WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

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Bozman
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Bozman » Thu Dec 24, 2009 5:50 am

The Person's Tool Bag is one of the hardest items to find. A few years ago they were being reproduced but the guy who was reproducing them tragically passed away. The tools and dies for the reproduction tool bag has been acquired by another WW2 bicycle enthusiest and he won't start reproducing them until he can find the correct buckles. I know of a company that reproduces WW2 and WW1 raincoats that utilizes these buckles. I'm currently trying to track down his buckle supplier so we can start reproducing them again.
JD Boswell
1942 GPW 25717 "Lorin's Lament"
1942 MBT Trailer "Swiss Miss"
1943 Columbia G-519 Bicycles MG137342 and MG151142
1946 Compax Folding Paratrooper Bicycle "Uncle Chinky"
MVPA #21677
http://www.classic-pinup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Bozman » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:28 pm

I just bought this picture on eBay (Minus the comments) Nice clean shot of a WW2 Columbia MG Straight Bar Bicycle.

Image

It looks like a civilian in the picture or possibly a WW2 Vet. The hat is a 43 HBT ball cap, Shirt may be a HBT top but the boots are definately civilian.
JD Boswell
1942 GPW 25717 "Lorin's Lament"
1942 MBT Trailer "Swiss Miss"
1943 Columbia G-519 Bicycles MG137342 and MG151142
1946 Compax Folding Paratrooper Bicycle "Uncle Chinky"
MVPA #21677
http://www.classic-pinup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:32 am

Nice one!
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Craig Johnson » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:55 am

Picked up a couple of News photos of early Military Bicycles. Anybody know the brand of bike. Ive seen these in photos over the years, but no history on them.
Pretty sure photo's were marked 1942 on the back.

Image
Image

Image
Image

Here is an original photo of a GI on the same type of bike.

Image
Image
Last edited by Craig Johnson on Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:48 am

Craig,

Bicycles with that kind of frame were made by both Huffman and Westfield as prototype/proposition models approx 1942.

Johan
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by frameteam2003 » Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:20 pm

I posted the photos to some Bicycle nuts I know.This was the best responce (to the first photo only):
|
I wish there were more pixels to dive into, I am unable to usefully enlarge the photo to pick out some of the finer details.

In the photo, either the boys are boarding a portion of flight 815 or this is a training maneuver. If the photo was taken before we were officially at war it would explain the use of the surplus WW1 style helmets.

On to the bicycles.

First of all they appear to be identical or close to it and they obviously don’t look like any standard issue civilian bicycle. It is likely they were specially produced by one of the major manufacturers under a contract with the military. This could be anyone if the production was prior to early 1942 and they may be part of a small batch of bicycles under test in the hope of procuring a larger supply contract.

The visible chain ring is a Cleveland Welding pattern piece (exclusive to CWC Roadmasters and other CWC products, never used by Snyder, and not used by Montgomery Ward as a standard pre-war ring) and dates the photo to 1940 or later as that is when the pattern first entered production. The bikes all seem to be outfitted with a Delta Winner tail light which also entered production in about 1940 (available in the Sears 1940 Spring/Summer catalog replacing the Delta Defender.)

The second bike from the left appears to have a non-shouldered “sloper” crank. Before WW2 this design was exclusive to Murray-Ohio so if I am reading the photo correctly this puts a hitch in attributing the bikes to CWC.

The racks do not look like exactly like any standard rack and it is hard to tell if they are tubular or stamped. The fenders are not CWC pattern and most closely match the narrow fenders used by Monark but seem to be even more minimal than those.

A magnifying glass over the original photo might yield more but otherwise it is impossible to attribute the bikes to any specific manufacturer. The cranks/chainrings alone suggest two different manufacturers and as the frames are not standard civilian models only the frame construction or fork details might specifically pin them down. By 1940 most companies had re-entered the adult field with diamond frame lightweights and these bicycles look to be an amalgamation of a diamond frame stretched over balloon wheels with the addition of a lower tank bar to support the oversize tool box tank.

