top of page
VEHICLES
This items below do not represent the full extent of our collection. Please visit the museum to see the full collection.
WC-54 Dodge Ambulance
This Dodge version was produced between 1942-1945.
92 horse-power inline engine, manual 4 speed transmission, and top speed of 55 miles per hour.
Dodge M-43 Ambulance
Dodge M-43 Ambulance was produced between 1952-1968 as a replacement for the World War Two M-37 series.
Four wheel drive, four speed transmission, 55 mph top speed, and 255 mile range.
Four wheel drive, four speed transmission, 55 mph top speed, and 255 mile range.
M-886 Ambulance
Ford GPW Jeep
One of the most famous military vehicles of World War II, the jeep originated in a prewar US Army requirement for a simple, inexpensive, and robust vehicle for basic utility chores. Its simple design proved to be adaptable to a host of military tasks including use as a scout vehicle, battlefield ambulance, communications vehicle, and staff car.
The Ford GPW in front of you was built in the first six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. If you look at the rear of the truck you will see the Ford name pressed into the rear of the vehicle. This practice was stopped in July, 1942. The designation “GPW” breaks out as follows: “G” is “Government,” “P” represents “80-inch wheelbase reconnaissance” and “W” for “Willy’s” as they were the designers of the original blueprints on which the jeeps were based. The Willys MB or Ford GPW army jeep is the one most people think of when talking about military jeeps. It is known by many names, such as the Willys Jeep, the GI Jeep, the World War II jeep, or just plain Army jeep. This jeep resulted from a 1940 design competition that involved American Bantam, Willys-Overland, and Ford. Willys was chosen for the first mass production contract based on the Willys MA design, but the Willys MB which followed incorporated superior features from the Bantam BRC-40 and the Ford GP in addition the the Willys MA. When the War Department realized that hundreds of thousands of jeeps would be needed for World War II requirements, Ford was given a contract to produce the Willys MB design. Ford produced jeeps were designated GPW. The Willys MB or Ford GPW jeep of World War II were externally visually the same but with many small differences in production details. It was also common to install parts from Willys into a Ford jeep and vice versa. As WW II went on, field maintenance facilities used whatever parts were at hand without regard to the original manufacturer of the part or the jeep. There are many other details of the Willys MB or Ford GPW that are different. If you are with the jeep, you can see if it has the Ford script F embossed on the rear panel of the body tub or has the F stamped on most bolt heads. The early production Willys MB jeeps, about 25,800 of them, had a grill made of vertical welded slats (called the "slat grill" type, photo right) and had "Willys" embossed in the back panel among other small differences. When Ford began producing the nearly identical GPW (with Ford embossed on the back panel) in January of 1942, they used the now-standard, less expensive stamped steel slotted jeep grill. The Army wanted full parts interchangeability and worked with Ford and Willys to get a single standard design for both jeeps -- the Ford idea for the grill was better, so Willys switched to the stamped grill by April 1942. The Army also insisted that both Willys and Ford drop the embossed company name from the jeep exterior. The main chassis or body component that distinguished a Willys-Overland MB from the Ford-built GPW is the tubular front frame cross-member on the MB as opposed to the inverted U-shaped cross-member on the GPW with a flat top. During the course of the war, Ford built 277,896 GPW jeeps. Production contracts were terminated in the summer of 1945 as World War II ended. The last Ford GPW was built on 30 July 1945.
M38 A1
M151A2 "Mutt"
Because of the M151’s independent rear suspension, it had a dangerous tendency to flip over when cornered too aggressively by unaware drivers.
The swing-axle rear suspension design would result in large rear-wheel camber angel changes and could cause drastic oversteer and a subsequent vehicle
roll-over issue.
The A2 fielded a significantly revised rear suspension that greatly improved safety in fast cornering.
The M151A2 now had a semi-trailing arm suspension and many other smaller upgrades including improved turn signals. The A2 can be identified by other smaller upgrades including improved turn signals.
The A2 can be identified by the large combination turn signal/blackout lights on the front fenders, which also had been modified to mount the larger lights as opposed to the earlier versions which had flat front fenders.
In the late 1980s, the M151s were being phased out of service for Humvee vehicles.
A few were sold in government surplus auctions and those that were not sold in Foreign Military Sales overseas.
Others were scrapped or loaned to museums like ours!
