At the beginning of the "Lease Act", the vehicles received by the Soviet Army were far from the latest advanced models.
It was not until 1942 that the United States began to provide the Soviet Union with a new multi-purpose all-wheel-drive Dodge utility vehicle with a payload of 750 kg. Initially, these vehicles did not even find a corresponding position in the Soviet military vehicle classification at the time, but the Soviet army quickly gave it a simple and easy-to-understand name "Dodge Three Quarters", that is, a payload of 0.75 tons. The picture shows the Dodge T214 WC58 command vehicle, which used to be General George Patton's car in 1945.
This article will introduce in detail the Dodge WC (Dodge WC) multi-purpose vehicle obtained by the Soviet Union through the "Lease Act" during World War II. The author Evgeny Kochnev (Evgeny Kochnev), I will share with you.
Dodge T214 WC-51 and WC-52 have been assembled and are about to be shipped to the front line. They are one of the most commonly equipped vehicles of the US military in World War II.
Dodge "General Purpose Vehicle" is a modernized and improved civilian all-metal pickup truck based on commercial success. It is a multi-purpose all-wheel drive military vehicle with a variety of wheelbases. There are two-axle and three-axle series. Modified into a passenger car or light truck. Perform tasks such as transporting personnel, wounded, reconnaissance, patrol, and guarding, and can be equipped with various weapons, towing light trailers or light artillery. Due to different models, with payloads ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 tons, the design level of this series of vehicles was unparalleled at the time and has become one of the most important achievements of the American automobile industry. From 1942 to 1945, a small amount of Dodge WC was sent to the Soviet Union under the Lease Act.
Dodge T202 series (VC1/VC6)
With the outbreak of World War II, Chrysler’s Dodge easily won the first tender from the US military and developed the first batch of 0.5-ton multi-purpose T202 (4×4) series military vehicle. This series is equipped with a simplified cab, all wheels are single-wheel design, which is an improvement from the traditional rear-wheel drive chassis of the 1939 pickup truck.
1939, Dodge T202 VC1 light convertible command vehicle, full metal body, can seat five people. The
T202 series integrates the streamlined appearance of civil vehicles at that time, using prototype hoods, "inflatable" fenders, and curved cutouts on both sides of the body instead of conventional doors. It uses a 79-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine with a cylinder volume of 3.3 liters, a single-stage transfer case and a four-speed gearbox, a drive axle developed by Dodge, semi-elliptical spring suspension, hydraulic brakes, 7.50-16 tires, and a dead weight of up to 3 tons. The maximum speed is 80 km/h.
Dodge T202 VC3 chassis, with a closed two-seater cab, parallel anti-aircraft machine guns installed at the rear of the body. The main model of the
series is considered to be the VC1 convertible command and reconnaissance vehicle, equipped with Budd's all-metal simplified body, with spare tires installed on the side. The main feature of the second model VC2 is the installation of a radio behind the rear seats.
In 1940, the U.S. Army Dodge T202 VC5 all-metal pickup, with combat personnel seats in the rear compartment.
In April 1940, a Dodge T202 VC5 pickup truck with a 1917 7.62×63mm anti-aircraft machine gun was installed.
VC3, VC4 and VC5 are three types of pickup trucks with different types of cabs and cargo compartments for installing anti-aircraft machine guns.
Dodge T202 VC6 all-wheel drive van (Carryall), the rear is a clam-style tailgate that opens up and down. The
VC6 "Carryall" utility vehicle is a three-door van equipped with a fully enclosed body for the transportation of military goods. In the two years after the outbreak of World War II, Dodge delivered 4640 T202 series vehicles to the US Army.
Dodge T207 / T211 / T215 series (WC1 / WC43)
In 1940, Dodge won another tender plan from the US military, and quickly developed and began mass production of the second batch of enhanced multi-purpose vehicles, which is the T207 0.5 ton class vehicle. T207 has a more obvious military vehicle shape, Adopting a simple heat dissipation grille and a flat mudguard. Equipped with an 85-horsepower engine with a cylinder volume of 3.6 liters. Compared with the T202 series, it has more horsepower. Equipped with a front mechanical winch, the maximum traction is 2.5 tons.
