Willys MB and Ford GPW

A 1941 Bantam achieving total lift-off, loaded with a 3-man crew, and towing a 37mm anti-tank gun. "Flying Jeep" photos like this one inspired posters and perhaps the 'Leaping Lena' nickname.

Bantam 's first prototype, shown in front of the already new for 1940, "light" half-ton, 4×4 Dodge VC-1 Command Car , graphically shows the radically new 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton concept. [ 24 ]

General Dwight D. Eisenhower , here in his jeep in summer 1944, wrote that the jeep was "one of the six most vital" U.S. vehicles to win the war

U.S. Indian motorcycle and sidecar, with M1914 Colt Machine Gun, 1917

British military motorcycle dispatch rider, 1914 World War I

Colonel Davidson anti-aircraft semi-armored Cadillac, 1909

Nash Quad 2‑ton ammunitions truck, 1918

Japan-fielded 1935 Kurogane Type 95 4×4 scout car (captured at the 1939 Battle of Khalkhin Gol )

The 1940 Dodge G-505 VC-series (Command Car shown) were the first light U.S. military 4WD vehicles, bought in production quantity, [ nb 19 ] during WWII, and for years nicknamed "jeeps" by the soldiers.

Initial 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton truck specifications (Ordnance Technical Committee; 1940)

American Bantam's first Reconnaissance Car (BRC) prototype, "Old Number One" – note fully rounded front fenders

The further 70 Bantam Mk-II prototypes, often called 'BRC-60', [ nb 21 ] kept a round hood and grille, but square front fenders with short side steps. Shown #7, nicknamed "Gramps," owned by the Smithsonian museum. [ 78 ]

Conforming to specification, American Bantam delivered the last eight 1940 Mk. II prototypes with four-wheel steering.

Ford GPA amphibious jeep

Willys jeep interior with radio

British SAS jeep, armed with Vickers K machine gun for driver and twin Vickers K for the co-driver

Jeep with rear baggage rack (Netherlands, 1944); note that the spare wheel was relocated to the rear right side

Ambulance jeeps often had racks for two litter patients front and back

WV-6 snorkel kit for deep water fording, from TM9-2853 (1945)

Holden-modified WW II ambulance jeep for the U.S.M.C. in the Pacific War . Note that the medical supplies locker is in place of the right front seat. Source: National Archives

Holden -modified MB/GPW jeep field-ambulance for U.S.M.C. in the Pacific War, series I. Series II and III were made some 6 inches (15 cm) taller.

One of thirty-six Crosley CT-3 'Pup' extra-light, 4WD mini-jeep prototypes

Preparing for the July 1943 Sicily campaign : a jeep is loaded onto an American Waco CG-4 A glider plane.

1941 exp. 37mm anti-tank GMC prototype on a Bantam BRC-40 T2E1, as the 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton car itself was still in development.

Jeep with a 37mm cannon and a belt-fed, water-cooled, rapid-fire Browning M1917A1 machine gun in U.S. 3rd Infantry, Newfoundland, 1942

Experimental rocket-artillery jeep, Inyokern Naval Air Facility, Jan 1945

Willys T14, rearwards firing 37 mm gun motor carriage (GMC)—the first 6×6 "Super-Jeep"

Willys MT-TUG, 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton 6×6 Tractor/"Super-Jeep"; picture from TM10-1513 manual supplement

Willys MLW-2 pickup, 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton, 4×4, "Light Jungle" prototype initially rode on 36-inch (91 cm) wheels and tires, and had a whole new rear, with a tailgate

T28 experimental Willys MT based, half-track litter-carrier.

America tested armoring jeeps for reconnaissance (reenactment car).

The T24 Scout Car was built on a 6×6 Willys MT "Super-Jeep" chassis.

The Canadian "Tracked Jeep" Mk . 1 in the Canadian War Museum . [ 116 ]

Canadian WWII poster for savings certificates . The vehicle resembles a British Standard Beaverette armored car

Hafner Rotabuggy in flight

All three light U.S. 4×4 trucks, nicknamed "jeeps" in World War II. From left to right: Willys MA 1 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, Dodge WC 3 ⁄ 4 ‑ton, Dodge WC 1 ⁄ 2 ‑ton.

Willys wartime ad promoting the Jeeps' contribution to the war effort – in particular used by the Seabees [ nb 30 ]

In 1941, Willys publicly showed off their MA's off-road capabilities, like by stair-climbing on Capitol Hill

Early production 1 ⁄ 4 ‑tons like this American Bantam BRC-40 in the Philippines, were the first to see action, with allied British or Soviet forces (1941).

The British Special Air Service used heavily armed jeeps in North Africa missions.

Two jeeps leading a British column of Universal Carriers and a Sexton self-propelled gun. Caen, 1944

Willys MB used by former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay

Jeepney

Once the jeep's design had converged, and was standardized, Ford and Willys built some 640,000 jeeps virtually identical to this 1944 MB.