Hitler's Third Reich and World War II in the News is a daily edited review of WWII news, providing thought-provoking collection of hand-picked WW2 information.

WW2 category: Vintage Military Vehicles (AFV) & Battle Tanks  -- See latest WWII news here. See also 'Radio-controlled tanks', 'WW2 Jeeps', 'German Tanks', 'Soviet Tanks', 'World War II Cars', 'Military Scale Models', 'Tank Forces, Panzer Crews'.

Photographs of knocked out Japanese tanks - Axis History Forum thread     axishistory.com :: 2009-09-23
World War II photos of destroyed Japanese tanks - Axis History Forum thread.    

3-mile convoy of military vehicles travels to Bethune to mark its liberation     thisissurreytoday.co.uk :: 2009-09-14
A convoy of World War II military vehicles rolled to France to mark an anniversary of the conflict. Military vehicle enthusiasts from Capel and Dorking (members of the Invicta Military vehicle Preservation Society) were among those who travelled to Bethune for a Liberation Day spectacular. They joined a 3-mile convoy of armoured vehicles, motorbikes and other vintage WW2 vehicles. The medieval town of Bethune was freed by the British 7th Armoured Division in September 1944 and 20 years ago the town started a commemoration of the event. Tank enthusiast John Dale took his Russian T-34 tank - which saw the fall of Berlin in 1945 - on board a military vehicle transporter.    

1945 Studebaker M29 Weasel was a top secret Allied military vehicle     homerhorizon.com :: 2009-07-31
It was built by the US Army to move through the snowy battlegrouns of Nazi Germany with speed. Terry Welshans' 1945 Studebaker M29 Weasel was created to take down the Nazi empire, but these days has been relegated to car shows and off-road adventures on Kentucky land. "It's just one of my toys. I collect and restore antique vehicles." The mini tank was built to compromise enemy lines but ended up with a simpler task: carrying military supplies. "It was one of the top secret projects of early World War II... Germans didn't have a vehicle this fast on snow, they could move around, travel to power plants... and blow them up without being caught."    

Kevin Kronlund collects tanks and World War II vintage military vehicles     twincities.com :: 2009-04-03
If we ever have to fight WW2 again, Kevin Kronlund is ready. He's saved the wheels that saved democracy. He has one of the comprehensive collection of WW2 vintage military vehicles in USA. It includes jeeps, trucks, half-tracks, staff cars, bulldozers, artillery pieces and a Sherman tank. His barns in Spooner, Wisconsin, are packed with 80 military vehicles, from the tiny Cushman scooter (made to be dropped by parachute behind enemy lines during the D-Day) to the colossal 90,650-pound tank retriever (the biggest wheeled vehicle the US Army used during the war). The cannons and machine guns can't fire any longer, but everything else has been restored.     [American Tanks]

The Tank Story: Bovington Tank Museum expects opening to go with a bang     bournemouthecho.co.uk :: 2009-04-02
Bovington's Tank Museum is making the last preparations for Saturday: the new 50,000 sq ft exhibition hall will open its doors to the public for the first time. The date also co-occurs with the 70th anniversary of the Bovington-based Royal Armoured Corps. Saturday will see an all-action tank display, free of charge, with 20 military vehicles traversing the new arena. The Army will re-enact an attack and the Royal Armoured Corps parachute display team will be visiting. Also featuring will be the Light Cavalry Band, and talks from serving soldiers. The new exhibition, The Tank Story, chronicles the history of the battle tank.     [Vintage Military Vehicles (AFV) & Battle Tanks]

Tim Hayes uses German World War II armoured motorcycle halftrack for shopping     dailymail.co.uk :: 2009-01-31
Shoppers stare when Tim Hayes rumbles up in his German WW2 armoured motorcycle halftrack. "The looks on people's faces whenever I rumble down the street is priceless, I swear some of them think Birmingham is being invaded." The 2,500 lbs vehicle comes with tank-style tracks powered by a 1500cc engine. The vehicles appeared in the film Saving Private Ryan when American paratroopers used an empty Kettenkrad to draw the attention of German forces. The 3-seaters were used mainly on the Eastern Front to lay communication cables, pull heavy loads and carry soldiers through the deep mud.    

