COMBAT WHEELS

[samason]

Has anybody ever seen any WWII pictures of a CCKW with DUKW/Combat wheels. I have see restored vehicles with them but i have never seen pictures of them in WWII. Did the exsit? Or is it just fantasy?

Steve A

[Cat Man]

Hi Steve,

Somewere on the site is a previous thread about single wheels. I posted a photo from 1945 with two CCKW's in the same unit parked side by side. One has single DUKW rims and the other regular 7:50 X20 duals.

Cheers

Cat Man

[samason]

Thanks CAT MAN. I found the pics. Really cool. I am waiting delivery of a cckw that has dukw wheels. The truck still has all its WWII stuff on it. Its not a european return. So im trying to dig up some history.

[dr deuce]

You can only have DUKW wheels on a banjo truck w/o modifying the brake drums

[Chris T.]

Check the speed plate to see if it's a "real" 11.00x18 truck. I have one, have the plate off a second one and seen one more. Postwar - I have several photos of DUKW wheels on CCKW's, but they're add ons.

Chris

[samason]

Chris , what do you mean by speed plate and what should it say to be a real 11.00 x 18 truck?
And thanks for the tip.

[Chris T.]

It's the "Maximum Permissibe Road Speed" plate. On open cabs it's on the dash and on the closed cab it's above the windshield. On most CCKW's it'll read at the bottom :
Based on 2750 RPM Engine maximum speed
6.6-1 Axle Ratio & 7.50-20 Tires

BUT, on the special CCKWs it'll read:
Based on 2750 RPM Engine maximum speed
6.6-1 Axle Ratio & 11.00-18 Tires

This is not a DUKW plate (size and holes are off for that) and it's not a bolster truck plate either.

Later

[samason]

Thanks Chris , i would have never known that. I will see the truck this weekend i will check the plates then.

[samason]

I went to pay the guy for the cckw today. It indeed does have the data plate stating max raod speed for 11.00x18 tires.It also has a data plate that says US NAVY AMPHIBIOUS REPAIR VEHICLE CARPENTER SHOP. It was probably originaly a shop van but it now has a cargo bed on it. A WWII cargo bed thankfuly.
SERIAL is CCKW 353 360751-2

[samason]

Chris,
It seems i may have stumbled on a ACRU. Do you have any idea what color these would have been in WWII? If they were used on the beaches in the ETO would they have had the invasion star to identify them to friendly aircraft?Would the same be used in the PTO?

[Chris T.]

First off, welcome to the world of possibly the rarest type of CCKW to leave the factory. Don’t lose those plates. To answer your questions: All truck were OD in color (mine was still OD with all markings when found). No invasion stars are found in any of the very few wartime photographs I have. Just the standard stars on hood and side of cab.

Now for the fun part. Your truck is CCKW 353 360751-2, my truck is CCKW 353 360703-2! Do you have the chassis data plate with the date of delivery? Mine is 5-44. Winch or no winch? On the Navy plate it should state the unit number like this one “104”



Later,

[samason]

Wow! This is so cool! Unfortunantly the dod data plate is missing. The fire wall pad is still there and in good shape too, but the data plate has been removed. Hopefully i can track it down between the last two owners.
What type of unit markings and hood numbers would go on these trucks? Would they have USN on the hood numbers?
Can you email me pictures? I might would even mark my truck like one of the pictures. Making sure not to duplicate yours.
Heck my truck may be one of those in the pictures.
My new email address is samason1942@yahoo.com.
I will post some pics as soon as i take delivery of the truck.