MV Collector Overview

Many people all over the world are fascinated by military vehicles. Since World War II a lot of that interest has been focused on the US Army Jeep. Thanks to CNN during the Gulf War, the HMMWV (pronounced humvee) has joined the jeep in the public eye as a symbol of military forces in the modern era. Because of the special status that these vehicles have, and their legendary toughness and durability, there is an impression that they are not available to civilians unless you are Arnold Schwartzenegger. Olive-Drab.com will show you that such an impression is not true and you can indeed have one of your own.

Personal M-151A2 painted in four color Woodland camouflage pattern.
Privately owned M-151A2, painted in the four color Woodland camouflage pattern correct for 1976. Parts for the M-151 series jeeps are often available on eBay. (Photo courtesy of C. Chriss).

Today in WW II: 17 Sep 1939 Soviet troops invade Poland from the east. More ↓

17 Sep 1944 Thousands of Allied planes begin airborne assault on Holland, Operation Market Garden.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

Overview of Military Vehicle Restoration and Collecting

In 1912, four commercial trucks were purchased by the U.S. Army. That was the beginning of what became the world's largest fleet of motorized vehicles, replacing tens of thousands of horses and revolutionizing ground warfare. The huge quantities and varieties of military vehicles have captured the imagination of a small but very intense community of collectors, restorers, reenactors and historians all over the world who put a lot of time, effort, and even love into finding, preserving and enjoying military vehicles from all eras, wars, and locations.

While military vehicles are not around in abundance, they are certainly available and at prices which ordinary people can afford (well, maybe a tank or HMMWV is a bit pricey). In fact, if you are willing to put in the time and effort, a military vehicle can be considerably cheaper than an ordinary family car which isn't 1/10 the fun. By the time you finish with this section of Olive-Drab.com, all of the issues will be in perspective and you will be able to make the right moves to buy, restore, maintain, and sell military vehicles, even at a profit.

Much of the discussion of military vehicles is focused on the equipment of US forces. During WW II the Allied nations were supplied with many American vehicles from the huge US production and so US vehicles are the probably best known around the world. However, there were large numbers of Canadian and British vehicles produced and they are highly prized by collectors. The famous German vehicles of WW II, from the Kübelwagen to Tiger tanks, are very valuable today but exist in much smaller numbers. Recently some vehicles from the former Soviet Union are appearing at MV shows to open up whole new areas for reenactors, collectors, and preservationists. Whatever your interests, Olive-Drab.com will bring you the best information available to help you find and enjoy the vehicles.

To get you going right away, do all of the things suggested in the Quick Start section. That is the way to get familiar with the basics of the vehicles, begin a good flow of information from the magazines, and get in touch with people who can sell you vehicles and help you with any problems.

If your interest is drawn to armored vehicles, be sure to visit Doug Greville's Heavy Metal site in Australia. His "Hints for Enthusiasts" is a priceless introduction to what it takes to own armor whether as a gate guard (static) display or to run on the streets. There are a lot of things to consider about tanks that you don't have to worry about with a jeep; Doug is the voice of experience.

Lt. Gen. Holland M. Smith USMC (right) takes jeep tour of Saipan airfield, July 1944.

Be sure to read Wanna Buy a Truck? on the linked page.

Find additional photos and hi-res versions of military vehicles of all types at the Olive-Drab Military Mashup:

PFC Kendrick Mitchell of Lovejoy, IL, (front) and SPC Nicholas McMillian of Alton, IL, with the 1344th Transportation Company based in East St. Louis, IL, perform annual maintenance on an M871 trailer at the East St. Louis armory. The 22-ton trailers are attached to a semi-tractor and used to haul everything from vehicles to food and ammunition.

Athena, White Sands Missile Range, NM. This multi-stage research missile was used to simulate the trajectories of intercontinental missiles in firings from Green River, Utah to White Sands. During a nine year period, 141 Athenas were launched to test re-entry vehicles and study their behavior. U.S. Air ForceLength: 50 feetDiameter: 31 inchesWeight: 16,000 poundsPropellant: SolidRange: 450 milesFirst Firing from Green River: 1964

Crawler crane tranported to D-Day landings, June 1944.

GMC CCKW 2 1/2-ton 6x6 cargo truck with custom trailer, Mobile Optical Section, 12th Medical Depot Company, US 5th Army, Volterro, Italy, 9 August 1944.

155mm howitzer cannoneers' drill, basic battery, Camp Roberts, CA, circa 1941.

WACs are employed in every installation of Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, Newport News, VA. T/4 Thelma L. Cordray, A-202230, New York, NY, 1st WAC Company, chauffeurs for BG GEN John R. Kilpatrick, 0-167001, HRPE Port Commander, 27 May 1944.

Find More Information on the Internet

There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.

For good results, try entering this: jeep military or army. Then click the Search button.