Description
A great little military jeep to the 1:76 scale series, based on the Willys ¼ ton 4 x 4 army truck produced between 1941 and 1945 against a US Army need for a light, cross-country reconnaissance vehicle with a specification for a crew of three, a fold-down windshield, a weight of no more than 590 kg and a track no more than 47 inches, amongst other demands. The first vehicles were made by Bantam who could not keep up with the 75 vehicles a day production, so both Willys and Ford entered into their manufacture. Willys reduced the weight of the vehicle, naming it Willys MA (Military model A). Later that year, the US War Department decided to award the production contract to a single company and Willys Overland were successful in their bid. Some of the competitors’ refinements were incorporated into the MB (Military model B) and the name has stuck. Nearly 370,000 Willy’s MB Jeeps were produced in the four years of manufacture, most of which were used by the US military with a small number being sold on.
Here we see it as used by the Royal Navy in a striking dark blue with white military markings, including US Army star on the bonnet along with Beach Master wording. Note the signature 9-bar radiator grille which was implemented by Willys into the standard WWII Jeep by 1942. The interior is moulded in cream and a spare wheel is positioned across the back, rounding off a replica of one of the most universally loved military vehicles of the era. It is in great demand even today, when it evokes a real fun car in contrast to its original role.
