Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

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Botty
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Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Botty »

Anyone got any pictures showing Model a Ford pickups in service. Considering they stopped making them in 1932 is it likley?
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martin12ss
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by martin12ss »

You need to remember that the Soviets manufactured the model A as the Gaz A and AA . Henry Ford having close links with the Soviet Union in the late 20's early 30's. The model A's you do see are probably captured gaz trucks
Botty
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Botty »

Hadn't thought of that :)

So that will be one of these then:

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By botty1 at 2010-02-01

Any photos where it is clear it is in Wehrmacht use?
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Enigma
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Enigma »

Wehrmacht during the early period of the war was a parasite that lived of the enormous amount of equipment it captured. They even used Russian and French artillery to such an extent that manuals were translated. When it comes to vehicles they used EVERYTHING they could lay their hands on. Most of the substandard crappy stuff was distributed to units consisting of personnel that were not fit for front line duty. In instances where they had huge amounts of equipment that was good enough some of it ended up in front line service. The British military trucks left in Dunkirk are a good example. Bedford’s were a substandard that even had their gearboxes replaced for German ones. But ANYTHING rolling would be pressed into service. Especially during the later years.
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Franz repper »

Enigma wrote: Bedford’s were a substandard that even had their gearboxes replaced for German ones. But ANYTHING rolling would be pressed into service. Especially during the later years.
I would like to see proof of this as every post you do you say this but as yet no proof ? Bedfords were a work horse of the army and very hard trucks to break
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Enigma
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Enigma »

Bedford made good trucks. That’s true. I found the information on the Bedford gearbox in a reference book years ago that had piles of foreign vehicles used by the German army and their German model names. A very small pocket book that I did not buy as foreign equipment is not my cup of tea. It was mentioned there that the gear boxes were changed for German ones. I suspect you will find the same information here:

http://www.worldwartwobooks.com/product ... ht-service

To be honest as I think of it my initial thought was that the gearboxes were changed as they were crap but there might be another explanation that is more plausible. The sheer amount of Bedford’s available for the Germans must have made it a widely used truck. The booty at Dunkirk must have been staggering. I have seen mentioned that a bit more than 60.000 vehicles were lost by the British forces. It might have been that it made it a lot easier to maintain the trucks by having a “standard” gearbox fitted when they had so many of them.
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by wdrob »

I have a copy of the German D 50/12: Kennblaetter fremden Geraete, Heft 12 Kraftfahrzeuge, vom 20.3.41
This lists most known foreign armoured and/or tracked vehicles, with a German nomenclature. Entries in this list may not imply the they were actually used though, as quite some US vehicles are mentioned. There must be a heft on wheeld vehicles, but regrettably I do not have that. And being loose leave, it is a reference book that is supposed to be updated on a regular bases, presumably.

On vehicle manuals and spare parts lists translated into German: you must be able to find lists of these, as most vehicle manuals had a German D number (D for Dienst?), eg.
D 605/1 Zundapp KS750/Seitenwagen Gerätbeschreibung (90 p.)
D 605/2 Zundapp KS750/Seitenwagen Ersatzteilliste (203 p.)
D 605/7 NSU Typ 251-OS Gerätebeschreibung (66 p.)
D 605/22 BMW Ersatzteilliste Seitenwagen R12 (20 p.)
D 605/27 DKW Kraftrad NZ 350-1 Geratbeschreibung (80 p.)
D 605/30 Gnome-Rhone Kraftrad u. Seitenwagen Ersatzteilliste (144p.)
D 614/12 Lastkraftwagen Laffly Ersatzteilliste (49 p.)

If the Bedford claim has any virtue it should come with a D manual. However in the 1944 Kraftfahrtechnische D-vorschriften (dated 1.4.44) in the section C.: fur Kfz. mit Lkw.-Fahrgestell, no Bedfords are mentioned, only the following two French trucks:
D 632/51 for 3 1/2 t Citroen Typ 45
D 632/52 for 1 1/2 u. 2 t Citroen Typ 23
This could mean that Morris-Commercials, Bedfords and all the rest of 'captured in quantity' trucks had been fased out, in case of the Bedfrods, even despite the german gearbox?

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Enigma
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Enigma »

As far as I know the German army used all trucks they captured. I have enclosed a link to a book that covers British trucks:

http://www.worldwartwobooks.com/product ... ht-service
British Trucks in Wehrmacht Service From Dunkirk to Moscow

Capture of British trucks (lorries) after the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940 and their continued service with the Wehrmacht until the end of WW II. Use on the eastern front, special Wehrmacht conversions and markings ranging from the Austin HP8 Series AP passenger cars to the light and medium Bedford and Morris-Commercial trucks up to the heavy trucks AEC and Scammell Pioneer.
les hearn
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by les hearn »

some trucks where even sent back to the factorys for modifictions

learnt that word of mouth by a ww2 vet ..but hey dont take my word for it :wink:



and yes many utility trucks where used
i have one in my garrage now still with origional markings on the side door (another renault)

no not me grey one either :wink:
Last edited by les hearn on Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Franz repper
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by Franz repper »

Les your correct about that Mr Renault did such a thing
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les hearn
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by les hearn »

im glad u said that as an independant ...i just added the renault bit myself as you where writing your post
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wolfsangel
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by wolfsangel »

There was a thread on this forum years ago about the bedford trucks and the gearboxes being replaced, in htatinstance there were reference to books/archive material but I'm not going to waste my evening looking for it
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timdp
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Re: Photo evidence of Ford model A pickups in Wehrmacht use.

Post by timdp »

Not pickups, but I have a bunch of photos of GAZ AA and AAA (Ford AA 1.5 ton trucks) trucks in Wehrmacht service.

Tim
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