Jacques Littlefield, owner of a huge military vehicle collection, passes away     insidebayarea.com :: 2009-01-10
Jacques Littlefield, a tank buff who supported many museums and made his huge private collection of military vehicles available to the public, has passed away aged 59. His collection of over 150 military vehicles is one of the largest private collections in the world. Housed at Pony Tracks Ranch the tanks, armored cars, and other antique defense mechanisms have attracted authors, educators, historians, veterans groups, model makers, and the defense and entertainment industries. The tanks will continue to be managed by the organization Littlefield started for their maintenance and restoration in 1998, the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation.    

Soviet wartime domestic truck production - thread at Axis History Forum     axishistory.com :: 2008-12-08
This Axis History Forum - thread includes detailed figures on trucks produced in Russia during the Second World War. Soviet truck production was substantial, but Lend Lease trucks completely outclassed Soviet built trucks in performance, durability, load, etc. Soviet trucks were older designs mostly used in rear areas, while Lend Lease trucks gave the Red Army the tactical mobility which took the Wehrmacht by surprise during the last years of the war.    

Old Cushman scooter restored to its World War II form     tdn.com :: 2008-12-01
Dick Herriman sold his military surplus Cushman scooter to a neighbor in the late 1940s. The man gave it back to him in 2002 and Herriman just ended restoring. The 75-year-old handyman now drives the scooter, complete with a sidecar, in parades. Herriman spent a good chunk of his effort researching history. His scooter is one of 100 Model 34 M-70s ordered by the Army Air Corps 747th Bombardment Squadron - and it might be the only 747th scooter left. As Herriman scoured away the old paint, he saw military markings. He took photos and contacted the Military Preservation Society, finding printouts about his model from official archives.    

25 World War II military vehicles and motorcycles under the hammer     timesofmalta.com :: 2008-11-21
History buffs have the chance to become owners of military vehicles which have contributed to the war effort. A collection of 25 WWII vehicles and motorcycles will auctioned off in Parish Street, Naxxar, Malta. Some of the vehicles, all swathed in nostalgia, are in a good state of repair while others require restoration. Vehicles include: a Fordson Middle Weight Truck, a Bedford Middle Weight Truck, A Ford V8 (4-ton) 1942 truck, a British Willis Jeep (original frame and chassis) and 3 motorcycles in good condition (a BSA, a Norton and a Matchless). In addition there will be several lots of spare parts for vintage vehicles.    

1942 U.S. Army Harley-Davidson Liberator motorcycle on display     tradingmarkets.com :: 2008-11-14
U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Britt West loaned his 1942 U.S. Army Harley-Davidson Liberator motorcycle to the Edgecombe County Veterans Museum. He said that exhibiting his motorcycle in the museum was better than it being in his garage, where it would "never be seen." West said the motorcycle was in use during the war because the previous owner in the UK bought it from Switzerland, where it had been restored. Civilian Liberators look like the wartime motorcycles, and are sometimes painted in Army colors to look like wartime versions. West has invested $8,000-$10,000 in the motorcycle.    

Remembering the mechanized Army of World War II     dailypress.com :: 2008-10-06
Lee Holland has set up a museum filled with WWII Army vehicles. "What I try to present, is how we went from the horse and the mule to a truly mechanized Army." His restored vehicles include: a 1942 Willys-Overland -- the original Army "jeep" -- a 1942 Dodge command car -- a 1941 GMC 2 -- a 1942 Dodge -- a 1943 Checker Cab 1-ton trailer -- and a 1943 American Bantam Car Co. "This is where the jeeps all began. Every jeep out there is a direct descendent of this jeep [1942 Willys-Overland MB]." His 2160-square-foot museum also has exhibits from the life of a World War II GI Joe, including mannequin soldiers in WWII-era military uniforms.    

