| lgkmas | 29 Aug 2009 11:38 p.m. PST |
Okay, I have googled this and seem to just find sites quoting the same old Wikipedia article. I am looking at France 40 and wondering if Kubelwagens would have been around at that time. I know that post-trials production is supposed to have started in Feb 40. How many if any would have been in the hands of the troops by May?
Given there were only 50, 000 produced between 1940 and 1945, I suspect the major production was later than May 40. Even averaging out it is less than 1000 a month, and I would expect the first few months on the production lines would have been slow as they worked out the teething troubles, not only with the car but also the manufacturing process.
I have looked through every picture in "Blitzkreig in the West Then and Now" and there are hundreds of Horch and Krupp-Protze but not one Kubelwagen.
Would I be safe to assume the KW was therefore not in general service during the Battle for France? |
| Martin Rapier | 30 Aug 2009 1:28 a.m. PST |
Well blow me down, I'd never even considered that the Kubelwagen might not be in mass production in time for the French campaign. You learn something new every day! I'll just have to say that my lucky COs who get to ride in them must have pre-ordered or something. |
Pat Ripley  | 30 Aug 2009 1:53 a.m. PST |
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| runs with scissors | 30 Aug 2009 3:34 a.m. PST |
That's knackered my 1939 Polish campaign force then. |
| Mal Wright | 30 Aug 2009 4:25 a.m. PST |
The Wanderer and other old type field cars were still in major use during the 1940 campaign. |
| jizbrand | 30 Aug 2009 11:50 a.m. PST |
Including one that looked remarkably like the Volkswagen Bug :) |
| bgbboogie | 30 Aug 2009 12:09 p.m. PST |
The Swimmwagen was though so use that (or just pretend) its cheaper.. |
| aecurtis | 30 Aug 2009 1:12 p.m. PST |
Full production of the Kubelwagen began in February 1940. Production of the Schwimmwagen began in July 1942. |
| Fall Rot | 30 Aug 2009 4:03 p.m. PST |
I've studied numerous books, hundreds of photographs from the era, and I've never seen one -- I mean the the one the looks like a "volkswagen thing", that is …. -CH |
| Etranger | 30 Aug 2009 10:40 p.m. PST |
The military 'Beetle' (Type 82E & Type 87) was fairly rare IIRC. My books are filed away currently but there only a few hundred built, if that. The VW kubelwagen seems to have been rare until mid 1941 to judge by photos, although full scale production started in February 1940 (at least according to wiki link ). |
| lgkmas | 02 Sep 2009 2:06 a.m. PST |
Thanks All for your very helpful input. I will now pursue other options regards |
