OT Jeep Photo

[Mark in Rochester]

[Bill Hollinger]

Top photo left, Ford GPW (pulling the g529) and right, Willys MB. Bottom picture, Willys MB.

[Mark in Rochester]

Top photo left, Ford GPW (pulling the g529) and right, Willys MB. Bottom picture, Willys MB.

Bill

can you educate us as to the distinguishing features between the two

[Bill Hollinger]

Mark, on the GPW there are index holes in the front and rear bumpers, U shaped front cross member and for these pictures the door strap eye bolt is vertical.

The MB has no holes in the bumpers, a round front cross member and the door strap eye bolts are horizontal.

Also the hood numbers are assigned to contracts. Ford and Willys each had separate contracts.

[Jakeroub]

Anyone know if the stripes on the aircraft were only used on D-Day, or were they used beyond then as well?

My grandfather was an aircraft radio technician in the Air Corps. He was stationed in Coventry England and did a lot of work on gliders before the D-Day invasion (interestingly, his uniform has an Airborne Glider shoulder patch). He later spent time in St. Piox, France, then in Hamburg. He used to tell a story where he was driving a Jeep (in Hamburg, I think) pulling a trailer loaded with rations. Somehow the trailer overturned and the rations spilled out all over the road. The locals were quite interested in this spilled food, an he allowed them to take it. Apparently they looked half starved and he didn’t have the heart to deny it to them.

[Bill Hollinger]

They are called "invasion stripes" and were specifically for the invasion of mainland France. They were painted on all allied aircraft to reduce the chance of friendly fire incidents.

[Bob Womack]

They didn't rush to remove the invasion stripes after the invasion, though.

I'm fascinated with the M4 Sherman with all armament intact but the transmission has already been nicked.

Bob

[Bill Hollinger]

Crazy that the armament didn't get removed.

[browningautorifle]

I'm fascinated with the M4 Sherman with all armament intact but the transmission has already been nicked

I took it to have had an explosion from the looks of the black scorch on the side of the hull at rear and the black at the pistol port. I would think they would strip everything off to if it were a salvage.

[eb in oregon]

I'm fascinated with the M4 Sherman with all armament intact but the transmission has already been nicked.

Bob

I believe the transmission was removed not by hand but by a rather large artillery shell. Theres a piece of it laying in front of the tank. That's a picture of a tank destroyed at Anzio and it was directly hit. There has been no time to strip it of weapons yet.