Redball Military Transport show - WWII vehicles a big hit with history buffs and collectors     tnonline.com :: 2008-09-29
Military vehicles and equipment invaded the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert, but there was no cause for alarm, as this intrusion was welcomed by history buffs and collectors alike. The force behind this event was an organization named "Redball Military Transport" (taking its name from the WWII supply route known as "The Redball Express"). The annual event - including a rally and flea market - showcases military vehicles, WWII-era motorcycles, transport equipment and weapons of all kinds. The members of Redball Military Transport collect, repair and show antique military vehicles.    

More information about Bulgarian WW2 tanks and turrets on sale     sofiaecho :: 2008-03-14
The interest shown by museums and collectors in the war relics has made the Defence ministry to sell the tanks and other equipment, some made in the Soviet Union, in an auction on March 19 in Sofia. On sale will be four 75 mm turret gun KVK - T-4 (Panzer IV) in Maybach turret (not a full set, gun body missing), two 75 mm T-3 (Panzer III) (not a full set), eighty-two ZiS-S-53/85 mm turret gun with a turret (not a full set), seven ZiS-S-53/85 mm turret guns in a T-34 turret (not a full set), one ZiS-S-54/85 mm tank gun (not a full set), 50 of the ZiS-S -53/85 mm turret gun in a T-34 turret (not a full set).    

Bulgaria scrambles to rescue hundreds of rusty German WWII tanks     afp :: 2008-02-22
Until recently, over 100 rusty military tanks lay half-buried near Bulgaria's border, set up as a Cold War deterrent to NATO's southern flank. But the theft of a rare vintage military vehicle forced the army to start an operation to save those still left from looters. Demand was such that a Russian collector made an effort to buy one of the museum's models, a German Panzer IV, with 2.5 million euros. "Bulgaria received some 97 German Panzer IV tanks, 100 Sturmgeschuetz III assault guns and Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyers when it joined the Nazis..." said Blagoy Milenov, of Sofia's military history museum.    

Char B Tank, used during the WWII occupation of Jersey, heading back     thisisdorset :: 2008-01-23
Article no longer available from the original source.
A german tank used during the WWII occupation of Jersey is heading back to the island after 6 decades. After the 1945 Allied victory the Char B Tank was shipped to the Bovington Tank Museum: presently under a major rebuild. Now the 25-tonne former heavyweight is temporarily returning to its wartime home to form a display at the Jersey War Tunnels attraction. Tank museum curator David Willey said: "The Char B has great significance to the island as it was one of 17 tanks... stationed in Jersey." Andrew Ridgway explained: "knowing that there was a Renault Char B1 in the collection that had been based in Jersey... I offered accommodation for it in Jersey."    

Super-heavy tanks of World War II     wikipedia :: 2007-08-30
Super-heavy tanks were designed in response to the arms race of ever-increasing armament and armour in battle tanks. Although some models were built, they were impractical and saw no combat. Some extreme tank designs approved by Adolf Hitler were devised to be all-conquering monsters of the battlefield. A prime example being the Maus, which only reached the prototype stage. Ultra-heavy tanks of 1,000 tonnes were considered, like the Landkreuzer P. 1000 "Ratte", an enormous tank, and the P. 1500 "Monster", a gigantic self-propelled artillery platform. These were deemed impractical and neither was built, as Albert Speer put an end to these behemoths.    

Vintage Bikes - Vintage World War II motorcycles     cherokeesentinel :: 2007-08-01
When the U.S. War Department asked motorcycle manufacturers to come up with military machines for WWII, Harley and Indian answered the call. At first, both produced models with V-twin engines derived from their existing streetbike lines. But the War Department also asked for designs to use for desert fighting in North Africa. Harley opted to copy the design of BMW's R71 - used by the German Army - building a flat-twin boxer motor. Indian took a different route, creating the Model 841, but the military never adopted the machine. The same was true of Harley's BMW-like XA. Instead, the motorcycle used by American forces was the 750cc V-twin Harley WLA.    

