Willys MB Jeep

Willys MB Jeep
Production information
Manufacturer	Overland Willys Motors Ford Motor Company
Type	Car/Jeep
Technical specifications
Length	3.35 meters
Width	1.57 meters
Height	1.32 meters
Weight	1,090 kg
Speed	72 kph
Armament	None, or 1 x 7.7 mm Browning M1919A4
Crew	1 to 2
Passengers	2 to 3
Usage
Role(s)	Staff vehicle Light reconnaissance vehicle Light combat vehicle
Year introduced	1941
Affiliation	United States of America Great Britain USSR

[Source]

The Willys MB Jeep is a light truck used by the United States, Great Britain, and other Allied countries during World War II. It appears in Hidden & Dangerous and Hidden & Dangerous 2.

Description

The Jeep is a light truck designed for both off-road and on-road use. It is primarily two-wheel drive, but can also be put in four-wheel drive for rough terrain. The Jeep is powered by the Overland Willys 'Go-Devil' engine, giving it a top speed of 72 km/h. The Jeep is 3.35 meters long, 1.57 meters wide, and 1.32 meters high with the roof and windscreen folded down, and the weight of the Jeep is 1,090 kilograms. There are several unique features of the Jeep, which include a fold down windscreen, canvas fold-out roof and the ability to perform most tasks with ease.

While most Jeeps are unarmed, some have mounts for the 7.7 mm Browning M1919A4 machine gun or Bren Mk. II light machine gun on the passengers side, or can have a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm Browning on a pole mount in the back. Some Jeeps were even fitted with 75 mm pack howitzers in the back or with 3.5 inch rocket tubes on a fully enclosed steel roof. Jeeps were also used as ambulances, artillery tractors, aircraft tractors, command vehicles and troop carriers. The crew required for a standard Jeep was usually just the driver, and the amount of passengers carried could be up to four, but armed versions required additional gunners and ammunition storage, and therefor reduced the passenger carrying capacity.

History

The Jeep came into existance in 1940 when the US Army ordered the designing of a military light truck capable of performing multiple task for officers and on the battle field. Three companies, Ford Motor Company, Overland Willys Motors and Bantam all presented promising deisgns, and prototypes were put to test. Bantam's design was successful, but not accepted, regardless, Bantam produced over 4,000 Bantam BRC "Jeeps" which mostly saw service with Great Britain. Ultimately, Overland Willys won the contest as a result of having the best engine, the 'Go-Devil'. Despite this, Overland Willys' body design was unsatisfactory, and Ford's body design was chosen to be merged with the chassis and engine of the Overland Willys vehicle, thus giving birth to the Jeep, the name of which was derived from the Ford prototype designation, GP. Both Ford and Overland Willys manufactured the MA and MB vehicles from 1941 to 1945, and onwards. Through the Lend-Lease program, the Soviet Union acquired a shipment of a few thousand Jeeps, which they too used as military light trucks, and from them developed their own indigenous vehicle, the GAZ-63. The Jeeps were used in a variety of roles, and were widely used by the SAS and the Long Range Desert Group, who were known to modify there Jeeps and excesive amounts of weaponry to them. The Willys Jeep remained service with many countries until long after the end of World War II, in which time many thousands were produced.

In-Game

Hidden & Dangerous 2

A Jeep can be be encountered in the SAS Training Camp during the game tutorial, parked next to the Bedford QLD at the garages. The Jeep can be entered and operated. A second Jeep, this one armed with a Browning machine gun, is automatically available to the player at the beginning of Operation Nomad, parked at the the starting point for the mission, and with the player's team already on board. Depending on the outcome of the mission, or the player's choice, the Jeep can be carried over into the following mission. Once again, depending on the outcome that mission, the Jeep will appear again in the third desert mission, in the opening cinematic. The Jeep will be inoperable, but the player will be able to enter it. Another Jeep appears during the closing cinematic of Operation Liberator - Business. It is being used by the US soldiers to transport the captured Gunter von Freiberg.

Appearances

Hidden & Dangerous 2

• Tutorial - Training
• Operation Nomad - Spaghetti Airport
• Operation Liberator - Business

Gallery

Hidden & Dangerous 2

A Jeep at a SAS training camp in Great Britain.

An SAS Jeep at the Abn-Sin-Oan Airport, Tunisia.

An SAS Jeep travelling on the Hamada al-Hamra road.

The driver's view from an SAS Jeep.