[Closed] (PICS) Autoart's, well detailed, 1/18 WW II Jeep TRAILER ONLY (Rich posted great Jeep pics).

I forgot. Were there any accessories in the trailer?

Yes, guns, ammo boxes, oil drum, helmets, 50 cal, chest, ect.....

WOW Lottsa goodies!

And way ahead of its time with rear sidemarker lights !

The functional, in scale, leaf spings & shackles are perfect!

Looks good! I wonder if this was based on one of the Bantam trailers of WW II. Bantam engineered and produced almost exactly the GP vehicle wanted by the U.S. Army as World War II started. But the Army was not sure that the little Bantam company could produce what was needed. So Willys ( and later Ford) picked up the big contracts. But Bantam got another deal.

By late 1941 a need arose for a small cargo trailer as a companion for the jeep. During 1942 a quarter-ton trailer design was standardized and designated "TRAILER, CARGO, AMPHIBIAN 1/4 TON." It is known that by 1943 this trailer was being produced by both American Bantam and Willys Overland. It is not known for sure who did the initial design work on the trailer, but most people credit Willys Overland. The story is that Bantam was given the design and a contract to make the trailers, to make up for its loss of the 1/4-ton light reconnaissance vehicle contract.

photo no longer available

Specification Result
Body type Cargo
Weight Net (lb.) 550
Weight Payload (lb.) 500 (Offroad spec.)
Weight Gross (lb.) 1050
Loading height (in.) 22
Ground clearance (in.) 12.5
Tread (in.) 49
Tires Ply 6
Tires Size 6.00 x 16
Brakes Hand parking only
Towing tractor Truck, 1/4-ton and 3/4-ton, 4 x 4
Shipping dimensions (cu. ft.), (sq. ft.) 141, 42
Trailer will float with 500 pound load,
with 6 inches freeboard

The Bantam model number was BT3 or Bantam Trailer - 3 (also called T3), while Willys used MBT or MB Trailer. The BT3 and MBT trailers consisted of a sheet metal construction cargo body welded to a separate frame. When the two floor drain plugs were sealed shut, the trailer became amphibious and could be either motored or man-handled across rivers or bodies of water. The trailer's single axle was supported by conventional leaf springs and direct acting shock absorbers. Towing was accomplished by means of a lunette receiver hitch used in conjunction with the military pintle hook that was mounted on the rear of most military vehicles of the time period. The trailer could be parked in a near level position by simply dropping its "landing leg" located just behind the lunette. A mechanical "pushbutton" release hand brake kept a BT3 or MBT from accidentally "rolling into combat."

Lighting was a standard period, six-volt military black out and service light, and was connected to the standardized jeep through a military trailer plug and corresponding receptacle on the jeep.

I have seen figures showing Bantam built just about 100,000 trailers for the Army during WW II. Interesting.
(David from Forum 43)

Excellent info & pics (that I knew nothing about). THANK YOU David!