DUKWs, World War II-era amphibious crafts, used for tourist tours     nytimes :: 2007-06-30
When James Healy gets behind the wheel of a 19,000-pound ex-military vehicle called a duck and begins maneuvering it over Boston's streets, he becomes Cmdr. James Bernard Swampscott, a decorated military officer of his own creation. The commander wears khaki military uniform and displays a knowledge of Beacon Hill. But the best part of this trip - and of all the growing number of amphibious city tours - comes when the vehicle leaves land and plunges into water. Like the Boston tours, San Francisco's use DUKWs, World War II-era amphibious craft that were used in operations like D-Day and commonly called ducks.    

Restoring World War II military vehicles more than a hobby - an honor     kvnews :: 2007-06-18
Dave Wakefield found a 1942 Chevrolet World War II truck buried up to its axle in dirt in Ellensburg. For him restoring WWII vehicles is more than a hobby, it's an honor: "It's kind of an adventure. Like being an archaeologist and finding a historical treasure you can share with others." When he enters his 1943 Burma Jeep in parades, he dresses in military uniforms, which he also collects. A clean vehicle is out of the question: "I don't think there ever was a vehicle that was spotless." In one parade, he felt uncomfortable because the jeep was too clean. He found a mud puddle and splashed through it for a genuine look.    

Village tycoon fighting for right to party with warplanes, battle tanks     timesonline :: 2007-06-09
With low-flying warplanes, tanks and battle re-enactments, it was some birthday party for the American multimillionaire Charles Burnett III. For a man often driving a battle tank around the grounds of his Georgian mansion, it was nothing out of the ordinary. But some residents were dismayed as their village was turned into a battlezone. The hundred guests, who had been invited to wear vintage uniforms, danced to an orchestra performing military music. Althea Ayre: "There were lots of people going about in camouflage and tanks driving around, it was very frightening. I lived through WWII and I have painful memories of that time."    

Remembering the Machinery of War     cantonrep :: 2007-06-01
Memorial Day honors military veterans of America's many wars, but amid all the ritualistic remembering, some 'veterans' are forgotten, namely, the cannons and war wagons that accompanied flesh-and-blood vets in battle. More than a hundred such antiquities rest in a dusty dirt lot in South El Monte. Retrograde tanks and personnel carriers, outdated anti-aircraft guns, boxy Jeeps and hulking trucks of World War II, Korean Conflict and Vietnam War vintage, all crowd the premises at the American Society of Military History Museum. Every artifact in the place is armored. The museum is brainchild and life's mission of Don Michelson.    

Battle tank and armored personnel carrier course meeting opposition     wcco.com :: 2007-05-07
Tony Borglum has a thing for tanks. Last fall, after he and his father traveled to England to buy one, they bought 4 more with the idea of opening a tank-riding and obstacle course in their back yard. "We were there a day and a half, and I got to thinking: 'There's nothing like this in the U.S.,'" said Borglum, talking about the obstacle course in England where he bought the tanks and an armored personnel carrier. What happened has turned Waseca County into a battleground, because residents are less than thrilled by the idea of battle tanks and an armored personnel carrier rumbling across the land.    

History buff collects tanks, combat vehicles, self-propelled guns     sfgate :: 2007-04-09
Jacques Littlefield has amassed the country's largest private collection of tanks, self-propelled guns, armored personnel carriers, and anti-aircraft and other heavy combat vehicles on the lush, rolling hills of his 470-acre ranch. The real prize is the dreaded German Panzer V Panther, which the German army sank in a Polish river during World War II to keep it from the advancing Russians. The Panther sat submerged for 50 years until Littlefield acquired it and began a painstaking restoration four years ago. As an undergrad, he built a model tank from scratch in the campus machine shop. In 1976, he bought his first combat vehicle, a WWII Scout armored truck.    

