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WW2 US Army Bicycles


Johan Willaert
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craig johnson

Picked up a couple of News photos of early Military Bicycles. Anybody know the brand of bike. Ive seen these in photos over the years, but no history on them.

Pretty sure they were marked 1942 on the back.

 

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Here is an original photo of a GI on the same type of bike. This photo was poster earlier, but I thought I would put them together

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hi All,

 

I just bought these identified photos of a bike and jeep in use in the UK in August 1944.

 

post-4089-1270587708.jpg

post-4089-1270587774.jpg

 

Second photo to follow...

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post-4089-1270588132.jpg

 

post-4089-1270588149.jpg

 

The bicycles appear to be the ordinary civilian bikes made by Phillips and other companies.

 

I get the impression that the pictures are Army Air Force, but if anyone can further identify Jerry Colvin, Syd, Lindy or Mac, I'd be happy to hear details.

 

Incidentally, does anyone know of any real issue US bikes for sale? I have a couple of BSA para bikes, and would consider a swap for the right one.

 

Thanks,

 

Best Regards,

 

Prof.

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Johan Willaert
Incidentally, does anyone know of any real issue US bikes for sale?

 

Well, I think you'd better get in line...

 

On average about 5 people a week ask me where to buy a genuine US Army WW2 bicycle...

 

Standard answer is Ebay...

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  • 5 weeks later...
Johan Willaert

2 Columbia MG Model bikes with GIs from HQ/796th Military Police Battalion, most probably Motor Pool Mechanics
Pictures were taken in the ETO, most probably Northern France or Belgium 1944-45

 

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Enjoy,

Johan

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  • 2 months later...
craig johnson

Won this picture on EBAY(of course this is the EBAY photo). The envelope showed up empty and the flap was not even glued down. Oh well. The seller gave a full refund including shipping.

 

Marked "Lt. Smith"

 

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Went to an Event in Uffheim, France yesterday, and took a picture of this bicycle. There were mostly ww-2 US Army vehicles there, but VERY nice and in great condition.

post-5172-1279430370.jpg

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I know this is not a military bike, but I thought some might like to see a civilian Huffman from about 1946. I just picked this up last weekend, and it is in very original condition. many of the fittings on it are still "blackout", like the hubs,pedal cranks,kickstand,seat post, and the stem nut. The serial number is an "H" prefix,too.


post-5589-0-97804400-1408504886.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
Constabulary

Is this a military Bicycle?
If yes what model is it?

Picture was taken in 1946 at the Bremen Enclave in the City of Blumenthal.

post-92-0-92723400-1399557283.jpg

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Johan Willaert

 

 


Is this a military Bicycle?
If yes what model is it?

Picture was taken in 1946 at the Bremen Enclave in the City of Blumenthal.


I would say that is a British made MkV* model of WW2 vintage
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Constabulary

Thanks for the info.

I have checekd your pictures so its obvious that the MKV was used by the US Troops in WWII.

The Gentlemen at the picture (Msgt Zimmer) was stationed in Mons, Belgium back in 1945 (according to a V-mail he sent some) and later he was sent to the Bremen Enclave with the 72nd QM Base Depot. So I guess he got the bike in France or Belgium and took it to Bremen.

I´ll try to figure it out - the Gentlemen is still alive (87 years old now) and I´m in contact with his daughter.

 

Maybe I´ll find an MKV on a fleamarket here in northern Germany as we were opccupied by the brits. Only Bremen Enclave was US occupied.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Johan,

 

I am curious about the style of forks they used on the Columbia (westfield) military bicycles.

Is this the style bracket (for the truss rods) they used? Or are they welded on?

If different would you mind posting some close up pictures?

 

Thanks,

Tino

post-176-1284219820.jpg

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Johan Willaert

The Truss Rods and bracket which you show seem identical to the ones on the WW2 military bikes...

 

The frame head and forks seem different though

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Interesting to see that they went back to this design, I don't think this style bracket was used since the motorbike style bicycles from the 20's- early 1930's.

 

Thanks,

Tino

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  • 3 weeks later...
Johan Willaert

Most war movies use a large number of period vehicles but the use of actual WW2 US Army bicycles seems to be limited to two of them. Both '12 O'clock High' and 'From Here to Eternity' were made in the immediate aftermath of WW2 and had a large number of original props....

'12 O'clock High' featured a rather large number of bikes which are seen ridden by USAAF ground crews in the background of a lot of scenes. In 'From Here to Eternity' the use of a WW2 bike is limited to one scene which shows the details of the bicycle very well....

 

Below are some stills from both movies which show the bikes...

 

12 O'clock High

 

12OCHigh-1.jpg

 

12OCHigh-2.jpg

 

12OCHigh-3.jpg

 

12OCHigh-4.jpg

 

From Here to Eternity

 

ColumbiaFromHTE.jpg

 

 

Does anyone know other movies or series where you see original WW2 bikes??

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  • 5 weeks later...

This one was for sale on Ciney military Expo... I do not know much about the bikes, the sign was saying WWII paratrooper folding bikie, 1900Euro" :)

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  • 3 months later...
craig johnson

Johan

Saw that picture. Forgot to bid. Thought it was funny that Paul Roland from "Columbia" Conn was sitting on a Huffman.

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Johan Willaert
Saw that picture. Forgot to bid. Thought it was funny that Paul Roland from "Columbia" Conn was sitting on a Huffman.

 

Don't worry, it went to a good home.... :lol:

Yes, the Columbia/Huffman connection is funny...

 

BTW this picture, along with some others from my collection will be used in a bike article for the French Militaria Magazine later this year...

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craig johnson

I know it went to a good home. Im still recovering from a about 10 new hand Cart photos and a new bicycle news photo. Will post the pictures when I get them scanned.

 

Also a couple of Hand Carts. One Cart will be shipped to me and the other I need to go get.

 

So if I would have remembered, my $25 bid wouldnt have won anyways.

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I'm glad you were the one to win it Johan, you were actually the first person I thought of when I added it to my watch list. :thumbsup:
I hope you don't mind that I beat you to the punch by posting it here. I actually didn't know that you were the one who had one it til now. :lol:

Aaron
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