Designated “SdKfz 2” by the German military but more commonly known as the “Kettenkrad”, the tracked motorcycle was used extensively on both the Eastern Front and the North African desert, and it retains the historical distinction of being the fastest tracked vehicle of the Second World War. The Story of the SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad The top speed…
Taking an original 1958 Daimler Ferret Scout Car and fitting it with a paintball gun is the kind of thing many of us like would do, given the appropriate financial resources and free time. Fortunately, an eccentric Brit found the time and money, and this is the result. History of the Daimler Ferret Scout Car The Daimler Ferret…
The Harley-Davidson MT500 is a bit of an unusual motorcycle. It’s thought that just 500 were ever made, and it’s not known how many have survived in original condition. The MT500 is powered by a 500cc Rotax single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with 4 valves, 5 gears, and kickstart only. It’s a mechanically simple motorcycle designed explicitly…
Shotgun Rider is a 1967 training film created by The Army Pictorial Center for new recruits in training for deployment to Vietnam as helicopter door gunners – nicknamed “shotgun riders”. Despite the name, door gunners actually used M60 machine guns, which they trained to use both on a mount and freehand. The film features a…
This aluminium Spitfire model measures in at 60.5cm long x 75.5cm wide x 17cm high, and it’s been designed to either sit on its own retractable landing gear, or be mounted on a metal plinth (supplied). The model has a fully detailed cockpit with a sliding canopy, intricately detailed rivet stamps across the wings and fuselage,…
The Steyr-Puch Haflinger was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the ageing American-built Jeeps that were still being used by the Austrian military. The engineering that went into the unusual looking Haflinger was outstanding, and despite its unconventional appearance its capabilities as an off-roader are exceptional. The head engineer was Erich Ledwinka,…
The Rokon Trail-Breaker is an American-made 2-wheel drive motorcycle that’s been used by everyone from the US military, to the forestry service, to treasure hunters. It’s designed exclusively for off-road use, however it can be driven on the road at speeds up to 35 mph if needed. The original design was completed by American inventor…
The Willys M38 Jeep was the revised and updated version of the civilian-specification CJ-3A, which itself was an update of the venerable WWII era Willys Jeep MB. Willys developed the M38 to supply the US military for the Korean War, although by the end of the conflict most of the Jeeps that had been used…
This Vietnam War era educational film was produced by the Army Pictorial Center in the 1960s, likely due to the need to train a significant number of new helicopter pilots as a result of the escalating South East Asian war. The film includes both pre-flight and flight training by the warrant officer candidate program at…
This 1925 documentary was created by the Engineering Division of the US Army as an introduction to the Air Service – the US Air Force wasn’t formed as its own branch of the military until 1947. The silent film runs at just under 35 mins long and it includes some remarkable footage, including machine gun…
Spitfire! is a wonderful documentary that actually talks to some of the men and women directly involved with the iconic fighter aircraft’s design and construction – including a lady who accidentally ended up clinging to the tail of a Spitfire as it took off and had to circle back around to the airdrome. The film was…
The Willys Jeep is a little 4×4 that would go on to punch well above its weight as the history of the automobile unfolded across the 20th Century – every 4×4 currently in existence can trace a significant portion of its heritage directly back to the American military’s little green beast. As the Second World…