Military-vehicle enthusiasts march to drum of bygone era     cjmmp.org :: 2007-03-13
Joe DiGiovanni and Warren Boekhout like to play with trucks: the big, green, antique kind that once fought the nation's wars. When they meet at the Somerset Armory in Franklin as the Central Jersey Military Motor Pool, DiGiovanni, Boekhout and their fellow military-vehicle enthusiasts plan parades and trade knowledge and parts. "It's a way of keeping military history alive and remembering the guys who went before us," said Dave Peters. DiGiovanni owns 7 WWII vehicles and a 1941 cannon. The Army later replaced the cannon with another model because it didn't work against German battle tanks, the best it could do was chip the paint.    

A WWII Jeep - Memorabilia and military vehicles     newsday :: 2007-02-22
Article no longer available from the original source.
Paul Dooling spends many of his hours toiling away in his garage, or what he calls his "clubhouse" - for big boys that's steeped in history and filled with memorabilia from World War II: including a rebuilt Army Jeep, old military magazines and newspapers, even a parachute that was used for carrier pigeons. I paid $4,000 for the Jeep. I had another one that I put together and last year sold it for $11,000. I also got this ammunition trailer that the Marines used in the Pacific in Iwo Jima in Kings Park. And when I was a mechanic, some of my customers gave me their WWII uniforms and some of the stuff in the trailer.    

Vintage military vehicles roll into Market of Marion     thevillagesdailysun :: 2007-02-11
Whenever Charles Hildebrant travels to a military show, someone stops to admire his ride: a 6-wheel 1943 Dodge jeep. "It was a personnel weapons carrier," said Hildebrant, coordinator for the First Florida Chapter Military Vehicle Preservation Association, which is inviting the public to the Market of Marion for an up-close look at vehicles American soldiers used on the battlefield. Unique jeep will be among 25 vintage military vehicles on display. "We'll have jeeps, heavy trucks, a Pingauzer, all sorts of military vehicles. We have vehicles of World War II and Korean War vintage, a couple of Vietnam vintage trucks, to present-day vehicles."    

WWII vehicles retrace Patton's route from D-Day Utah beach     militaryltd :: 2006-07-12
A convoy of World War II military vehicles has set off from D-Day Utah Beach to retrace the steps of the Allied forces. Some 250 Americans, Britons, Canadians, French and Belgians mounted original WWII-era trucks and other vehicles for the 713-mile tour through Normandy and northern France. The trip started Monday and wraps up July 23 at a ceremony at General George S. Patton's tomb at the American military cemetery. The path follows the itinerary of General Patton's famous Third Army. One veteran is taking part: Belgian Maurice Sperandieu, who joined Patton's force as a teenager during the Liberation.    

Armoured and dangerous - Shermans, Panzers, Panther     deccanherald :: 2006-06-11
When we tumbled at Jacques Littlefield's 10,000 square foot vehicle restoration facility, we saw several old and battered looking genuine battle tanks sitting outside the facility. Battle tanks are not something everybody collects and there are 220 military vehicles, which reside at Pony Tracks Ranch. A muscular German Panzer IV - which under Rommel's Afrika Korps attacked British forces in the desert of North Africa. A 1944 German Panther tank rescued after 40 years in a Polish bog. Numerous one-of-a-kind prototypes.    

Museum of Vintage military vehicles used in war movies     jacksonvilleprogress :: 2006-05-30
Vintage military vehicles used in war movies make their home in Rusk - and belong to Tom Townsend, owner of Toyland Military Museum, East Texas' largest, privately owned military vehicle collection. Tom, as a tank platoon commander in the 1960s, earned the rank of First Lieutenant. "It all began when I was hired to work on the movie, 'Courage Under Fire.' They couldn't find a whole lot of people who could drive tanks." The museum consists of more than a dozen operational military vehicles from World War II through Desert Storm, plus weapons, uniforms and military artifacts.    

