23.09.1940/XNUMX/XNUMX | Willis prototype presentation

Military historians have been arguing for years about which vehicle was the most important in the history of World War II. Many point to the T34 tank, which, due to its massiveness, is considered the best, although undoubtedly not the most technically advanced and not the most armored. Some people pay attention to an unarmed vehicle, but extremely important in combat, namely the Willys, commonly known as the Jeep.

The Jeep was a multi-purpose, unarmored off-road vehicle that excelled in off-road prowess due to its all-wheel drive and technical simplicity. It can be repaired with basic tools.

The first presentation of the machine took place at the training ground of the Holabird military base on September 23, 1940. However, the prototype was not the development of the company, but the car Bantam BRC, the manufacturer of which also participated in the tender for a car for the army. The final design of the Willis marque was similar to the competitor's car introduced in September, but with a more powerful 60 hp engine. instead of a 48 hp unit.

Production of the final version began in 1941 and continued until 1945. During this time, almost 640 copies were produced.

Added by: 2 years ago,

a photo: Press materials