Dodge WC51 is an American army off-road vehicle

The Dodge WC51 is a typical representativemilitary transport of the Second World War in America. The machine has excellent cross-country ability, high reliability and design. More well-known is another name for this car - "Dodge Three Quarters". This name was given to the jeep due to the carrying capacity of three quarters of a ton (750 kg).

The basis of the machine is the tapering front framespar type. The car is open, equipped with bucket seats. The headlights and radiator are protected by metal strips. The windscreen is thrown onto the hood, which in turn opens to the right and left along the longitudinal axis. The fuel consumption for this car is very significant (about 35-40 liters per 100 km). Let's consider in more detail the characteristics that the cars of the WC series have.

A bit of history

Its final equipmentthe jeep acquired in 1942. The car was completed with several types of motors, but the 92-strong T-215 engine proved to be optimal. In the USSR during the Second World War, more than 25 thousand "Doji" of this series were imported.

There are several versions of originabbreviations WC. Some believe that this is a shortened translation of the expression "weapons carrier". This is not entirely true, since the early modifications were called VC. It is believed that the first letter refers to the model year, and the second - to the carrying capacity. The American car had several variations: a standard version, an ambulance, a repair shop on wheels, and others.

Exterior

Light elements of a military jeep are protectedreliable gratings. The original configuration of the army model does not provide for the presence of direction indicators. The bumper has an original bend, the upper part is equipped with a hole for a manual starter. By the way, it's quite easy to start a powerful motor with a crank handle.

Dodge WC51 has excellent stability thanks toa low location of the center of gravity. Wheels with a wide profile are placed under wide wings. They are equipped with detachable discs, which simplifies the replacement of rubber. "Storing" is in place of the driver's door, which causes some inconvenience in landing, but it saves usable space. Doors as such in the car in question there. The step with the spare wheel has a slight bend.

Equipment

On the driver's side there is a neckfuel tank. In the back part there is a toolkit: pickaxe, shovel, ax. The towbar of the car has a self-locking hook, which is very convenient to use. In order to remove it, just press the lever from the bottom. The bumpers, which must be removed when transporting the implement, reduce the angle of rotation.

Near the left parking light there is a connectorfor supplying electricity to the trailing device. On the starboard side, the absence of a door strikes even more. It is doubtful that an open cabin is a dignity, especially when driving in a decent frost. On the threshold there are cans for water and gasoline. To them is fastened a pair of buckets from tarpaulins (with the help of straps).

In the cabin

The seats in the Dodge are bucket-shaped, rigid, withgood lateral support, which is important when riding in corners for a passenger. There are no doors, the hold handle too. The dashboard is convenient and informative. The plates contain information about when to switch gears, their scheme, how to drain water from the cooling system. All inscriptions in English.

The following equipment is available from the devices:

• manometer;
• ammeter;
• speedometer;
• Indicators of fuel level and water temperature.

The speed markup is displayed in miles, and the gradationtemperature indices are in degrees Fahrenheit. All instruments are located low and centered. In the cabin there are switches of light, ignition, lighting, even the ventilation drive for the intake of external air. The front glass opens 90 degrees upwards or completely falls on the hood.

Technical indicators

The army car is equipped with a power unit withsix cylinders, which has a volume of 3.8 liters and a capacity of 92 liters. from. The motor reaches a maximum at an indicator of one and a half thousand, and the extreme value does not exceed 3,200 revolutions. These characteristics allow you to carry three quarters of a ton of cargo plus pull the tractor gun. It is worth noting that the engine "Dodge" - it's almost identical part, installed later on the domestic GAZ-51.

Undercarriage running geartwo-way lever shock absorbers for the front suspension. The wheels are fastened with five nuts to the hubs, and the outer rim edge - to the disc with the help of ten fasteners. The frame side members are connected by four main and additional cross-members of the stamped type. A bumper or winch sub-frame is attached to the front with the help of adapters. In the rear part there are two B-shaped bumpers, the spars above the bridges are bent upwards.

Characteristics

Below are the main technical specifications of the auto Dodge WC51:

• carrying capacity 750 kg;
• weight - 2 315 kg;
• base - 2,5 m;
• length / width / height - 4.23 / 2.12 / 1.87 m;
• the track of the front wheels is 1.6 m;
• the same figure for the rear wheels is 1.65 m;
• road clearance - 27,3 cm;
• type of the power unit - petrol six-cylinder engine (four strokes, volume of 3.8 liters, capacity of 92 "horses");
• revolutions per minute (max) - 3200;
• the maximum speed is 88 km / h;
• fuel consumption per 100 km - 29 liters on the road.

The hood of the Dodge WC51 is mostly flat withbend. However, in the sanitary and passenger modifications it is curved, because the front end is used from the truck cabin of the WF32 series. The body of the car is made of solid metal, rectangular shape. Side are compartments for ammunition and tools, which are available when discarding seats.

Features

On the body of the jeep in question canThree arc-shaped fastenings for the installation of the awning are installed. The hardness of the coating is provided by an average canvas belt. The upper part of the seatback is fixed to the front edge of the front edge by means of a chain at an angle of 45 degrees. The floor has five stiffeners and is suitable for mounting a rack designed for a small-caliber gun or machine gun.

The tailgate is foldable and locked by a pairchains. The body sidewalls consist of three elements connected by welding. The front parts are stamped, equipped with a hook for securing the tarpaulin. The SUV is painted in an olive protective color with a special matte paint. In addition, the edge of the left bumper or part of the tailgate could be covered with white.

A tarpaulin canopy is divided into threecomponents. The roof is attracted to the front by means of a rope attachment. The second part is fastened to the frame of the windshield with buttons. The back of the awning is attached to the body hooks. A rectangular valve is provided in the middle of the structure.

Test Drive

The American car is started with the help ofelectric starter. The engine functions smoothly, smoothly and quietly, given its power. Near the parking brake is the lever for activating the front axle. Since synchronizers on the gearbox are missing, you will need to apply a double squeeze. By the way, the necessary mode to include is not so simple. Having a certain skill, it is possible to disperse this car fairly quickly, if you start from the second gear, given that there is no descending speed on the device.

On the road, driving an SUV is easy. He well enters the turns and keeps a straight line. A relatively small wheelbase makes it possible to deploy in small areas. Brakes with a hydraulic drive are reliable and perfectly stop the heavy car. Test drive Dodge WC 51 surprised and pleased motorists. There are two serious drawbacks. Firstly, the wind even in warm weather prevents, not to mention the frost. Secondly, the steering is heavy. Affects the width of the wheels and the weight of the machine.

Conclusion

American military vehicle Dodge WC51is a classic representative of the US auto industry during the Second World War. It has objective advantages, expressed in power, good handling and load capacity, as well as a well thought out body structure.

Along with this, the SUV under considerationhas some shortcomings. For example, an open cabin is not a very practical element in the cold season. In addition, heavy-duty steering, and the reserve of a full tank of gasoline is enough for 300 kilometers, with a consumption of about 30 liters per hundred.