The most mass-produced cars of World War II

Anna Tkach

AutoPortal editorial team

5,913 views 2 min read

The Second World War was distinguished by an unprecedented mechanization of troops. Of course, passenger cars and trucks had been used in conflicts since the beginning of the 20th century, but it was during World War II that they began to be produced in hundreds of thousands and fundamentally changed the picture of combat operations. By May 9, we have selected the most mass-produced vehicles of World War II.

Chevrolet G506

In total, 154,204 compact one-and-a-half-ton trucks Chevrolet G506 were produced for the American army. They were all-wheel drive, and the 3.9-liter 83-horsepower gasoline six allowed them to reach a fairly high speed – 77 km/h.

Studebaker US6

Over 200,000 of the famous Studebakers were produced, with most of them sent to the USSR and Great Britain under Lend-Lease. By the way, the legendary BM-13 "Katyusha" rocket launchers were mounted on the Studebaker US6.

The trucks were offered in an all-wheel-drive 6x6 version with a payload of 2.5 tons and a 6x4 variant capable of carrying 4.5 tons of cargo. They were equipped with a 5.2-liter gasoline engine producing 86 hp.

Dodge WC

The Dodge WC SUV was also actively supplied under Lend-Lease, but unlike the Studebaker, it was also used in the American army. Its payload was 0.75 tons, for which it was nicknamed "Dodge Three-Quarters" in the Soviet army.

Many versions of the vehicle were produced: in addition to the standard SUV, command cars, pickups, and ambulances were offered. The 92-horsepower six allowed a top speed of 90 km/h. A total of 382,350 Dodge WCs were produced, of which 337,000 were all-wheel drive.

ZIS-5

The legendary three-ton truck turned out to be extremely mass-produced – 571,199 vehicles. It is based on the American Autocar-5S, although the Soviet version was made more powerful (73 hp) and simpler in design. Since 1942, to increase production volumes, the model received a plywood cab, angular (rather than curved) fenders, and only one headlight, with brakes installed only on the rear wheels.

GMC CCKW

The GMC CCKW, or "Jimmy" as American soldiers nicknamed it, was assembled in 572,500 units, making it the most mass-produced truck model of its time. The all-wheel-drive three-axle vehicle with a payload of 2.5 tons became the main truck of the US Army during World War II.

The GMC Jimmy was unpretentious and quite powerful for its time – engines of 91 and 104 hp were offered. Naturally, many variants of the truck were produced.

Willys MB

The most mass-produced vehicle of World War II is, of course, the Willys. A total of 645,000 were produced, and they were present on all fronts. The simple, reliable, and very durable SUV was popular with the Allies and was used by both ordinary soldiers and generals. Machine guns were mounted on it, and it towed light artillery.

The all-wheel-drive Willys MB was equipped with a 2.2-liter 60-horsepower four-cylinder engine and could reach 60 km/h. With a weight of 580 kg, it could carry 600 kg of cargo. It is from this model that the history of the Jeep brand begins.