1941, Dodge T207 WC1 pickup truck with a two-seater cab and an awning on the cargo compartment. The range of use of the new model
has been greatly expanded, adopting a WC1 multi-purpose pickup chassis with a wheelbase of about three meters, a double cab and a convertible body. The US military terminology calls it a "weapon carrier", which gives its subsequent series a WC number. On this basis, three types of special vehicles were produced: WC6 four-seater ordinary type with open body and awning, WC7 with winch, and WC8 with radio station.
Dodge T207 WC7 convertible command vehicle equipped with a self-rescue winch, which is being tested in Fort Horabod.
is equipped with a winch and an open-cargo WC4, which can carry various weapons.
has a WC3 pickup with an open cargo compartment and a WC4 with a winch. Various weapons including 37mm anti-aircraft guns can be installed in the cargo compartment.
In 1941, the WC9 long-wheelbase ambulance was able to transport four wounded in prone position.
also developed the WC9 enclosed ambulance, which uses an extended wheelbase chassis, and the rear wheels can be equipped with a tire to become two wheels. There are also WC10 vans, and similar WC11 cargo trucks.
Dodge T207 WC11 multi-purpose truck, mainly used to transport various military equipment.
From 1941 to 1942, the third enhanced 0.5-ton T211 series was mass-produced, equipped with a more advanced 85 horsepower engine. At the same time, the fourth enhanced 0.5-ton T215 series equipped with a 92-horsepower 3.8-liter engine was also put into production.
In 1942, the Dodge T215 WC25, the US military only equipped 92 vehicles, with an open body, with a canvas awning and radio station.
On the surface, there is no difference between them and the T207 series, but their military numbers have undergone a fundamental change. The T211 series numbers are from WC12 to WC20, and the T215 series numbers are from WC21 to WC43. By 1944, a total of 78,200 0.5-ton military vehicles had been produced, some of which were provided to the Allies through the Lease Act.
Dodge T207 WC3, without self-rescue winch, mainly used for installing anti-aircraft weapons and towing trailers.
The Dodge T211 WC18 ambulance manufactured in 1943, equipped with an 85 horsepower engine.
Dodge T215 WC40 pickup truck, equipped with a two-seater all-metal cab, equipped with the most powerful 92 horsepower engine.
Dodge T214 series (WC51 / WC64)
's most famous 0.75-ton T214 series of multi-purpose freight and passenger all-wheel drive vehicles, Dodge adopts a new and significantly enhanced chassis, and the wheelbase is shortened by 0.5 meters to 2.5 meters . In the US military, their nickname is "Beep" or "Big Jeep".
At the end of 1941, the first prototype was rolled off the assembly line, and in early 1942, mass production of two similar-shaped convertible multi-purpose vehicles, the WC51 weapon carrier, was installed with a 2.5-ton winch and a power take-off device connected to the gearbox.
1942, the most famous Dodge T214 WC51 multi-purpose military vehicle, equipped with a 92 horsepower engine.
Dodge T214 WC52 equipped with a self-rescue winch at the rear of the bumper can carry eight soldiers. The car was being tested at Fort Holabode. These two vehicles are equipped with a 92-horsepower engine, a drive shaft with a hyperboloid final drive, a Bendix-Weiss constant speed drive shaft, and an open cab without a door. Compared with previous models, the carriage is more spacious, with longitudinal wooden benches and ammunition boxes inside, equipped with 12-volt electrical equipment, and 9.00-16 wide tires. All vehicles can tow a two-ton trailer or an artillery of the same weight.
Dodge T214 WC51, a simple model without a winch. The WC51 that participated in the commemorative event was equipped with too much equipment and looked very fancy.
Dodge T214 WC52 multi-purpose vehicle, with a self-rescue winch behind the bumper and a trailer behind it.
Dodge T214 WC51 combat vehicle, equipped with M2HB large-caliber machine gun and radio.
From 1942 to 1943, Dodge developed a WC53 six-seater utility vehicle equipped with a streamlined all-metal body on a special chassis that was slightly shortened. Usually, WC53 is equipped with a high-power radio, which is used as a military tactical command vehicle.
T214 WC53, a fully enclosed three-door command vehicle, equipped with high-power radio. The
basic WC51 and WC52 have also developed five WC56 reconnaissance command vehicles, as well as a WC57 reconnaissance command vehicle with a winch, and a WC58 equipped with an open Budd body and a radio station.