The swing-axle rear suspension design would result in large rear-wheel camber angel changes and could cause drastic oversteer and a subsequent vehicle
roll-over issue.
The A2 fielded a significantly revised rear suspension that greatly improved safety in fast cornering.
The M151A2 now had a semi-trailing arm suspension and many other smaller upgrades including improved turn signals. The A2 can be identified by other smaller upgrades including improved turn signals.
The A2 can be identified by the large combination turn signal/blackout lights on the front fenders, which also had been modified to mount the larger lights as opposed to the earlier versions which had flat front fenders.
In the late 1980s, the M151s were being phased out of service for Humvee vehicles.
A few were sold in government surplus auctions and those that were not sold in Foreign Military Sales overseas.
Others were scrapped or loaned to museums like ours!
WC-51 Dodge
WC-51 produced between 1942-1945 and used as a troop transport, utility, ambulance, and communication vehicle.
T-214 engine, manual 4-speed, and 55 miles per hour top speed.
Ferret Armored Car
The Ferret armored car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armored fighting vehicle designed and built for reconnaissance purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK Company, Daimler. It was widely adopted by regiments in the British Army as well as Commonwealth countries throughout the period. This Ferret Scout Car is a Mark II built in 1965, it weighs 3.7 tons and will travel about 190 miles on a tank of gas. This Ferret has a Rolls Royce B60 six cylinder gasoline engine giving the Ferret a top speed of 58 miles per hour!
The Ferret was developed in 1949 as a result of the British Army's need to obtain a replacement model for its Second World War light armored vehicles. Due to the success of their Reconnaissance Scout Car, the "Dingo", Daimler was employed to design and manufacture the Ferret.
The Ferret shared many similar design features with the Dingo and Canadian Ford Lynx, but featured a larger fighting compartment and an optional small machine gun turret. It was built from an all-welded monocoque steel body, making the vehicle lower but also making the drive extremely noisy inside as all the running gear was within the enclosed body with the crew. Four wheel drive was incorporated together with "Run flat" tires (which kept their shape even if punctured in battle, thus enabling a vehicle to drive to safety.) The turret carried a single machine gun , which turns a full 360 degrees. Six grenade launchers fitted to the hull (three on each side) could carry smoke grenades.
The Ferret Scout Car is fast and small enough to be used in an urban environment but strong enough to negotiate rugged terrain off road. The Ferret is no longer in service in the British Army, although several Commonwealth countries still operate them to this day. They are popular with private collectors due to the compact size and affordable price in the USA.
The Ferret was developed in 1949 as a result of the British Army's need to obtain a replacement model for its Second World War light armored vehicles. Due to the success of their Reconnaissance Scout Car, the "Dingo", Daimler was employed to design and manufacture the Ferret.
The Ferret shared many similar design features with the Dingo and Canadian Ford Lynx, but featured a larger fighting compartment and an optional small machine gun turret. It was built from an all-welded monocoque steel body, making the vehicle lower but also making the drive extremely noisy inside as all the running gear was within the enclosed body with the crew. Four wheel drive was incorporated together with "Run flat" tires (which kept their shape even if punctured in battle, thus enabling a vehicle to drive to safety.) The turret carried a single machine gun , which turns a full 360 degrees. Six grenade launchers fitted to the hull (three on each side) could carry smoke grenades.
The Ferret Scout Car is fast and small enough to be used in an urban environment but strong enough to negotiate rugged terrain off road. The Ferret is no longer in service in the British Army, although several Commonwealth countries still operate them to this day. They are popular with private collectors due to the compact size and affordable price in the USA.
Half Track
One aspect that has made the United States military a tour de force over the last century has been the dedication to mobility. Tucked away next to one of our hangars at the Arkansas Air and Military Museum is an icon of mobile warfare. The M3 Half-Track combined high mobility with modularity. This means that the M3 Half-Track could be outfitted to fit any scenario and combat the enemy quickly. The Half-Track was produced by several different companies including Autocar, Diamond T, and White Motor Company between 1941 and 1945. In these short years roughly 53,000 were produced. The M3 could reach a modest 45mph and a range of 200 miles using its White 160AX 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The M3 Half-Track was developed as a larger and more reliable version of the M2 Half-Track, a modified M3 Scout Car. The introduction of tracks on the rear made for better navigation over difficult terrain like snow or mud. It also increased the load capacity of the vehicles by distributing the weight over a wider rear suspension.
