I've posted before about the WW2 scrap drives in the US to get more metal to make into planes, tanks, etc... some stuff donated was rare cars

1933 Duesenberg Model J Judkins Berline, one of two made of this body type. This car was purchased new by Frank Yount at the 1933 Chicago Auto Show for his wife Pansy. She donated the car to a WWII scrap drive http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/531052/gonew/1/1933_Duesenberg_on_the_Scale#UNREAD
Thousands of average-income Americans across the nation reached into their china closets and donated family heirlooms made from metal to the WW II scrap drive as a sign of making a sacrifice. Families looked out their window and saw their second-hand automobiles that were not junk and still capable of providing transportation to their owners. Even though gasoline and tires were rationed, these vehicles were not totally worthless to their owners, yet they were donated to the scrap drive. The scrap drive was more than just a "junk" drive. People gave up items that had sentimental, utilitarian and monetary value. Sacrifices were made.Pansy Yount was the scion to the fortune left to her by her husband whom she deeply admired and respected. Pansy's social status as one of the wealthiest women in the world at that time required she do things in-line of what was expected of her in consideration of her social status. Pansy's desire to contribute to the war effort by participating in the scrap drive required she donate metal representative of value to the donor. For Pansy to collect junk in order to find somthing to contribute to the scrap drive would be considered below her dignity, besides, rich people don't keep junk. In order for Pansy to contribute to the scrap drive with some semblance of making a sacrifice, she would have to donate something representative of value - something like a Duesenberg. And she did. When she found the car got picked up by someone for their own edification she put a stop to that. Her car was going to be processed the same as everyone else's. Pansy had the money to afford whatever she wanted, and that Duesenberg was a symbol of what a person of her stature would contribute to the scrap drive.

Rare duece type 18 with a custom coach-built cabriolet body

The car varies from the American-made convertible sedan styles; the top has no side rails to slide on.

The car was originally purchased by a high-profile German official. In 1938 or 1939, the car was hidden, actually walled up in a basement in Austria, to prevent military confiscation. In 1947, the car was shipped to England. It arrived stateside in 1964, as the possession of a Wisconsin antique dealer. From there, it was sold to the current owner in Jacksonville.

The bodywork is from Deutsch of Koln, the chassis assembled by the Ford Werks A.G. Koln. Unusual features abound such as an underhood siren, dual flag shafts, a Bosch driving light and spotlight, and trafficators. This is the only known example by this coachbuilder and one of five German-built convertibles known.

Former Staff Car for the Third Reich. Owner was a non-Nazi and hid the car from confiscation by the German Army.

The car has all of its original parts, with the exception of the engine (now correct) that was lost during long ago restoration. There are currently only seven of this body type known in the World.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397594&page=61

WW2 was instrumental in changing the American culture in so many ways, but did you ever hear of car bumpers being donated to the scrap drives?

Rita Hayworth did her part... so if you come across her big old car with no bumpers, now you'll know what happened to them.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/08/28/Worldwarii/War_changes_fashion.shtml

For an example of immense largese in donating to the scrap drives, read about Panmsy Yount's 1933 Duesenberg Model J Judkins Berline that was turned over to the war effort for it's use as metal for armor plate, or whatever they did with all that steel http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/08/ive-posted-before-about-ww2-scrap.html

Rita was so good looking, the richest man in the world Prince Ali Khan gave her a Ghia bodied 1953 Cadillac series 62

WWII German barricade made from TP2 & TP4 locomotives; Baltic Sea shores

A real unusual and perhaps desperate need for steam locomotives during WW2 via:

http://melisaki.tumblr.com/

the proving grounds of WW2 vehicles demonstrated positive proof that "American Made" meant durability

via: "my life on $54.58 a day" http://gsglbc.blogspot.com

Uncle Bob the Corsair pilot, heroes don't always die in battle

HAMB member MAZOOMA wrote about his Uncle Bob, I have to repost it.

Uncle Bob with his Corsair.

He was killed one month after I was born when an airman in another Corsair, who my uncle was training over Riverside, clipped my uncle's wing. The other pilot bailed out and parachuted to safety.

Uncle Bob stayed with his plane because it was headed into a school playground. He managed to guide what was left of his plane into a dirt lot killing him instantly. I still have the letters from eye-witnesses that were mailed to my grandparents saying how they could see him struggling to get the plane away from the crowded playground. Many people from the neighborhood where the crash took place made the drive to Monrovia where his funeral was held. All came to pay their respects for a man they would never meet.

Via: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446547&page=14

Dauntless in formation

Proabably from Mega Moto, I'm not sure
I mistakenly called it a Corsair, and then had two guys correct me, and they didn't agree on what these are... either Avengers or Dauntless

WW2 railgun, effing huge!

Don't recall where I got this from

Roar! 1943 Studebaker Weasel

Via: http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/s/43studWeasel1_MVS.jpg for one that made it through the war and came though ok, http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/08/1944-studebaker-weasel.html

Cool nose art! P40 called Old Red

Wow. That is bitchin... apropos too
Via: http://zelastchancegaragedu78.blogspot.com/

1944 Studebaker Weasel

For a brochure: http://202.63.50.228/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=2114&g2_GALLERYSID=7ba8d706a5715abc56cd8f2bf2ae30cc

World War 2 had a lot of effect on Americans who weren't fighting oversea, and were dealing with rationing of gas and tires

For another WW2 effect on the civilians and their automobiles: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/04/1930-model-happened-across-while.html

1930 Model A, happened across while a mechanic was trying to get it running

The body hasn't been repainted

That's the original floor mat, in the rumble seat area.

When the grandson of the owner inherited it, and pulled it out of the barn it had been stored in for many years, he had a mechanic try to get it running.

The battery was in backwards .. early Fords had positive ground, not the modern negative ground.

These 16 inch rims have a story... the 1932- 34 Fords had 16 inch rims, whereas the 1930 and 31 had 19 inch rims.

In the 40's everyone switched from 19 inch rims to 16 inch rims, because all the military vehicles had 16 inch rims and only 16 inch tires were being manufactured. The interesting side effects of WWII shortages and rationing... in the example of rims on hot rods.

Oradour Sur Glane, France

Henry lives nearby, and emailed me the story about Oradour.

The German army rounded up all the villagers on suspicion of collaborating with the resistance during WW2 and placed all the women and children in the church, and the menfolk in various buildings around the village. At the church, soldiers brought in a box containing some sort of explosive device and detonated it amidst the terrified women and children. The SS then started firing their machine guns into the church through the doors and windows and also threw in hand grenades to murder the women and children.

They shot the men in the legs before setting fire to the entire village, the church included, thus burning alive some 600 people. The whole village was completely destroyed and only a handful of people escaped.

The village was designated a memorial site and left exactly as it was on the day of the attrocity,and remains so to this day. Hence all the contents of the village including all the vehicles remain in situ where they were burned.

That is the saddest thing you'll learn all week.

http://www.oradour.info/

http://www.secondworldwar.co.uk/ora_tour/oradour.html