During W.W. 2 what as the most common truck used in either company maintenance or battalion maintenance? I would like to make either a 3/4t Dodge or a 1.5t Dodge 6x6 Also what would some typical markings be?
Thanks in advance

Think you will find that the 2 1/2 ton was a more common maintenance vehicle, but there is no reason you could build what you suggest, when you're "in the mix" you use what is available.
As to markings pretty much the same as any other vehicle - star on door, maybe on hood, USA and vehicle number on hood sides. The only way to tell it from any other vehicle ? Bumper markings - Unit assignment designators.

Of course this is only from the US Army perspective, other Armies or Services may have had other choices.

Chad:

What type unit (inf, armor, arty, finance) in what type formation (inf, armored, airborne) ... ?

What type of maintenance vehicle -- parts/supply/people carrier, shop/tool, contact, recovery, etc ... ?

The small veh you mentioned are typical contact trucks ...

John

CHAD,
During WW@ the 1 1/2 ton 6x6 and the 2 1/2 ton 6x6 had designated maintenance bodies made for the frame. The 5/4 also had a repair set up. Check the Book "British and USA vehicles in WW2" for "M" referance #'s and pics

Chad the most common was the GMC 2.5 ton 6X6 and the 1.5 ton 4X4 Chev.

For more mobile light Aid mechanics had a special body on the .75 ton Dodge chassis and also used jeeps.

cheers
Cliff

Gents
Thanks for the replies What I was wanting to build originaly was either the 3/4t or 1.5t and add some tools,jerry cans etc Kind of like a light repair truck was what I was thinking
I was gonna put 1st Armored Div. markings on it I wasn't sure if that type was ever used for the purpose I had in mind

Guess I'll build them as a regular supply truck

The first thing to do, is see if you can find a copy of a "Table of Organization and Equipment" (TO&E) for a US Armor Division in WW II. I wish my dad was still around, because he had all that stuff and would probably have known the answer off the top of his head. In any event, the TOE will tell you what vehicles (if any) were allocated to maintenence sections in the letter companies and the HQ and Service companies of the various battalions within the Division. Once you determine for example that the Service Company Battalion maint platoon had several trucks of a certain size (2 1/2 ton), you could go from there. The TO&E might even indicate that a certain model, as has been suggested, specifically designed for maint was allocated.

A word of caution. The presence of something on the TO&E in NO WAY guarantees the unit actually had the equipment. And without a specific photo for example, you'd probably never know for sure whether the truck had a metal factory supplied, or a wooden unit fabricated "hootch" on the back, nor if the bumper number was SVC 12 or SVC 21.

But the good news is, that anyone ELSE looking at your build won't know either!!!!! :-)

I'll try to dig through some stuff and see if I can find out what was allocated. I went through this a while back trying to figure out whether tank companies in the tank battalions did or did not have M32 recovery vehicles. (The answer I got was yes, there was 1 per letter company and 3 in the maint plt in Service Company)

But for what it's worth, I'll just about guarantee, that SOME unit SOMEWHERE built a hootch out of wood on the back of a 2 1/2 ton and put in shelves and work benches and the truck had a winch on the front!!!

Tom

If someone's interested, I've got a book that includes 3 pictures of the Dodge WC 60. It was built in limited number (296) by American Coach and Body Co. I could scan them if need be...

Frenchy

Toms right. If it ain't available, the GI will make it. We usd to run around Germany in mid 70's with jeeps (M151 style) and trailers. we built little dog house style covers for the trailers. I did see one group that had a quickie maintenance version where they had built a large wooden box shaped cover that opened up to tons of shelves and drawers filled with tools, filters, nuts and bolts,

Here's the Dodge variant I was talking about in my previous post :



Frenchy

Frenchy
Thanks for the photos It looks like the frame was a bit longer than normal

I agree. Maybe this truck was based on a WC 54 Ambulance chassis which has a 121-inch wheelbase (instead of 98-inch for the WC52/53)...

Frenchy

the WC59 and WC60 did indeed have the longer 121 inch wheelbase chassis.

cheers
Cliff

Info update : CGM Prod has just released a resin WC 60 conversion set for the Skybow Dodge...

Frenchy

Hmmm I may have to see if the budget will cope with one of those.

Cheers
Cliff

It was advertised in the last issue of Steelmasters magazine (no pics) at about 50 Euros + postage...

Frenchy

50 euro is a bit pricey with the exchange rate the way it is but .........now to find who has CGM Prod preferably in the States as having an agent in Aussie is a bit much to ask for LOL.

cheers
Cliff

I've just done a quick search to (almost) no avail :
Here's a picture of the kit at least :


I've found it here http://www.specialeast.com
Maybe you should get in touch with them for inquiring about sending kits Down Under

HTH
Frenchy