciao
m

pgcf
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1126
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:34 pm
Location: Texas

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by pgcf » Fri Dec 24, 2010 7:23 am

The wood filler was removed. As you can tell from the picture and the drawings you referenced, you have to allow for the back of the coupling pintle that was added to the front bumper. It actually pivots and was used for the jeep to be towed by another or to pull a trailer from, or to push something into, the glider. The Para's had no provision for repairs in the field so they had to recover everything they could and cannibalize. Weight was everything to the gliders so very little allowance for spares, the priority went to ammo and combat related supplies. This info is based on a reference manual for British Airborne Ops, seeing actual Airborne jeeps in the UK, and talking with a couple of veterans...hope this helps.

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:05 am

Thanks for your reply
The front bumper mods in the book are totally different than those in the 1944/45 vintage photos. Under a mechanical point of view I doubt that the filler was removed in the early version. Towing even the lightest load without any bracing would have bent (if not ripped) the whole bumper. The size of the plate used to encase the wood filler would have done very little. With the filler in place could have contributed to spread the strain of the hitch, at least to a certain extent, moving the torque axis closer to the bumper brackets. The later modification (the one depicted in the van Meel book) addressed this problem adding the long upper stiffener. This engaged both the upper bumper brackets, dividing the load between both frame rails (and in fact preventing the rails to bend inwards). This are just my "educated" assumptions as I have never seen an original airborne modified jeep. I am trying to replicate an airborne jeep in the best possible way. Please correct me if I am wrong!!!
ciao
m

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:22 pm

Well, here it is, ... almost!
Too bad this is a Willys, but it is the closest (original jeep) to my project I have seen so far. Definitely a Light Regt vehicle.
1st al light regt.jpg
1st al light regt.jpg (54.9 KiB) Viewed 21036 times
This a detail from another photo of the same jeep.
dettaglio jeep 2.JPG
dettaglio jeep 2.JPG (19.74 KiB) Viewed 21036 times
Any comment is very welcome!!!

ciao
m

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:43 pm

I have just noticed that the spare wheel carrier is different than the one on the van Meel book! Sob! I will have to figure that out too!!! Is there an original 1944/45 airborne jeep anywhere in the world to look at (and maybe take a few photos)?
dettaglio jeep 3.JPG
dettaglio jeep 3.JPG (11.22 KiB) Viewed 21034 times

Marty, SoCal
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 6319
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:34 am
Location:

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by Marty, SoCal » Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:02 am

"Definitely a Light Regt vehicle." ..... under new ownership! :cry:
43 Ford GPW 92098
53 Dunbar Kapple M100
Sold: 61 CJ-5, 41 T207 WC-1 Dodge closed cab pickup
MVPA #8266
USMC Tanker (1811, 1812), 85-93
ASE Automotive Master tech, former Chrysler-Jeep Level 4 Mastertech, CA state EA smog license

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:14 pm

Nothing out of the forum... yet! I decided to start with what I have and make corrections later.
This is my very own inpression of the Airborne jeep front bumper as used in the fall of 1944.
The test reinforcing plate was torch cut from a 3/8" piece of scrap. This was easy. I figured out the dimension using a drawing program and an original photo.
Rob's book is open on the relevant, but useless in this case, A.F.D.C. Mod. No 4. The only thing I can use from this plate is the location of the two "strap eyes" of Mod. No. 14.
bumper the beginning.JPG
bumper the beginning.JPG (105.04 KiB) Viewed 20815 times
In the other photo is the towing eye plate (torch cut from .50" plate).
tow bar the benning.JPG
tow bar the benning.JPG (105.52 KiB) Viewed 20813 times
Yes, I am working on the living room Uzbek rug. The one rug that my wife keeps reminding me how much it cost...
ciao
m

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:41 am

Started cleaning up the frame. Lots of repairs to do. Hopefully I will be able to reassemble it before I deploy. Enjoy the pics!
ciao
m
Attachments
doc at work.JPG
doc at work.JPG (248.2 KiB) Viewed 20519 times
not so bad front end.JPG
not so bad front end.JPG (172.69 KiB) Viewed 20520 times
most of the extra stuff is gone.JPG
most of the extra stuff is gone.JPG (153.61 KiB) Viewed 20517 times

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:43 am

n/t
Attachments
the final cut 2.JPG
the final cut 2.JPG (209.13 KiB) Viewed 20509 times

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:30 am

Very little progress done. Predeployment training is taking up most of my time... Still looking for all the bits and pieces. Fabricated the spare wheel carrier while I am still researching how the front bumpers where made.
wheel carrier 1.JPG
wheel carrier 1.JPG (148.08 KiB) Viewed 20128 times
One of the front spring hangers was welded back in a way that I will never get it out and restore.
spring hanger.JPG
spring hanger.JPG (119.43 KiB) Viewed 20128 times
Will try to get somethingh done before I go...

ciao
m

User avatar
seacon
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2009 5:04 am
Location: NW Italian Riviera

Re: "Do it yourself" a WWII British Airborne Jeep...

Post by seacon » Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:48 pm

Oh, well!
I am back from Afghanistan and I am planning to spend some quality time resuming working on this project.
This week I had the chance to pay a very quick visit to the Royal (Belgian) Army Museum in Bruxelles and took a few photos (unfortunately with my cellphone, so the definition isn't too high) of what, to my knowledge, is the only original existing late WWII SAS jeep in the world.
Being interested in British Airborne modifications, I focused on a just few of the specific features sported by this rather unique GPW.
Foto-0087.jpg
Foto-0087.jpg (140.38 KiB) Viewed 19403 times
This is it, as a part of the Belgian Airborne display.

Foto-0086.jpg
Foto-0086.jpg (100.96 KiB) Viewed 19403 times
Bullet holes and MG drum magazines supports on the hood and cowl.

Foto-0085.jpg
Foto-0085.jpg (99.24 KiB) Viewed 19403 times
Detail of the spare wheel carrier (very similar to that used on the grill commonly seen on Abn jeeps).

More will follow soon!
ciao
m


Post Reply

Return to “MB GPW Modifications”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: amkz and 13 guests