I've started watching episodes of Rat Patrol. They're ok, not as good as my memories of them.

But my best memory is my Dad and Rat Patrol. We had just moved to Roswell NM and this show I believe started at about the same time. Dad loved those Jeeps jumping sand dunes and promptly bought a surplus Willis Jeep. I was only 6 but I remember the great time we had playing Rat Patrol in the prairie around Roswell.

I lost my Dad last spring and this memory of him is like a sweet sorrow.

I just sold the old gun mount I had on my 1942 Ford GPW last week. Sold the jeep in around 2014.

I'm not a military vehicle expert, I wasn't aware that Ford made Jeeps but I should have known the way all the US manufacturing geared up for the war effort.

I recall Rat Patrol being a fun watch.

Ren50’s favorite teevee show....

🤣😂🤣

Yup. They made oodles of em. And on the early models they had the Ford logo stamped on the back behind the spare tire rack. Government made Henry quite stamping that big logo there so he retaliated by putting that Ford script “F" on every bolt head on the vehicle.

Willys were called an MB
Fords were called a GPW
And I can’t for the life of me remember the third company that made Jeeps and their nomenclature.

Ok,,, I think it was the Bantam Motor company that made them.

Edit. I looked em up and I forgot they were the ones who were credited with the design!!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bantam

I was always under the impression that it was a Willys design.

Knocked TFO...

Don't quote me on this Bob, but if IRC, I believe besides Trucks ( Duece & a Halfs), Studebaker also made Jeeps... I don't recall to what level.

When I was a kid, my granddad had one of those Willies sold thru Sears during the late 40s and/or early 50s. I was my grand dad's favorite car, that he ever owned. I remember him working on it and "helping" before starting school in 58, but I seem to remember the motor was a flathead 4 cylinder like I've seen in surplus military jeeps...

When I was in High School and early College, you could still buy a surplus Jeep in parts packed in cosmoline, for like $50 that had never been used but packed to be shipped overseas...Help a friend assembly two of them in my early college years...

There are several shows I loved as a kid that aren't as good as my memory. On the opposite hand, some are better than I remembered. I guess we grow up and change.

Ford's assembly plant in Louisville, on Fern Valley Road, assembled more Jeeps than any other makers combined. The same plant made the Ranger pickups for most of their life, and now makes Escapes. Busy place.

I once saw a documentary on the Willys that claimed the U.S. turned out a jeep every two minutes in 43 and 44.

I'm a huge fan !!!
👍👍🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️👍👍👍

Thing is I have very faint memories of fragments of the show.
So I know I had to seen some as a young kid.

The sheer entertainment value of the " plots" the grossly inaccurate equipment used, (uniforms were fairly accurate)
And the acting..

The show is a treasure to watch.

On saturday night on H&I Channel 2 episodes.

Combat is a better show IMO
Pretty accurate equipment wise.
But they never seem to be able to get the fuuuuk outta France either from the episodes I have seen.

👍👍👍😄😄👍👍👍

Good night.....
Cut cut cut .

Ok let's edit.
Jaun the stuntman is in Lala land for a few minutes again.

😄😄🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🥴🥴🥴🤣🤣🤣🤣

There was a book many years ago named "Popski's Private Army" that was similar to the show.

I liked the show and found out a few years later that a fellow I knew kept the MG's working for the show.

Edited to add that it was a factual book, not a novel.

Sorry for your loss.

I remember liking Rat Patrol when I was a kid.

My little brother bought a 42/43 Ford jeep in the late 70's. Flathead Ford 4 cylinder. The machine gun mount was missing, but the bolt holes in the floor were present, as were a few bullet holes in the body work.

Someone might have been jumping dunes with it, as one frame rail was broken and repaired with bolts and chain.

My buddy more recently purhased a 44 Willy's version. The 4 banger was siezed, but after soaking the cinders in Dexron III for about a week he broke pistons loose with the starter. The engine ran like a clock after.

But he has recently dropped a 236 Buick V6 into the engine compartment. With decent radial tires it will run down the road easily at 55 to 60 now.

Was just about to recommend that book!

If you can find anything on the LRDG it will be a good read. (Long Range Desert Group)

Only old pic I can find of my 42 Ford. This was at camp Mabry muster day. About 2010 ish?

I learned at the ripe old age of 12 to drive a manual transmission in a '49 Willys. My uncle decided a farmers' corn field would be appropriate. I'm glad we didn't get caught, he should have shot us.
Rick