Ford/Marmon-Herrington Umbau-Wagen

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra in CMP Umbau-Wagen
W&T 31, p.2: The Wehrmacht's Umbauwagen article also brought reactions. Some excellent shots of Wehrmacht photographer's origin included Morris-Commercial PU- and CS8-based Kübels and this example on a 1940 Ford/Marmon-Herrington 4x4 chassis used by the Luftwaffe 'somewhere in Europe' (or North Africa?). Other views show that with the exception of a rather crude windscreen (possibly a retrofit) it was a well-proportioned and good-looking car, with full-length running boards, but no Notek BO driving lamp. It's the ½-ton Ford Commercial type, Model 01C, with car style front end and left-hand drive, but we can't tell what and whose it was prior to capture and conversion.

Here's another interesting picture of a 1939 1-ton Ford-Marmon/Herrington with German Kübelwagen bodywork (source: Reinhard Frank, Ford im Kriege).
It is similar to the one shown above, but the body is shorter. This Umbau-Wagen or Kfz.15 (Behelf) was tested extensively in Köln, Germany. The body from the cowl rearwards is clearly of German origin, but where did the chassis/cowl come from?

H.