patches Posted September 18, 2013 Share #1 Posted September 18, 2013 Was this standard 50 mount on this type of vehical? Swinging way out on a Dodge AT truck to fire the 50 mounted on the bummper, he looks like he's gotta hold on for dear life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted September 18, 2013 Share #2 Posted September 18, 2013 Totally impractical. Posed for the cameras. If he pressed the trigger button his accuracy would be zero and he'd be shaken off in no time at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doinworkinvans Posted September 18, 2013 Share #3 Posted September 18, 2013 My WC didnt look like that! But I certainly would have it I would vote for a staged picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted September 18, 2013 Share #4 Posted September 18, 2013 In fact...the A/T gunners would be in grave danger of having their heads blown clean off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost Posted September 18, 2013 Share #5 Posted September 18, 2013 Absolutely ridiculous. The only thing more ridiculous would be someone driving while he was in that position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doinworkinvans Posted September 18, 2013 Share #6 Posted September 18, 2013 In fact...the A/T gunners would be in grave danger of having their heads blown clean off! BBAAAAHAHAHA - so true!!! WATCH OUT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAF_Collection Posted September 18, 2013 Share #7 Posted September 18, 2013 The truck is a 1942 Dodge WC-55 37mm Gun Motor Carriage. Very few were built and AFAIK none went into action and most, if not all were converted back to being standard Weapons Carriers. The bumper mounted .50 is indeed a field mod, not normally fitted to the M6 and was likely intended to defend against air attack, fine providing the enemy only approach from the rear!. Matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted September 18, 2013 Share #8 Posted September 18, 2013 Matt, Right and wrong. it is a WC-55 (also known as an M-6 Gun motor carriage) but they did see combat service in North Africa. They were quickly withdrawn as their limitations became known almost immediately. The guns were removed and the trucks converted into straight 3/4 ton Dodge cargo trucks. Some of the guns wound up mounted in Halftracks of the 2nd Armored division later in the war. The .50 mount is not standard for the M-6 but was added to provide some anti-aircraft protection. The rather flamboyant display was done apparently for the cameras. Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted September 18, 2013 Share #9 Posted September 18, 2013 Awwwww, you mean I can't put a .50 mount like that on the front bumper of the ADA Museum's WC-51??? Shucks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Meatcan Posted September 19, 2013 Share #10 Posted September 19, 2013 It looks like some crazy stunt you'd see on the old Rat Patrol tv show! Staged? No doubt. But still a neat pic. Thanks for posting it! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted September 19, 2013 Share #11 Posted September 19, 2013 I need one of those on the front of my Hyundai !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share #12 Posted September 19, 2013 It looks like some crazy stunt you'd see on the old Rat Patrol tv show! Staged? No doubt. But still a neat pic. Thanks for posting it! Terry The makers of Rat Patrol weren't as clever as our boys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted September 19, 2013 Share #13 Posted September 19, 2013 That "flying Jeep" isn't too far removed from the truth. There's a well-known sequence in a newsreel about the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers which shows Jeeps towing 37mm A/T guns literally "leaping" over mounds and ditches! ( Betcha Kevin can locate that clip...or some stills from it! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAF_Collection Posted September 19, 2013 Share #14 Posted September 19, 2013 Matt, Right and wrong. it is a WC-55 (also known as an M-6 Gun motor carriage) but they did see combat service in North Africa. They were quickly withdrawn as their limitations became known almost immediately. The guns were removed and the trucks converted into straight 3/4 ton Dodge cargo trucks. Some of the guns wound up mounted in Halftracks of the 2nd Armored division later in the war. The .50 mount is not standard for the M-6 but was added to provide some anti-aircraft protection. The rather flamboyant display was done apparently for the cameras. Tom Bowers Thanks for the correction Tom, I wasn't aware they had seen combat. Quite a few WC-55's survive(less gun) as they were supplied to Norway following WWII. Matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share #15 Posted September 20, 2013 That "flying Jeep" isn't too far removed from the truth. There's a well-known sequence in a newsreel about the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers which shows Jeeps towing 37mm A/T guns literally "leaping" over mounds and ditches! ( Betcha Kevin can locate that clip...or some stills from it! ) Right, I remember it, the 1941 one, have to check around. But here is the the Piasecki VZ-8 Airgeep circa early 60s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted September 20, 2013 Was this the jeep in question at the Louisana maneuvers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted September 20, 2013 Share #17 Posted September 20, 2013 You got it Kevin!! That's the sequence...well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share #18 Posted September 20, 2013 You got it Kevin!! That's the sequence...well done! Now you look for the footage on youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted September 20, 2013 Share #19 Posted September 20, 2013 Can't find any "flying jeeps" but I did find some footage of "flying tanks" from the '41 maneuvers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtl2T-AGH_o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share #20 Posted September 21, 2013 Can't find any "flying jeeps" but I did find some footage of "flying tanks" from the '41 maneuvers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtl2T-AGH_o And shown in Mussolini's Italy too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted September 21, 2013 Share #21 Posted September 21, 2013 Man that is just plain crazy! Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 22, 2013 Share #22 Posted September 22, 2013 Well, since there isn't anywhere else to mount an AA machine gun, that mount makes perfect sense to me. The way it is being used, not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cary91 Posted October 7, 2013 Share #23 Posted October 7, 2013 Well I can say from experience jumping a jeep is nerve racking! My buddy and I restored a gpw well more assembled a gpw/mb/cj/m38. He was on a budget and it was something we planned to use and abuse and lemme tell you it took the abuse very well though we weren't reckless. Well anyways we reenact ww2 as well and did a winter tactical event well long story short I had the thing wound up in 3rd gear and launched it over the top of a hill (knowing that no one was in the area) and I got great airtime with it. Though I felt like I was going to go flying... and I had a steering wheel to hang onto felt bad for the guy in the seat next to me! These guys in this picture though... I don't think they were aware of the landing that came shortly after this picture... wouldn't be surprised if the guy in back bounced out! -Cary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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