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Norrrm

(3,647 posts) Sun Oct 19, 2025, 05:00 PM Oct 19

Army trucks WWll... 'Good enough for gov't work' was actually better...

Army trucks WWll... 'Good enough for gov't work' was actually better...

That was actually a brilliant strategy. Standardized parts. Easily repairable. If you could drive / fix one, you could do the others. German mechanics and engineers developed an appreciation for the simplicity and versatility of our basic trucks. Theirs were overly complicated.
In WW1, our army had something like 25 brands of trucks. Parts and maintenance were a nightmare...

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5 replies

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Army trucks WWll... 'Good enough for gov't work' was actually better... (Original Post) Norrrm Oct 19 OP

A truely great insight into why we won WW2. It applied to air dominance as well. OAITW r.2.0 Oct 19 #1

That logistical mess in WWI lead to the Liberty Truck, of course. bluedigger Oct 19 #2

State of the art for the time. Norrrm Oct 19 #3

Through that lend lease thingy, USSR receive the Studebaker US6 Deuce and a Half and were gobsmaked! Brother Buzz Oct 19 #4

The Sto-Wing design VGNonly Oct 21 #5

OAITW r.2.0

(31,175 posts)

1. A truely great insight into why we won WW2. It applied to air dominance as well.

Reply to Norrrm (Original post)

Sun Oct 19, 2025, 05:58 PM

Oct 19

bluedigger

(17,367 posts)

2. That logistical mess in WWI lead to the Liberty Truck, of course.

Reply to Norrrm (Original post)

Sun Oct 19, 2025, 07:37 PM

Oct 19

Too late to make an impact in the First World War, but it lead to a big change in military procurement and the eventual trucks of WWII.

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Norrrm

(3,647 posts)

3. State of the art for the time.

Reply to bluedigger (Reply #2)

Sun Oct 19, 2025, 08:40 PM

Oct 19

Brother Buzz

(39,404 posts)

4. Through that lend lease thingy, USSR receive the Studebaker US6 Deuce and a Half and were gobsmaked!

Reply to Norrrm (Original post)

Sun Oct 19, 2025, 08:54 PM

Oct 19

Electric start that actually worked in sub zero weather by just pushing the button; no more three man teams operating a crank for twenty minutes. Easy field repair with a simple roll of common wrenches.

150,000 delivered to Russia!

VGNonly

(8,294 posts)

5. The Sto-Wing design

Reply to Norrrm (Original post)

Tue Oct 21, 2025, 01:37 PM

Oct 21

on US fighters and bombers, notably on Grummans, gave the US superiority in the air war. Carriers could be packed with the twist/fold wings. The TBF Avenger shrunk the wingspan from 54 feet to 19.

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