US President Roosevelt inspected the US military in a WC56 reconnaissance command vehicle without a winch.
WC57 command vehicle, with winch and canvas top.
Dodge T214 WC58 command vehicle, equipped with winch and high-power radio.
has developed WC59, WC60, and WC61 on a special long-wheelbase chassis to perform different combat missions. The WC55 combat vehicle with a winch is used to install various types of anti-aircraft machine guns, 37mm anti-tank guns, or as a test platform for various anti-tank rocket launchers. The
WC55 combat vehicle has an open body, equipped with a self-rescue winch, and a M3A1 37mm anti-tank gun in the cargo compartment.
In 1941, the Dodge T214 WC55 combat vehicle that was undergoing exercises, the 37mm anti-tank gun could also attack Japanese tanks in the Pacific battlefield, and had no effect on the European battlefield.
From 1942 to 1944, a special model of the off-road vehicles equipped by the US Army was the WC54 ambulance. The vehicle has a long-wheelbase chassis and an all-metal body with a dome. It can transport four wounded in prone position or seven wounded in sitting position. In 1945, the WC64 ambulance equipped with a larger, detachable metal-wood body, and a WC54M with a high-roof all-metal body with sliding side doors.
WC54 ambulance equipped by the US military. The
WC64 ambulance has a more spacious carriage. This carriage adopts a metal-wood hybrid structure and can be disassembled as needed.
Dodge WC54M is the most spacious ambulance equipped by the US military in World War II, equipped with side sliding doors. All models of the
T214 series have a total length of 4.2 to 4.9 meters, a ground clearance of 267mm, and an empty weight of 2.4 to 3.1 tons. The top speed is 87 kilometers per hour, and the average fuel consumption is 13 liters per 100 kilometers.
Dodge T214 military vehicle
equipped by the Soviet army
From 1942 to 1945, the United States provided three basic models to the Soviet army under the Lease Act. These vehicles were assembled in a temporary factory in Bushehr Harbor. The first type is WC51, equipped with eight full metal open bodies and canvas awnings; the second type is WC52 equipped with self-rescue winches, which are mainly used to transport personnel, reconnaissance and command vehicles, and carry large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns; the third is WC53 command vehicle equipped with radio station.
In September 1944, the Soviet army that liberated Sophia was equipped with Dodge WC51.
In April 1945, the Dodge WC51 towed the ZIS-3 cannon was only 80 kilometers away from Berlin.
In August 1945, Marshal Zhukov took the Dodge WC56 command vehicle to inspect the Allied forces in Berlin.
May 1, 1947, in a military parade in Moscow, dragging 5Dodge WC51 with a 7mm anti-tank gun.
According to data from different sources, as of the end of World War II, Dodge has produced 196,000 to 252,000 multi-purpose vehicles in this series, as well as 200 WC56/58 command vehicles. In the final stage of World War II, the Soviet Union also received a limited number of WC54 and WC64 ambulances.
Dodge T223 series (WC62 / WC63)
1.5-ton T223 series three-axle all-wheel drive vehicles are considered to be one of the earliest multifunctional military vehicles in the United States during World War II. This vehicle uses a 3.7-meter wheelbase chassis and an open all-metal body. There are only two models, WC62 without a winch and WC63 with a winch. The structure is the same as the T214 of the two-axle chassis.
In July 1944, the US troops who had just occupied the town of Trevire in Normandy were equipped with Dodge T223 WC63. Pay attention to the self-rescue winch behind the bumper.
Dodge T223 WC62, the car does not have a winch. The
T223 series can transport up to 12 soldiers carrying weapons, and can be used to convert into tank trucks, maintenance vehicles, rescue vehicles, and can carry large-caliber machine guns, even for launching rockets. During World War II, Dodge produced a total of 43,200 T223 series military vehicles, of which 300 were delivered to the Soviet Union under the Lease Act. Z1z
translation postscript:
seems to be the domestic custom to call Willis MB the "small Jeep", the two-axis Dodge T214 series as the "medium Jeep", and the three-axis Dodge T223 series as the "big Jeep" . As a "country on wheels," American military vehicles are developed on truck chassis of various tonnages. This kind of technical route is very special and it is difficult for other countries to learn from. This article introduces "Medium Jeep" and "Large Jeep". I will introduce "Small Jeep" when I have the opportunity. That topic is more interesting.
