Den Freunden von Militär-Oldies gewidmet

MFF-Obmann:  Max Maurer, Am Zilbach 5, 8117 Fällanden

 

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Dodge WC: Types & Production numbers according to Becker/Dentzer (pics=>click on type)

WC-51wo winch123'541

WC-52(w Winch) 59'114

WC-53 Carry All    8'400

WC-54 Ambul.    26'002

WC-55 Gun Motor- Carriage M6            5'380

WC-56 Command Car  (without winch)    21'156 (Gen Auguste Nogues & Gen George S. Patton)

WC-57 Command Car (with winch)             6'010

WC-58 Radio-Car            (counted in WC-56) 

WC-59 Telephone Repair                          607

WC-60 Emergency Repair                          296

WC-61 Telephone Repair K-50-B              58

WC-62(wo Winch 23'092 (french after war modification with sand-tires and desert air filter)

WC-63(w winch)  20'132

WC-64 KD Ambul.  3'500

 

Total:

4x4(51-61,64KD)254'064

6X6 (62&63)           43'224

Dodge WC – Story  (in brief)

 

Dodge WC series  ¾ - ton (4x4) und 1 ½ -ton (6x6) is a pure war vehicle, built by the US, and was in action in every theater of World War II in Europe, Africa and Far East. Its development based on the huge experience of the Dodge Company, who already had built a great amount of small trucks and pick-up's since WW I.

 

Those war-versions of course have been built very sturdy to match their future rough missions. Many of those vehicles have been delivered also to allies at that time, as UK, Canada, Australia and the former Soviet Union. In total, 297'288 vehicles of the WC series have been built by Dodge Corporation from 1942 to 1945. This number comes from the Dodge WC-"Bible" written by Emile Becker and Guy Dentzer. Therefore, Dodge WC belongs to the most built vehicles during WW II, together with the legendary Jeeps MB and the CCKW-353 GMC trucks. "WC", by the way, is the abbreviation of "weapon carrier", what is already pointing at its various possible applications. Most versions were built as troop- or ammunition transporters in "pick-up-style", initially for 10 soldiers, later on also three-axle versions  (1 ½ ton) for 14 soldiers. There were also many other types, but all using the same technical basis, such as Ambulances, Command-Cars, Officers-Cars, Radio-Cars as well as Repair- and Maintenance vehicles. In addition, we see armed vehicles, equipped with machine guns, anti-aircraft-guns, multiple rocket launchers, mortars etc. It's a fact, that Dodge WC played a major role in the liberation of Europe from National Socialism, starting by D-Day in Normandy, June 6th 1944, until the final victory over Germany in May 1945. Dodge WC vehicles often have been used by renowned Army Commanders e.g General Eisenhower, later President of the United States, George S. Patton, the reckless tank-general and even occasionally by the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Today's Queen Elizabeth II served her country during WW II, then a young princess, as a driver and mechanic for Dodge WC Ambulances.

 

After the end of WW II in Europe, in May 1945, it wasn't worth for the United States, to ship back all those hundreds of thousands of military-vehicles from Europe to the US. Therefore, they have been sold to allied and neutral armies in great amount as so-called "Surplus"-vehicles. Most European armies were only poorly motorized by that time, only the German Army had a considerable motorization extent, but "Wehrmacht" was already defeated by that time and most of its vehicles were destroyed. Therefore,  many Dodge WC came to the armies of France, Holland, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Belgium and of course to the Swiss Army. There, they continued their duty in a pretty peaceful way until to the end of the seventies. Many Dodge WC's have also been rebuilt as  fire-brigade vehicles or wreckers, because new production of such vehicles only started slowly after the war in Europe. When finding such vehicles today, what is a very rare chance, in the backyard of a garage or overgrown by thorn bushes, those will be pulled out merciless and restored to their original state.

 

When those WWII-built vehicles were taken out of service by most armies in the seventies, a huge enthusiasts scene grew quickly, buying such vehicles in considerable number at auctions and restoring them most accurate to their original state, to preserve them for an interested posterity. It is a fact, that the antique military vehicles scene includes the greatest number of historic vehicles in many countries in Europe.

 

Technical Data:  Dodge WC-52

Length:                        4.47 m

Width:                          2.10 m

Height  :                       2.15m

Body:                           Pick-Up

Total Weight:             3.1  tons

Net Weight:               2.3  tons

Payload:                     0.8  tons

Seats:                           Front 2, rear 8

Engine                       Dodge T214 6-Cylinder Gasoline, 3.8 Litres Engine size, Oil capacity 5 Litres, water cooled, 17 Litres.

Performance:             92 HP at  3200 rpm

Transmission:            4 gears, first gear very low ratio for off-road use, gears non-synchronized

Drive:                            Rear wheel, shiftable front-wheel-drive, no differential lock

Elektric:                        6V, radio vehicles 12 V

Brakes:                         4-wheel drum brakes, hydraulic, handbrake on propeller shaft

Tires                         9.00 x 16 inch military tyres NDT (Non Directional Tires)

Tank capacity:           115 Litres gasoline

Consumption:            22 – 25 Liter/100 km  on road, depends on driving

Max speed:                 80 km/h

Fording:                      0.8 m water depth

Winch:                         mechanic, traction 2.5 tons

                                                                                                                                                                                                  August 2012 / RSt