As for their use in combat, the M3 Half-Track was utilized in several roles. One, of course, was
transportation. Half-tracks were used to quickly move troops to where they needed to be. This way, they could arrive fresh and ready for combat. They were also frequently used to tow artillery pieces. Half-tracks were also used by armored units to carry spare parts, ammo, and maintenance personnel for tanks. This was used heavily during Operation Torch, the Allied mission to sweep across North Africa. Other versions of the M3 Half-Track included weapon systems such as anti-aircraft guns. These guns could follow the infantry and help keep enemy aircraft at bay. Finally, other M3 Half-Tracks were armed with various cannons ranging from 75mm to 105mm.
This turned them into fast-moving anti-tank guns.
The M3 Half-Track in our possession has the markings of the 3rd Infantry Division painted on the front bumper. Seeing as the 3rd Infantry Division was among the first American units to engage in offensive operations, it is likely our M3 Half-Track has seen North Africa, Italy, Austria, France, and Germany. This also includes pivotal battles such as Anzio, the Colmar Pocket, and Nuremberg. Everyone can agree that a tour like this makes for an impressive track record.
As for their use in combat, the M3 Half-Track was utilized in several roles. One, of course, was
transportation. Half-tracks were used to quickly move troops to where they needed to be. This way, they could arrive fresh and ready for combat. They were also frequently used to tow artillery pieces. Half-tracks were also used by armored units to carry spare parts, ammo, and maintenance personnel for tanks. This was used heavily during Operation Torch, the Allied mission to sweep across North Africa. Other versions of the M3 Half-Track included weapon systems such as anti-aircraft guns. These guns could follow the infantry and help keep enemy aircraft at bay. Finally, other M3 Half-Tracks were armed with various cannons ranging from 75mm to 105mm.
This turned them into fast-moving anti-tank guns.
The M3 Half-Track in our possession has the markings of the 3rd Infantry Division painted on the front bumper. Seeing as the 3rd Infantry Division was among the first American units to engage in offensive operations, it is likely our M3 Half-Track has seen North Africa, Italy, Austria, France, and Germany. This also includes pivotal battles such as Anzio, the Colmar Pocket, and Nuremberg. Everyone can agree that a tour like this makes for an impressive track record.
Ford Model A Truck
The Ford Victoria (Model A)
By the mid -1920s, the Ford Motor Company’s monopoly on automobiles was coming to a close. While in the early twentieth century the Model T was seen as a mass-produced, inexpensive marvel to the American public, by the Roaring Twenties, Americans were thinking less of their pocketbook, and more of their style. Thus, companies such as General Motors, which produced better looking vehicles than Ford’s “Tin Lizzie”, slowly crept up the sales ladder giving Henry Ford a run for his money. But Ford was stubborn. He believed that a penny saved was a penny earned, and that style did not matter, it was economy and efficiency that counted. However, after watching his Model T sales plummet, he was finally convinced that a change had to be made. He put his son Edsel Ford in charge of a development team to create a new Ford model. In preparation for this change, Ford shut down his plant, and for six months did not produce a single car. Finally in late 1927, the Ford Motor Company unveiled their new car-the Model A. It quickly became the most popular car in America with people standing in line for hours just to get a glimpse of Ford’s new marvel. This Model A came in several different sizes and shapes including, the Model A Roadster, Model A Coupe, Model A Sports Coupe, and the Model A Sedan, and the Model A Victoria like ours on display here. Cars such as our Model A Victoria boasted a four cylinder engine which could produce roughly forty-horse power. This car came in four colors, could drive up to speeds of 65 miles per hour, and was the first Ford automobile to have standard gears.
Interestingly, the Ford Victoria was only produced for one year (1931) before the company transitioned to other models. This car is not only a rare gem in the automobile world, but it is also a testimony to the tenacity and resilience of the Ford Motor Company.
Our Ford Victoria was restored and donated by Dr. Peter Heinzelman.
Interestingly, the Ford Victoria was only produced for one year (1931) before the company transitioned to other models. This car is not only a rare gem in the automobile world, but it is also a testimony to the tenacity and resilience of the Ford Motor Company.
Our Ford Victoria was restored and donated by Dr. Peter Heinzelman.
bottom of page