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American
Bantam Car Company in World War Two
Butler, PA
1935- 1956
Rest in Peace
This page
updated 12-30-2022.
The American Bantam Car Company was originally
formed in 1929 as American Austin Car Company. In 1936
it was reorganized as the American Bantam Car Company after filing for bankruptcy.
The company introduced a line of small British-designed Austins in 1930.
Sales of only 8,558 for 1930 fell considerably short of the 60,000
expected to be sold by the company's 4,000 dealers. Sales would
not get any better after the reorganization of the company in
1936, and the last American Bantams were built in 1940.
The company and the concept of selling a small car in the United States
was ahead of its time. It wouldn't be until after World War Two
that small cars would sell enough in the United States to gain acceptable market share.
American Bantam's opportunity for growth came
with the competition to develop
a new 1/4-ton four wheel drive vehicle for the U.S. Army. Out of
this competition with Ford and Willy-Overland, American Bantam's design
laid the ground work for what would be forever known as the Jeep.
However, due to Bantam's limited facilities and the production
requirement of 75 units a day before World War Two began, the U.S. Army gave the high-volume contracts to Ford and Willys-Overland.
American Bantam would find its World War Two niche as a manufacturer of
various types of trailers.
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Table 1 - American
Austin and American Bantam Automobile Production |
|
American Austin |
Yearly Production |
|
1930 |
8,558 |
|
1931 |
1,279 |
|
1932 |
3,845 |
|
1933 |
4,726 |
|
1934 |
1,551 |
|
1935-1937 |
0 |
|
Total |
19,959 |
|
American Bantam |
|
|
1938 |
2,000 |
|
1939-1941 |
Unknown, but not very many. |
This 1931 American Austin Roadster is on
display at the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum in LaPorte, IN.
It is just one of several rare vehicles on display at this museum.
Author's photo added 10-30-2018.
Author's photo added 10-30-2018.
Author's photo added 10-30-2018.
Author's photo added 10-30-2018.
This is a very rare 1940 American Bantam Standard Coupe. Only
eleven were produced, as it was years ahead of
its time as a small economical two-passenger vehicle. Weighing only
1,100 pounds, it was powered by a four-cylinder 22 hp engine. Author's photo from the Gilmore Car
Museum in Hickory Corners, MI.
Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
American Bantam Car Company won the
Army-Navy "E" Award three times during World War Two.
The company won its first award on December 21, 1943.
American Bantam Car Company World War Two Products:
Table 2 shows that American Bantam Company
had $40,221,000 in major contracts during World War Two. Included
in the contacts were trucks(jeeps), trailers, tire kits, front axles,
canvas truck covers, gasoline engines, and rocket motors.
Table 3 shows that the company built 2,642 jeeps
and 92,654 trailers of different sizes. Up to 58 of the 1/4-ton 4x4
Command Trucks (Jeep) were four-wheel
steer.
Table 2 - Bantam Car Company's
Major World War Two Contracts
The information below
comes from the "Alphabetical Listing of Major War Supply
Contracts, June 1940 through September 1945." This was
published by the Civilian Production Administration, Industrial
Statistics Division. Table added 12-30-2022. |
|
Product - Customer |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
Date |
Completion
Date |
| Trucks - Army
Quartermaster |
$172,000 |
7-1940 |
12-1940 |
| Trucks - Army
Quartermaster |
$1,435,000 |
11-1940 |
10-1941 |
| Trucks - Army
Quartermaster |
$57,000 |
8-1941 |
12-1941 |
| Trucks -
Foreign |
$1,034,000 |
1-1942 |
1-1942 |
| Trailers -
Army Quartermaster |
$6,366,000 |
7-1942 |
