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Converto
Manufacturing Company in World War Two
Cambridge City, IN
1939-Present
This page updated 10-14-2024.
Converto Manufacturing is a privately-owned
company in Cambridge, IN, located at the intersection of U.S. 40 and
Indiana SR 1. Converto
currently manufactures a line of products that are used for recycling,
scrap, and waste disposal. Its main product line is material
handling equipment for this particular industry. During World War
Two, the company built 1,157 1/2-ton, two-wheel airborne trailers.
These trailers were part of a group of specially designed small pieces
of equipment that could be used by airborne engineers to prepare
airfields. The equipment was all small enough to fit into a C-47
transport or a CG-4A glider, which would bring the equipment in for
further airfield preparation. Converto, like most other American
companies, produced other products for the war effort that were not
purchased by Army Ordnance.
Table 1 -
Converto Manufacturing Company
World War Two Trailers 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 |
Model |
1940 |
1941 |
1942 |
1943 |
1944 |
1945 |
Total |
| Trailer, dump,
towed, 2-wheel, 1/2-ton, airborne |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,157 |
1,157 |
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 WWII. 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 direct purchases.
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Table 2 - Converto
Manufacturing 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. Added 5-27-2022. |
|
Product |
Contract Amount |
Contract Awarded
|
Completion
Date |
| Lockers
Ammunition - Navy |
$303,000 |
4-1942 |
12-1942 |
| Trailers -
Army |
$63,000 |
2-1943 |
4-1943 |
| Trailers -
Navy |
$80,000 |
1-1944 |
9-1944 |
| Wood Gas
Producers - Navy |
$197,000 |
2-1944 |
10-1944 |
| Trailers -
Navy |
$82,000 |
6-1944 |
2-1945 |
| Dump Trailers
- Army |
$214,000 |
9-1944 |
4-1945 |
| Trailers -
Army |
$199,000 |
11-1944 |
9-1945 |
| Dump Trailers
- Army |
$637,000 |
11-1944 |
3-1945 |
| Total |
$1,775,000 |
|
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From both Table 1 and Table 2 it can be
determined that the 2-wheel airborne dump trailers were not built in
time to see any significant, if any, combat. They may have been
designated for the invasion of Japan that did not happen.
This Converto Airborne Trailer is part of a
diorama at the U.S. Army Engineer Museum at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.
Author's photo added 10-14-2024.
Author's photo added 10-14-2024.
Author's photo added 10-14-2024.
 |
This Converto Airborne Trailer was on
display at the 2019 MVPA National Convention in York, PA.
According to the owner, this is one of two that he owns. He
related how he had been looking for one of these trailers for many
years, and then found this one in a field not far from where he lives in
Lexington, KY. He then related how a couple of weeks later, again
not far from his house, he found the second one. Note that the
registration number on the trailer 0878055 is shown on the original data
plate below. Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
Author's photo.
The Case tractor shown here is a 1954
version, similar to the SI airborne tractor produced by Case during World
War Two. The original tractors are very rare, and there appears to
be only a couple still in existence. This set-up shows how the two
pieces of equipment worked together. Author's photo.
This information placard has the important details about the trailer and
its use. Author's photo.
Converto Airborne Trailer U.S. Registration
Number 0877548 was on display at the 2021 MVPA National Convention in
South Bend, IN. Author's photo
added 8-17-2021.
Author's photo added 8-17-2021.
Author's photo added 8-17-2021.
Converto Airborne Trailer U.S. Registration
Number 0650787 was on display at the 2022 MVPA National Convention in
South Bend, IN. This is a really cool display as it is original
and has the USA number still painted on the side of the trailer.
Author's photo
added 6-14-2022.
This appears to be the oldest Converto
Airborne Trailer I have found to date with a June 17, 1943, date.
It also has a separate shipping data plate. The others I have
found have all of the information on one data plate. Author's
photo
added 6-14-2022.
The trailer has the original data plate and
shipping data plate attached to it. These are not reproductions.
Author's photo
added 6-14-2022.
Author's photo
added 6-14-2022.
This is the only Converto trailer I have
found that has a separate shipping data plate. Author's photo
added 6-14-2022.
This Converto Airborne Trailer is on display
at the Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, NY. Author's
photo.
Author's photo.
This Converto Airborne Trailer was on
display at the Fort Economy in Hallsville, OH in 2014. Author's
photo added 5-28-2020.
Author's photo added 5-28-2020.
Author's photo added 5-28-2020.
This is U.S. Registration Number 0877440.
Author's photo added 5-28-2020.
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