The K-50 telephone repair truck was used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps during, and after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, for the repair and installation of phone lines.

History

The Signal Corps, at the beginning of World War II needed a light telephone repair truck, and contracted with both Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

, and Dodge

Dodge

Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....

 for a truck chassis to mount a standard American Telephone & Telegraph

American Telephone & Telegraph

AT&T Corp., originally American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American telecommunications company that provides voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to businesses, consumers, and government agencies. AT&T is the oldest telecommunications company...

 tool box bed. the original bed was styled after the Streamline Moderne

Streamline Moderne

Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...

 motif of the 1930s. The second style bed, the K-50B, was a more Utilitairian square box, that mounted the ladder on the top rather than on the side. It was often used in conjunction with the K-38 trailer

K-38 trailer

The K-38 splicer's trailer was used in World War II for carrying telephone cable splicers tools in the field.-History:The US Army Signal Corps K-38 trailer, cable splicer, 1/4 ton, 2 - wheel, seems to have been a standard civilian American Telephone & Telegraph designed product from the 1930s that...

. all were eventually replaced by the Dodge M37 series V-41 truck

Variations

• Chevy 1/2-ton, 4X2, (1941)
• Dodge 1/2-ton, 4X4, (1941) box by Highway trailer Co.
  • WC-39, T112, 1 built
  • WC-43, T215, 370 built
  • WC-50, T112, 1 built
• Dodge 3/4-ton 4X4
  • WC-59 T214, 549 built
  • WC-61 T214, 58 built (K-50-B) box by American Coach and Body Co.

External links

• http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_wc59.php
• http://www.wc43.com/
• http://www.brads41-46chevys.com/id12.html
• http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_chevy_early.php