7-1943 |
| Ordnance
Material - Navy |
$1,854,000 |
10-1942 |
8-1943 |
| Trailer Parts
- Army Ordnance |
$98,000 |
12-1942 |
3-1943 |
|
Torpedo Parts - Navy Ordnance |
$1,335,000 |
2-1943 |
2-1946 |
| Semitrailers
- Army Ordnance |
$2,013,000 |
3-1943 |
6-1944 |
| Trailers -
Army Ordnance |
$6,455,000 |
5-1943 |
12-1943 |
| Wood Cargo
Trailers - Army Ordnance |
$348,000 |
6-1943 |
6-1944 |
| Cargo
Trailers - Army Ordnance |
$84,000 |
10-1943 |
9-1944 |
| Canvas Truck
Covers - Army Ordnance |
$464,000 |
4-1944 |
6-1944 |
| Canvas Truck
Covers - Army Ordnance |
$357,000 |
4-1944 |
5-1944 |
| Cargo
Trailers - Army Ordnance |
$2,110,000 |
4-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Semitrailers
- Army Ordnance |
$859,000 |
4-1944 |
3-1945 |
| Gasoline
Engines - Army Ordnance |
$1,000,000 |
4-1944 |
12-1944 |
| Engine
Rebuilding - Army Ordnance |
$75,000 |
4-1944 |
10-1944 |
| Transfer Case
Assys- Army Ordnance |
$55,000 |
4-1944 |
8-1944 |
| Cart Storage
Case M13 - Army Ordnance |
$1,619,000 |
5-1945 |
4-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$379,000 |
6-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$774,000 |
6-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$2,171,000 |
6-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Cart Storage
Cases - Army Ordnance |
$1,186,000 |
6-1944 |
6-1945 |
| Cargo
Trailers - Army Ordnance |
$1,713,000 |
6-1944 |
12-1944 |
| Rocket
Motors Mk 2 M1 - Navy Ordnance |
$1,628,000 |
7-1944 |
4-1945 |
| Cargo
Trailer Parts - Army Ordnance |
$58,000 |
8-1944 |
10-1944 |
| Front
Axles - Army Ordnance |
$630,000 |
8-1944 |
12-1944 |
| Tire
Kits - Army Ordnance |
$185,000 |
10-1944 |
8-1945 |
| Tire
Kits - Army Ordnance |
$144,000 |
11-1944 |
8-1945 |
| Tire
Kits - Army Ordnance |
$72,000 |
11-1944 |
2-1945 |
| Modification
Kits - Army Ordnance |
$596,000 |
12-1944 |
4-1945 |
| Bomb Trailers
- Army Ordnance |
$71,000 |
2-1945 |
7-1945 |
| Cargo
Trailers - Army Ordnance |
$1,550,000 |
2-1945 |
8-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$199,000 |
2-1945 |
6-1945 |
| Cargo
Trailer Parts - Army Ordnance |
$100,000 |
3-1945 |
10-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$466,000 |
4-1945 |
8-1945 |
| Tank
Tow Vehic Kits- Army Ordnance |
$115,000 |
4-1945 |
8-1945 |
| Tire Kits -
Army Ordnance |
$244,000 |
6-1945 |
12-1945 |
| Engineering
Services - Army Ordnance |
$150,000 |
6-1945 |
10-1945 |
| Total |
$40,221,000 |
|
|
Table 3 -
American Bantam Car Company World War Two Vehicles Accepted by Detroit Ordnance, US Army
The information below comes from "Summary Report of
Acceptances, Tank-Automotive Material, 1940-1945"
Published by Army Services Forces, Office, Chief of
Ordnance-Detroit, Production Division, Requirements and
Progress Branch
January 21, 1946. |
|
Type |
American Bantam Model |
1940 |
1941 |
1942 |
1943 |
1944 |
1945 |
Total |
| 1/4-ton 4x4
Command Truck (Jeep) |
BRC |
70 |
2,572 |
|
|
|
|
2,642 |
| 1/4-ton 4x2
Chassis |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
| 1/4-ton Two Wheel
Cargo Trailer |
T-3 |
|
|
8,602 |
30,729 |
15,220 |
19,018 |
73,569 |
| 3/4-Ton Two Wheel
Bomb Trailer M29 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
144 |
144 |
| 1-Ton Two Wheel
Cargo Trailer |
|
|
|
|
13,862 |
4,725 |
|
18,587 |
| 6-ton Semi
Trailer Two Wheel Van |
|
|
|
|
|
19 |
335 |
354 |
|
Total Vehicles of all types |
|
70 |
2,572 |
8,603 |
44,591 |
19,964 |
19,497 |
95,297 |
Author's Note
and Disclaimer: The Detroit Office
of Ordnance of the U.S. Army was the primary purchasing entity for vehicles for the U.S. Army during World
War Two. It also purchased
vehicles for the USMC, US Navy, and for Lend-Lease. However,
there were other organizations that also purchased vehicles
including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Air Force, U.S.
