1. This one was on eBay. It also appeared in the March 27, 1944, issue of the News-Journal out of Mansfield, Ohio.
“1944- U.S. Coast Guardsmen demonstrate new “Invader” jeep, which can carry 10 men and travel up to 60 miles an hour. The Invader is made by sawing a standard Jeep in half and adding three feet to the middle. Photo measures approx. 7″ x 9″”
2. UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay. This photo sold in early 2015. It was taken 3/17/44
Here’s a great shot of the Coast Guard of Invader Jeep. It was stretched three feet to accommodate more people. The text “The Coast Guard Invader” is just visible along the side. Here’s an example of one at a museum in New Jersey.
“944- At a Coastguard Station on the Atlantic Coast, U.S. Coast Guardsmen demonstrate new “Invader” jeep, carrying 10 men and traveling up to 60 miles an hour over sand.”
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Below is more info about the Coast Guard Invader.
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The photo of the stuck jeep shown below is meant to demonstrate why the Coast Guard created the “Invader Jeep”. Designed to carry 10 people, the caption explains why it will navigate sand better.
Here’s an example of the “Invader Jeep” from the G503 page (see more here). Compare the below pic to the restored “Invader” at the New Jersey Museum.
Wow, never heard of that one. Not sure if I’d like to do 60 MPH sitting in the back of it though.
I agree with Bob. Up to 60 mph while sitting sideways? That must be on wet packed sand going downhill toward the waves!
I didn’t see mention of an engine upgrade… but can’t imagine the L-134 handling that extra length, extra passengers, and bigger tires …esp not doing 60 mph ON SAND 😉
Then again, it did say they spent a whopping $100 on the conversion!
There is a video on Youtube of one of these being tested. Heres the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVl8S-iHMIE
Joe: There’s one of these at this NJ museum. Next time you are over there, check it out! We’d planned to go there ourselves in 2013, but ran out of time.
http://www.ewillys.com/2010/07/17/national-guard-militia-museum-of-new-jersey/
Dave, thanks for the link. I’ll definitely have to get there. Wish I knew it was there before. Sea Girt isn’t too far from our house there… esp. since we like to go “down the shore” when we can 🙂
It is common today to see wide rims and tires but in the day these wide tires must have been a very special item.
Looking at the video and now the picture again…it looks like it is bent…sagging in the middle.
I have a notebook 8 inches thick of all Charles R. Benjamin. Work and history I’m talking photos withJeep experiments for a different tire size is the 10 man jeep. Things that he worked at Marshall laboratory I have all the paperwork there with a bunch of signatures from a lot of top people in the NASA with the Apollo in the Ranger had pictures of this little thing he built to read temperatures and stuff on the moon it was actually with this notebook I didn’t realize what it was at a scrapyard and it was scrap but I have everything else schematics maps his own drawings of everything he’s done there pictures military top-secret stuff where do I go to have it appraised or have someone look at it sorry about the misspelled words .Super thermal ion detector experiment and cold cathode Gauge experiment with lots of signatures just off the top my head here there’s a rice and chicken burger and a bunch of others all on this top-secret stuff fabrications released I got the blueprints there’s a bunch here to explain somebody help me out
Hi Charles,
That sounds fascinating! I can’t say offhand who could give it a proper review. You might try contacting museums that specialize in space/aeronautics and see if one of their historians can help you out.
– Dave