After the end of World War II, the U.S. military began making plans to update and improve its arsenal of tactical vehicles, which would result in what is commonly called the “M Series” as envisioned in the late 1940s. In regard to jeeps, the last Wil

After the end of Second World War in 1945, the various Allied nations commemorated their victories in the different theaters of fighting by creating medals for those who fought in those campaigns. The British created a series of eight “Stars”, includ

One of the keys to the successful prosecution of WWII by the Allies was rapid projection of power. Motorized transport was more common within the U.S. Armed Forces during this time than in the armies of any other nation. Although millions of GIs walk

The annual Wartime in the Vale Show (WITV), held at Ashdown Camp at Evesham in Worcestershire, England, regularly attracts over 500 vehicles from WWII to the “Cold War”, and sometimes even earlier. The range of vehicles extends from bicycles to tanks

When German inventor Karl von Drais invented the “Swiftwalker”, a pedal-less wooden-framed two-wheeled device in 1817, wealthy members of his community quickly took notice and vied for like machines of their own. In 1853, Philipp Moritz Fischer upgra

I remember how in my childhood we would spend the winter evenings gathered in the kitchen of the family home because that was the warmest place in the house. That was back in the 1950s when there was no continuous 24-hour television broadcast and lis

A stone’s throw from Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian museums is a showpiece of cryptographic history. Just outside the NSA offices is the National Cryptologic Museum near Fort Meade, Md., a fascinating collection of decoding machines, documents, and a

Military enthusiasts do not have to wait for the next military show when visiting the Connellsville Canteen in southwestern Pennsylvania. A unique stopping point for breakfast or lunch when visiting the area, the canteen honors the men and women of C

The 2024 Findlay Show Armed Forces Day Celebration has come and gone, and it was another great show! When the weather was nice, it had to be about the best I could remember for the event. Thursday was warm and clear as a bell. Unfortunately, it raine

Here in the UK, now that summer is here, there are more vehicle shows to attend and that means getting busy. Not just with preparing the vehicles, but a whole range of other decisions — such as what to take to a show to make it more comfortable. This

Good HMV maintenance is a matter of getting to know your particular vehicle. This process should start as soon as you get your vehicle home. Control that adolescent urge to drive the vehicle right away and show it off to your friends like a teen with

Most historians could agree that while we may celebrate the Fourth of July, the United States of America was essentially born on April 19, 1775, at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, while the nation secured its independence at the Battle of Yorkt

Large croweds converged on the Mansfield, Ohio, Fairgrounds March 3-4 for two days of historical significance and entertainment for both families and military collectors. Although billed as a Civil War show with period cannon firings and the C.W. Fif

“Is this real, or a knock-off,” writes reader Paul Tyznar. “It’s been in my dad’s safe for as long as I can remember — at least 30-45 years.” EDITOR’S REPLY: Thanks for the letter Paul. We turned this one over to our Third Reich columnist Chris Willi

Even after almost 80 years after the annihilation of the Third Reich, the public display of a swastika in much of the world is met with brutal criticism, and even outright violence by those who object to the “Hakenkreuz” (hooked cross), and what it s

The connection between historic military vehicles and vintage warbird aircraft is somewhat obvious, and it seems that it has not been uncommon for MV groups and aircraft museums to combine for shows or other activities. Such is the case in northern O

Something of a tradition has built up surrounding military shows in the United Kingdome, with organizers trying to theme their show to incorporate a local wartime connection. Of course, this is not always possible, but one show which has managed this

While the vast majority of the well-known White M3A1 Scout Cars produced were powered by Hercules JXD gasoline engines, there were also a few lesser-known variants with different powerplants. These vehicles were powered by a variety of Diesel engines

The Schwimmwagen was a variant of the Volkswagen Beetle conversion put into mass production for the Wehrmacht in 1938 under the name Kübelwagen (literally translated as “bucket-car”). The variant was developed by Erwin Komenda, a car body designer em

During World War II, the German Army used armored fighting vehicles to serve in all roles in the combat areas, ranging from tanks, to supply carriers to self-propelled guns. One of the most important of these vehicles was a half-track known as the Sd