My conclusion is that these bikes are part of a small batch of specially constructed military bicycles built in about 1940-1941 and that there is not enough visual information to be certain who produced them.
Phil Marshall
Shoreline (Seattle) Washington

Some of the other comments---that the bicycles appear to be Balloon tires and a mix of parts.The WW1 dayton frames appear to be a bit different from the Columbia and Western Frames at the point where the second top bar attaches to the head.The dayton(huffman) shows a tube attached to the down tube where as the others attach to the head tube.These frames attach as the WW1 daytons do.But I'm sure a lot of the cycle companies made prototypes for the war--the Book Classic American Bicycles shows a Schwinn prototype.--sam

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Craig Johnson » Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:30 pm

Thanks for the interesting reply. You can enlarge the photo here. On the top row of letters just click on "O" for original from the scan I did. They get pretty big.

http://handcartz.smugmug.com/PHOTS-UPLO ... tiNaX-A-LB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://handcartz.smugmug.com/PHOTS-UPLO ... rNARw-A-LB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://handcartz.smugmug.com/Hobbies/MI ... fh5Fd-A-LB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://handcartz.smugmug.com/Hobbies/MI ... 6YJPG-A-LB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Craig..The newcomer Johnson

MVPA 3642
My website
http://www.handcartz.com
Own a bunch of hand carts
http://handcartz.smugmug.com/gallery/509020/

Always buying anything for the U.S. Army Hand Cart. Parts, manuals, accessories. Even the smallest screw.

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Craig Johnson » Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:58 am

One feature I noticed was the folding front handlebars. Were these a one-off made part or was this on a production bike? This is a crop of the photo so it wont come out to big.

The speedo should be the Military Clipper model if I remember right. I was trying to purchase one of these bikes 10 years ago ,but just dont have the gift for closing the deal. Eventually his email and number changed and I lost contact.

Image
Craig..The newcomer Johnson

MVPA 3642
My website
http://www.handcartz.com
Own a bunch of hand carts
http://handcartz.smugmug.com/gallery/509020/

Always buying anything for the U.S. Army Hand Cart. Parts, manuals, accessories. Even the smallest screw.

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by frameteam2003 » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:34 pm

Folding handle bars of this type date back to the early 1900.Most often seen on teens era wood wheeled bikes.The only thing unusual about the bars is they are in the cycletruck or scout bend---that is to say very wide. All of these foldable bars I've seen had very long curvy bars.Advertized as up for riding and down for racing.

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Ernie Baals » Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:50 pm

Hi
they handles look like the ones on my Columbia/Westfields paratrooper bikes, ( I am up to 3 now :D )
Ernie
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Bozman » Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:54 pm

Ernie Baals wrote:Hi
they handles look like the ones on my Columbia/Westfields paratrooper bikes, ( I am up to 3 now :D )
Ernie
It has the earlier version of the Columbia folding Sport Compax handle bars (forerunner of the Paratrooper) The Sport Traveler was first produced in 1940, I have seen 1940 and 41 versions with the butterfly wingnut on the handlebar. Will try to do some more research on this bike because it is a REALLY cool early war bike!
JD Boswell
1942 GPW 25717 "Lorin's Lament"
1942 MBT Trailer "Swiss Miss"
1943 Columbia G-519 Bicycles MG137342 and MG151142
1946 Compax Folding Paratrooper Bicycle "Uncle Chinky"
MVPA #21677
http://www.classic-pinup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Thu May 06, 2010 10:04 am

2 Columbia MG Model bikes with GIs from HQ/796th Military Police Battalion, most probably Motor Pool Mechanics
Pictures were taken in the ETO, most probably Northern France or Belgium 1944-45

Image

Image

Image

Image

Enjoy,

Johan
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:43 am

Original reflector on rear fender; note original white paint on fender

Image
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Travelfix » Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:16 am

Johan, what size were the rear reflectors and were they glass or plastic?
Thanks, Bob

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:02 am

Reflector part seems plastic and measures 1" 3/8 across...
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator


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