History

The main part of the German Wehrmacht autopark during WWII formed 3t cargo trucks. One of the most numerous was the model G917T, which was produced since 1939 in German Ford plants in Cologne. This truck was equipped with a V8 engine and had rear drive only. G917T trucks were widely used in all German arms of service in all theatres up to the end of the war. Roughly 25,000 were produced in German plants from 1939 to 1941.

Background

U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet

Cushman Airborne Scooter - In the late stages of the war in Europe, Allied paratroopers used scooters like this one to maintain contact between units, increase their mobility and haul small loads. The Cushman Motor Works designed the Model 53 Airborne Scooter to be airdropped by parachute or carried by glider, and it had a hitch to pull a model M3A4 general-purpose utility cart. By adding certain equipment, the cart could be converted to carry a .30-cal. or .50-cal. machine gun or an 81mm mortar, though the scooter often could not pull a heavy load. Cushman made nearly 5,000 airborne scooters for the military beginning in 1944. The rugged, simple Model 53 could travel through a foot of water, climb a 25 percent grade and had a range of about 100 miles.

The Aircraft

The Lockheed JetStar was originally developed in the late 1950s by Lockheed as a prototype for a US Air Force light transport. The project was not bought by the Air Force, but the prototype was used by Kelly Johnson of the “Skunk Works” as his personal transport. It was the first dedicated “biz’jet” to enter service.

Later the project was resumed, and the Air Force bought 5 C-140As for Air Force Communications Service to test airport navigational aids. Another 5 were bought as VIP transports, as the JetStar could carry 10 passengers and 2 crew, more than any other jet powered business aircraft of the period. The JetStar was also noted for having four engines in pods in the rear, much like the DC-9 or VC-10 airliners.