WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

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Johan WILLAERT
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Wed Sep 29, 2010 2:21 pm

Most war movies use a large number of period vehicles but the use of actual WW2 US Army bicycles seems to be limited to two of them. Both '12 O'clock High' and 'From Here to Eternity' were made in the immediate aftermath of WW2 and had a large number of original props....
'12 O'clock High' featured a rather large number of bikes which are seen ridden by USAAF ground crews in the background of a lot of scenes. In 'From Here to Eternity' the use of a WW2 bike is limited to one scene which shows the details of the bicycle very well....

Below are some stills from both movies which show the bikes...

12 O'clock High

Image

Image

Image

Image

From Here to Eternity

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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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Johan WILLAERT
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Sun Oct 17, 2010 7:31 am

1946 Article about a cycling Sgt in the CBI Theater....

Image

Source:

http://cbi-theater-1.home.comcast.net/~ ... 21446.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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 » Mon Oct 18, 2010 5:31 pm

Great picture and artical Johan. My bet is that the bicycle is a Huffman.
Bob

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by karl oliver » Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:37 pm

Travelfix wrote:Great picture and artical Johan. My bet is that the bicycle is a Huffman.
Bob
...appears to have the gothic style fenders from my view.
"Life is tough....it's even tougher if you're stupid" -John Wayne

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Columbia Westfield MG 43592
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Travelfix » Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:48 am

Karl, I thought the fenders were Gothic at first sight too, but changed my mind to Roman after studying the picture for a while. Check out the lower back fender brace. It runs completely horizontal to the bike as well as to the ground. As so on the Huffman style bicycles. The Columbia's lower back fender brace has about a 15 to 20 degree angle pointing upwards from the axle to the fender.
I'm still sticking with Huffman.
Bob

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Mon May 09, 2011 7:12 am

Picture of a Huffman at Lowry Field (CO) about 1945/1946....

Description said SQUAD R3705 A.A.B.U.(T.S.), whatever that may be....

Image

Can anyone identify the airplane?

Is it a C54 Skymaster?

Thanks,

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 » Mon May 30, 2011 6:19 am

Johan WILLAERT wrote:Picture of a Huffman at Lowry Field (CO) about 1945/1946.
Same bike at same place and time.... Plate in frame says 'Photo?????'

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 eddyjas » Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:04 am

A lot of data ...amazing...definitely one can make it up with this....A New.......Bicycle.....

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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Craig Johnson » Sat Oct 06, 2012 7:51 am

I just won this with a Buy It Now on EBAY. Just lucky I guess, could have been anyone of us because it was listed as Military Bicycle.

I know the other photo is not a military bicycle but they are GI's

B-10 or D-10 on the headlight ???? Looks like a white spot of paint on the front goose neck. Maybe an identifying mark like my bikes have on them.

Image

Link to super size it.

http://handcartz.smugmug.com/Hobbies/MI ... img092.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like some numbers are stenciled on the front fender like they were rented or checked out.

Image

Just received this one in the mail. Titled on back Co. D orderly room. G.I. Bicycle on right.

Image
Craig..The newcomer Johnson

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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 » Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:56 pm

Won this on EBAY. Auction description "Snapshot Photo 82nd AIRBORNE DIVISION JEEP & MAIL CALL Fort Bragg 1942"

Image

Larger photo link
http://handcartz.smugmug.com/PHOTS-UPLO ... img095.jpg

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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Johan WILLAERT
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Tue Jul 30, 2013 10:24 am

A picture showing both a WLA and bicycle!!! That would have been something for my site... :wink:

Cheers,

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

Craig Johnson
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Re: WW2 Bicycle Data - Sticky

Post by Craig Johnson » Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:43 am

Ran across these photos on Flickr. Uploaded by rich701 There is a statement that says they can be posted with credit but it looks like they came from the University of Florida digital collection anyways.

368 photos that he uploaded.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rich701/se ... 115951234/

Here are the bicycle photos.


Image

Image

Image

Image

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 HuffmanBill » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:03 pm

Craig, Very nice pictures. I would like to point out to those that think the only true handlebar grips for a WWII Columbia/Huffman are the OD Elgin style Torpedo grips. It appears that in the first picture the 42 Columbia is equipped with what appears to possibly be the black '' Coke Bottle'' style grips. Anyway, most definitely not the Torpedo style grips.

Regards,
Bill


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