The Ford Barn

jrhaelig · 06-09-2013, 07:16 PM

I went to the WWII air show & re-enactment in Reading, PA today. Always a great show. Fifi was there (bonus points if you know Fifi).
The re-enactors are numerous and well equipped.

One guy brought a very interesting '38 Ford, um..., truck?

1952henry · 06-09-2013, 08:21 PM

Probably German. Seems the Wehrmacht liked half-tracks.

jrhaelig · 06-09-2013, 08:30 PM

I didn't know the Germans ran Fords, but it looks like they did:

alan · 06-09-2013, 09:28 PM

I have a book of Ford trucks in the German army in WW2-you would be surprised at 40/41 trucks using US styling that are in the book. Several of the tracked conversions are pictured

alan · 06-09-2013, 09:30 PM

forgot to mention FiFi is a beautiful bomber!! with curves you will never forget--how about Aluminum Overcast??

FlatheadTed · 06-09-2013, 10:50 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Hitler had high jacked the Ford assembly plant in Cologne (spelling ?) for his war effort .It would be interesting to see the truck production records from 1938 as he antispated the war .

OldDad · 06-10-2013, 12:51 AM

Henry Ford (and Charles Lindbergh) received the Cross of the German Eagle in 1938:

Rumors circulated in the early 1920s that Ford was pouring money into the Nazi Party but Hitler denied the rumor. However, in April 1938 when Hitler asked him to build a truck and automobile assembly plant in Berlin, Ford agreed. Construction was soon underway, and in July Henry Ford was awarded his Swastika-studded Cross of the German Eagle Order. In October 1938, another famous American received the Cross–Charles Lindbergh.

Here is a link:

http://www.examiner.com/article/henry-ford-s-nazi-medal

This is one reason you see so few Fords in Hollywood films of the era.

OK, old politics, but politics nonetheless. And sad to have it associated with our old Fords. Sorry I brought it up!

jrhaelig · 06-10-2013, 05:00 AM

It looks like you could get a US made half track kit, too:

Bruce Lancaster · 06-10-2013, 12:10 PM

That's called a Maultier, based on the German word for Mule.
The whole assembly under there is very much like the works from the British Ford based Bren carriers...Ford truck axle and then a bunch of extra wheels.
The Ford at War book shows a great many Ford models and even more variants, with French models and captured British versions added into the mix...
Ford '32 BB's and 1935 V8 trucks, both made over more years that that in Germany, were still in service during the war, while the current production trucks were based on the '40-42 version of the Ford truck. Both the B engines and the 239's were upgraded to the '42 versions as they came into production. They started the war with trucks looking just like production Ford models, then wartime adaptations resulted in increasingly crude and simplified sheetmetal. By 1945 henry would have had a hard time recognizing them as Fords.
According to thart book, Ford V8 cars were almost all conscripted in Germany...they were generally sliced off behind the front doord and turned into light trucks including many specialized versions.

06-09-2013, 07:16 PM	#1
jrhaelig Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey Posts: 264	Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck I went to the WWII air show & re-enactment in Reading, PA today. Always a great show. Fifi was there (bonus points if you know Fifi). The re-enactors are numerous and well equipped. One guy brought a very interesting '38 Ford, um..., truck? __________________ John Haelig Bridgewater, NJ 1939 Ford Pickup 1963 Lincoln Continental 1939 Buick

06-09-2013, 08:21 PM	#2
1952henry Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: North Dakota Posts: 1,621	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck Probably German. Seems the Wehrmacht liked half-tracks. __________________ I dig coal, which provides motivation for EVs.

06-09-2013, 08:30 PM	#3
jrhaelig Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey Posts: 264	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck I didn't know the Germans ran Fords, but it looks like they did: __________________ John Haelig Bridgewater, NJ 1939 Ford Pickup 1963 Lincoln Continental 1939 Buick

06-09-2013, 09:28 PM	#4
alan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UPSTATESC Posts: 669	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck I have a book of Ford trucks in the German army in WW2-you would be surprised at 40/41 trucks using US styling that are in the book. Several of the tracked conversions are pictured

06-09-2013, 09:30 PM	#5
alan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UPSTATESC Posts: 669	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck forgot to mention FiFi is a beautiful bomber!! with curves you will never forget--how about Aluminum Overcast??

06-09-2013, 10:50 PM	#6
FlatheadTed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auckland Posts: 4,705	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Hitler had high jacked the Ford assembly plant in Cologne (spelling ?) for his war effort .It would be interesting to see the truck production records from 1938 as he antispated the war . __________________ http://www.flatheadted.com Flathead Ted brake Floaters ,

06-10-2013, 12:51 AM	#7
OldDad Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 152	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck Henry Ford (and Charles Lindbergh) received the Cross of the German Eagle in 1938: Rumors circulated in the early 1920s that Ford was pouring money into the Nazi Party but Hitler denied the rumor. However, in April 1938 when Hitler asked him to build a truck and automobile assembly plant in Berlin, Ford agreed. Construction was soon underway, and in July Henry Ford was awarded his Swastika-studded Cross of the German Eagle Order. In October 1938, another famous American received the Cross–Charles Lindbergh. Here is a link: http://www.examiner.com/article/henry-ford-s-nazi-medal This is one reason you see so few Fords in Hollywood films of the era. OK, old politics, but politics nonetheless. And sad to have it associated with our old Fords. Sorry I brought it up!

06-10-2013, 05:00 AM	#8
jrhaelig Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bridgewater, New Jersey Posts: 264	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck It looks like you could get a US made half track kit, too: __________________ John Haelig Bridgewater, NJ 1939 Ford Pickup 1963 Lincoln Continental 1939 Buick

06-10-2013, 12:10 PM	#9
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: Definitely NOT your Average '38 Truck That's called a Maultier, based on the German word for Mule. The whole assembly under there is very much like the works from the British Ford based Bren carriers...Ford truck axle and then a bunch of extra wheels. The Ford at War book shows a great many Ford models and even more variants, with French models and captured British versions added into the mix... Ford '32 BB's and 1935 V8 trucks, both made over more years that that in Germany, were still in service during the war, while the current production trucks were based on the '40-42 version of the Ford truck. Both the B engines and the 239's were upgraded to the '42 versions as they came into production. They started the war with trucks looking just like production Ford models, then wartime adaptations resulted in increasingly crude and simplified sheetmetal. By 1945 henry would have had a hard time recognizing them as Fords. According to thart book, Ford V8 cars were almost all conscripted in Germany...they were generally sliced off behind the front doord and turned into light trucks including many specialized versions.