Classic vehicles - Ferrets and Lynxes and Sherman tanks     theglobeandmail :: 2006-05-26
Ferrets and a black-smoke-belching diesel-powered vintage Sherman make up part of the 72 vehicle collection of the Oshawa Aeronautical, Military and Industrial Museum located at the municipal airport, which served as a Second World War Commonwealth air-training base. One of the goals of the museum volunteers is to have all the vehicles actually run, and more than 40 currently do. A tour begins with the artifact section before moving out to the machinery hanger. This is tightly packed with a Sherman and Chaffee tank, Bren gun carrier, Chevy staff car, a Willys Jeep, a M37 Dodge Power Wagon...     [Memorials and Museums]

75 Years of Porsche Engineering Services: Cars and Panzers     paddocktalk :: 2006-04-30
On 25 April 1931 Ferdinand Porsche founded an Engineering Office. The Type 64 racing car built in 1938/39 is the original ancestor of all sports cars to follow from Porsche in the decades to come. 1939 Porsche was requested by the German Army to develop a medium-weight battle tank, but work was discontinued due to greater demand for heavier tanks. So developing the Tank 101 "Tiger", Porsche KG submitted its bid to the Army Armament for the building of a tank in the weight category above 50 tonnes. In 1942 Porsche got the assignment to build a very heavy armoured car - known as the Tank 205 "Maus", but only two prototypes were built.     [World War II Cars]

For sale: 70 military vehicles and artillery pieces     theage :: 2006-04-14
When John Belfield takes his pride and joy for a cruise down his driveway, his neighbour complains that his house shakes. A 50-tonne Centurion main battle tank will have that effect. His arsenal includes WWII Matilda tanks with flame-throwers, an AC1 Sentinel and AC3 Thunderbolt tank, an M3 A1 Stuart tank, anti-aircraft guns, a mobile radar unit, a white half-track armoured vehicle and a Saracen armoured personnel carrier. His weapons are surrounded by searchlights, bugles, uniforms and gas masks. Plastic soldiers fight historic battles within glass cases.     [Panzers & Armored Divisions & Tank War]

Museum acquired a rare M-36 Jackson tank destroyer     newstimeslive :: 2006-03-07
Tank destroyers were meant to combat the big-gunned, heavily armored German Tigers and Panthers that "badly outclassed" the American Sherman tanks during the war. They were basically fast, lightly protected gun platforms firing shells that could penetrate the German armor. Their survival - and that of their crews - depended on speed and elusiveness, rather than heavy armor. Only about 1,500 M-36s were manufactured, and they reached the front in 1944, replacing older, smaller tank destroyers like the M-10 Wolverine and M-18 Bearcat.     [WWII Anti-tank crews, guns & weapons]

Remains of two second world war tanks found on the beach     Archant Regional :: 2006-03-04
Remains of two second world war tanks found on the beach at Titchwell. The exposed rusty remains of the tanks offer an insight into the 1940s when the beach was used by the Royal Tank Regiment as a practice range. The squadrons that may have used the tanks were the A Squadron, the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, the 13th/8th Hussars and the 27th Lancers.     [Vintage Military Vehicles (AFV) & Battle Tanks]

Chinese tanks during World War II     mailer.fsu.edu :: 2000-08-20
A list of Chinese tanks is difficult to put together because every sort of import and seized weapon was used. Many local armor versions were set up from materials on hand. Warlords would take trucks and have metal plates bolted to the sides and a machine gun mounted on the top. At the beginning of the conflict with Japan, the Chinese had a variety of old AFV and 7000 trucks. China had 2 armored battalions that fought around Shanghai when war broke out with Japan in 1937. Almost half of China's armor was either captured or destroyed by 1938 as out of the 96 tanks they started with, only 48 remained.     [Japan, China, WWII]

See also:
'Radio-controlled tanks'
'WW2 Jeeps'
'German Tanks'
'Soviet Tanks'
'World War II Cars'
'Military Scale Models'
'Tank Forces, Panzer Crews'.

Although the articles linked from Adolf Hitler's Third Reich 1933-1945 and World War II in the News are reviewed and specially selected, they do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, who is not responsible for the content of any external sites. This service is © Joni Nuutinen 2005-2009. All rights reserved.