Army Signal Corps, Navy Bureau of Ordnance, Navy
Bureau of Aeronautics, and foreign countries making direct
purchases.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Components:
American Bantam manufactured SB2C parts and
sub-assemblies as a sub-contractor to the Curtiss-Wright Company.
The SB2C was assembled in Columbus, OH. Author's photo added
12-30-2022.
Torpedo Components and
Subassemblies: American
Bantam produced a number of components and sub-assemblies for British
aerial torpedoes. These components were produced under the
$1,335,000 Navy Ordnance contract issued February 1943.
This American Mark XIII aerial torpedo is on display at the National
Aviation Museum of the US Air Force in Riverside, OH. This is
similar to the type of aerial torpedoes the British used. Author's
photo added 12-30-2022.
This World War Two era American Bantam Car
Company magazine advertisement shows that the company made torpedo
engines, aircraft controls and parts, torpedo tail gearing, amphibian
trailers, and cargo trailers. Image added 12-30-2022.
Jeeps:
The Sam Werner Military Museum in Monteagle,
TN has two 1941 Bantam jeeps. This is one of fifty that were built
with four-wheel steer. The rear wheel is slightly turned as part
of the four-wheel steering. This jeep is serial number 2588,
delivered 11-10-41. Author's photo added 2-28-2020.
Author's photo added 2-28-2020.
Author's photo added 2-28-2020.
This one is a two-wheel steer at the Sam Werner Military Museum.
Author's photo added 2-28-2020.
Author's photo added 2-28-2020.
It is serial number 1458 and was built 4-1941. Author's photo
added 2-28-2020.
This American Bantam Jeep is on display at the Atterbury-Bakalar Air
Museum at the Columbus, IN airport. Author's photo added
3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
This vehicle is serial number 1398 out of
2642, delivered to the Quartermaster Corps in April 1941.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
This is Bantam Jeep serial number 1208, located at the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville, AL.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
Author's photo added 3-24-2018.
1/4-Ton, Two-Wheel Trailers:
American Bantam built 73,569 T-3 1/4-ton,
two wheel trailers like this one on display at the 2013 MVPA Rally at the now
defunct Ropkey Armor
Museum. Willys-Overland designed and also built the trailer.
Author's Photo.
Author's Photo.
This Bantam T-3 trailer, serial number 42658 was built on May 5,
1944. Author's Photo.
Here is an American Bantam trailer in USMC
markings as seen at the 2013 Great Georgia Airshow. Author's
Photo.
Author's Photo.
This 1945 Bantam trailer was seen on display at the now defunct Kokomo Automotive
Museum in Kokomo, IN. Author's Photo.
It was hooked up to a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep. Author's Photo.
This was actually built after the war ended. Author's Photo.
Photo added 4-30-2017.
One-Ton, Two-Wheel Trailers:
This one-ton, two-wheel trailer is part of
the World War Two American Experience in Gettysburg, PA. Author's
photo added 12-30-2022.
This is serial number 14722 delivered on
1-20-1944. Author's photo added 12-30-2022.
Author's photo added 12-30-2022.
This is a one-ton two-wheel trailer that
would have been pulled behind 2-1/2-ton 6x6 trucks. Built 2-18-1944, it was of wooden construction to save on
hard-to-get steel. Author's photo from the 2014 MVPA National Convention
in Louisville, KY on June 28. Photo added 7-28-2014.
While the ID tag shows a two-ton gross, the
maximum payload itself is one ton. Author's photo from the 2014 MVPA National Convention in Louisville, KY. Photo added
7-28-2014.
While on display at the convention, it
was set up as a communication trailer. Author's photo from the 2014 MVPA National Convention in Louisville, KY. Photo added
7-28-2014.
Author's photo from the 2014 MVPA
National Convention in Louisville, KY. Photo added
7-28-2014.
Author's photo from the 2014 MVPA
National Convention in Louisville, KY. Photo added
7-28-2014.
This American Bantam one-ton trailer was seen
at the 2017 MVPA National Convention in Cleveland, OH.
Photo added
10-28-2018.
The trailer is serial number 14722, built
1-20-1944. Photo added 10-28-2018.
Photo added 4-30-2017.
Six-Ton, 2-Wheel Semitrailer:
Photo added 4-30-2017.
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