► Photothread: Volkswagen Beetle - Vw Käfer thread

[Francisco]

I've searched the forum and it seems that there's still not much information about this vehicle around here, therefore, I suggest we create a thread about it.
As I don't have any wartime photographs of it, I'll start by posting links to restored vehicle (judging their accuracy will also be constructive):

http://feldbluse.ld.infoseek.co.jp/a-013.html

http://steiner.web.infoseek.co.jp/afv-0 ... -013a.html

http://www.ww2vw.com/index2.php?str=gal ... 9&shwup=38

General information:

http://www.tankmodel.com/VW82e.htm

List of types and variations:

http://www.aikidoparaguay.org/kubel/ktypanxe.html

List of surviving vehicles:

http://www.kdfregistry.com/The_Survivors.php

More links about Vw vehicles:

http://www.vw166.com/links.htm

[Francisco]

*bump*

[SIS 5]

Hi Francisco,

a very good idea from You with a special thread of Volkswagen beetle. I have some books with pics of many, many vehicles, but the beetle is extreme seldom. So I can post only two pics of the "beetle" (source: Reinhard Frank, Personenkraftwagen der Wehrmacht).

Regards

Bert

[Francisco]

Thank you for sharing those.

Here's a list of available books:

http://www.kdf-wagen.de/kdfwagen/_b.php?typ=b_mil

...and some more photos:

http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/pri ... 05&start=0

[Wolfsangel]

Hello

I thought that somewhere in this forum there is a picture of dark coloured Volkswagen Beetle in a convoy of german army vehicles, but I cant find it - I dont remember which Topic it was under, as the object of discussion was another vehicle in the picture, not the Volkswagen. I think the picture appreared to be somewhere in Europe, and I think I thought it was probably early war period due to the other types of vehicles in that picture.

anyway I have one picture that might be wartime due to Notek light, though I'm not sure about those hub caps. Picture is cached from closed website modelling.ru



does anyone know if any of these Volkswagen Khafer/Beetle actually served in Afrika Korps ? most Volkswagen websites say yes, but there seems to be no photos to support this...

cheers
Wolf

[SIS 5]

Hi Wolf,

after searching a while I´ve found the pic You posted in the book from Hans-Georg Mayer-Stein: Volkswagen Militärfahrzeuge 1938 - 1948. I´ll try to translate the text to this pic:

In 1941 two cross-country-beetles on the chassis of the military version (Kübelwagen) were built for the Colonial Political Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Reich (Reichsaußenministerium). In a convoy with other vehicles they went to Afghanistan.

Regards

Bert

[Sam Wren]

There is one, in the background behind the 2. Panzer Kubel and bicyclist:

[Francisco]

From Karl Mueller-Volkswagen Militarfahrze.

[Francisco]

1938, by Hugo Jaeger

[Francisco]

I wasn't expecting this lack of participation but still, I'll keep posting what I find, it may be useful to those who'll come.

http://www.foro.pieldetoro.net/foros/sh ... hp?t=80377

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0

[peeved]

Exp. eBay auction.
Markus

[Wolfsangel]

Hi Francisco (and all)

I like the thread - but havent got any pics to post.

I'm particularly curious about Volkswagens that were said to have been sent to the Afrika Korps - its commonly written that a few hundred were sent to Rommel , but no pictures seem to exist...

does anyone have a picture of a Volkswagen with the Afrika Korps ?

maybe many were sunk in the Mediterranean in transport ships before arriving, or maybe arrived too damaged to use ?

maybe none were sent at all ?

I have just read a non-fiction book about the use of dummy and decoy guns, trucks and tanks, built from wood and canvas by the British to fool Rommel in North Africa.

The book also mentions several times how Rommel used deception to mask his strength by using 'dummy wooden tanks mounted on Volkswagen chassis' These were first seen in El Agheila in March 1941. A Lance Corporal Duckworth reported a 'vast armada of panzer tanks' bearing down on his post. He was taken prisoner and as they passed he received another great shock - close behind the front rows of panzers were dozens of wooden tank shells mounted on Volkswagen chassis, followed by trucks pulling sweepers to raise dust clouds. Rommel was making a small panzer force look huge to deceive the british, huge dust cloud and all.

The book always refers to these dummy tanks as being on Volkswagens. Perhaps these were actually Kubelwagens, but the book doesnt say that... could this explain the scarcity of Afrika Korps volkswagens, as they were all converted to dummy tanks ?

anyone have any thoughts or other knowledge on this ?

thanks
Wolf

[Francisco]

Maybe something like this?

http://forum.axishistory.com/download/f ... ?id=141671

[Wolfsangel]

Hi Francisco

the book has no pictures of the axis dummy tanks mounted on Volkswagen chassis, unfortunately

clearly the picture you posted is on a Kubelwagen.

Its curious that the author of the book only refers to Volkswagens, not Kubelwagens, but its about the british deception, not german, so possibly he was referring to Kubelwagens, given they have a Volkswagen chassis... maybe he meant actual Volkswagens... maybe someone knows.

cheers
Wolf

[Francisco]

Hello,

I believe the Käfer (Beetle), Kubelwagen and Schwimwaggen shared the same chassis. A least they were all VWs:

- Vw Typ 82 - Kubelwagen
- Vw Typ 82E, Typ 87 - Kubelwagen chassis with Beetle body
- Vw Typ 166 - Schwimmwagen
- ...

...so maybe he was being more general. Interesting information, nonetheless.

This list can be also useful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_K%C3%BCbelwagen