Showing posts with label Willys MB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Willys MB. Show all posts

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Roosevelt and General Patton Jeep

Roosevelt Jeep by lee.ekstrom
Roosevelt Jeep, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.
Found this wonderful shot of President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in a Jeep with hat over his heart. General George Patton can be seen saluting the flag on the other side of the Jeep vehicle. Photo was taken in Casablanca on 01/18/1943. I touched up the dust spots from the original.

Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

General Eisenhower Jeep France

Four Stars for General Eisenhower. Enjoying a light moment in his private Jeep Willys MB in France. I retouched the dust from the General's face and cleaned up the image. Deserved a little love.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Jeep Willys MB Water Fording Kit

Sometimes I visit eBay to see what Jeep items folks out there are putting up for sale. This gem came up from someone in the Toledo area. It's the original artwork used for the Willys MB Water Fording Kit. Thankfully the shots were of decent quality as I was able to clean up the image and fill in the frayed edges and soiling.

An unmodified Willys MB was able to water ford about 21 inches of water before the transfer case vents and fuel pump have issues. Troops in the field were modifying their Jeep 4x4s to survive deep water in their beach landings. This included sealing the distributor and ignition system, and adding an intake snorkel and extending the exhaust system among other things. Willys-Overland engineers were tasked with coming up with a kit to distribute to the troops.

This is just one example of the many ways the Willys MB Jeep 4x4 was modified for use in the field during World War II.

Jeep Willys MB Water Fording Kit

Original art for the Willys-Overland Water Fording Kit. Currently selling on eBay for a buy now price of $1,999.

According to cj3a.com it looks like the kit is a MX-735 Waterproofing Kit: "This kit was designed for the Navy and supplied by Willys-Overland for use on Marine Corps CVD radio jeeps. The kit also fit on the G503, W.W.II jeeps. It consisted of numerous parts to be installed on the jeep to make it waterproof. Everything from a new dipstick to a new speedometer were included in the kit. The distributor was replaced with a waterproof metal clad unit. The spark plugs and wires changed to waterproof "aircraft" type. A waterproof Carter YS carburetor replaced the standard WO carburetor. Fittings and vent lines were included to allow an atmospheric vent system to be attached to the transfer case, master cylinder and fuel tank. Two valves activated by a control on the dash allowed the engine crankcase to be naturally pressurized slightly while fording. The electrical system was upgraded with waterproof generator, regulator, starter, switches, horn and wiring. This must have taken a considerable amount of time to install, but when completed, the jeep was always ready to ford, unlike the earlier WV-6 kit."

Friday, February 1, 2013

True Craftsmanship - Wooden Jeep 4x4

Check out this wonderful wooden flat-fender Jeep found in a Museum on holiday by photographer Spottendlaurel. The photographer added this fine shot to my Museum Jeep Group on Flickr. According to Spottendlaurel, "There was a ruined Chateau just outside the village near where we stayed, and in one of the beautifully refurbished buildings there was a museum full of life-size things made from wood. F1 car, tractor, motorbikes, all sorts of things. The bonnet lifted up on this to show a wooden engine inside." Talk about craftsmanship - this is rich!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Jeep Iwo Jima Landing

Jeep Iwo Jima Landing by lee.ekstrom
Jeep Iwo Jima Landing, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.
Jeep 4x4 in Iwo Jima Operation, 1945

"Pinned Down -- Fourth Division Marines are pinned down by enemy fire as they hit the beach at Iwo Jima on D-Day, February 19. Making their fourth amphibious assault in 13 months, the veteran fighters are ready to secure the right flank of the initial beachhead.'"

Quoted from the original picture caption released for publication on 25 February 1945 by Commander in Chief, Pacific.

The landing ship in the background (with its bow and stern numbers censored) is LSM-206.

Note broached LCM in the center, and swamped jeep and LCVP (also with identification markings censored) at right.

The original photograph came from the illustrations package for Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II", volume XIV: "Victory in the Pacific".

The photo was provided to Morison by E.J. Long. It was uploaded to Flickr by Lee Ekstrom.

Photo #: NH 65312.

Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Jacklyn Lucas Medal of Honor in Jeep

Private first Class Jacklyn H. Lewis of the U.S. Marine Corps - was awarded the Medal of Honor for pulling two grenades under his body to protect his fellow soldiers.

Read more of his exploits at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacklyn_H._Lucas

Jacklyn waves from the back seat of a Willys MB Jeep 4x4 as he leaves LaGuardia Airport for Nimitz Day celebrations in New York City, New York on 9 October 1945.

Photo #: NH 103870.

Collection of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

General Smith Jeep Saipan

General Smith Jeep Saipan by lee.ekstrom
General Smith Jeep Saipan, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.
Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, United States Marine Corps.

Holding a M1 Carbine, Lt. Gen. Smith makes a tour of men an installations at a Saipan airport before leading the assault on Gaum.

Smith is pointing out an item of interest to the other officers in the Willys MB Jeep 4x4.

The photo was released for publication on 29 August 1944.

Note the spade and axe mounted on the Jeep vehicles side, below the driver's seat.

Photo #: NH 104259. Uploaded on Flickr by Lee Ekstrom.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Jeep Converted to Ambulance - Navy Art

Recruiting poster of World War II.

One of the great innovations of the war, the pug-nosed, pugnacious Jeep 4x4, reveals a softer side of its nature as it becomes an ambulance on the Bougainville jungle front.

Though often painfully jolting to the wounded on its journey through the twisted trails of the jungle, the Willys MB Jeep vehicle at least gets the casualties away from the firing lines speedily.

Plasma transfusions are sometimes given en route, despite the rocky motion.

Kerr Eby #43
Pastel drawing, 1943
Gift of Abbott Laboratories
88-159-EA
Uploaded on Flickr by Lee Ekstrom

Friday, February 11, 2011

Born For War - Ready for Peace

1945 Jeep Ad in the Saturday Evening Post

This ad was published as Willys-Overland was trying to establish a Civilian purpose for the mighty Willys MB post World War II. This transition period was important in re-introducing a new purpose for the heroic "Jeep".

The advertisement reads:


.. To millions of people all over the world “JEEP” means WILLYS ..
Famous for its outstanding performance in war, the “Jeep” has been fitted for peace, to work and serve on farms and in industry, around the world.
The “Jeep” for peace, amazing in its versatility, is fitted to do a hundred-and-one jobs for the postwar Farmer and as many more for Industry … around the clock, around the year, around the world.
It pulls, pushes or drags every type of farm implement. Doubles as a highway vehicle for a speedy trip to town, and then rounds out a full day as a mobile power plant – takes “jeep” power to the job. An ever-ready servant twenty-four hours a day, the “Jeep” for peace raises the curtain on a new conception of automotive service … ushers in a new era of mechanization for farm and industry. Get a “Jeep”!