1943 Chevrolet C15A 'Blitz' Truck

Description

Colloquially known as the ‘Blitz’, the Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) class trucks were built specifically for the military forces of the British Commonwealth, with production shared amongst the ‘Big Three’ auto makers in Ford, General Motors (Chevrolet) and Chrysler (Dodge). Sharing the basic cab-over design, CMPs were produced in a multitude of variants and an estimate 850,000 were produced during World War II, the majority in Canada by the local Ford and Chevrolet arms. The Ford versions were powered by their ‘Flathead’ V8 engine rated at 95 horsepower while the Chevrolets used the classic ‘Stovebolt’ six rated at 85 horsepower. A range of different wheelbase lengths, from the shortest 101-inch to the longest 160-inch, was designed to suit a variety of different military applications and the CMP was configured in both two and four wheel drive versions. Assembled in Britain in ‘CKD’ form, the CMP was also manufactured under licence in Australia, the majority using the No. 13 cab style with twin windscreens angled forward to reduce glare. All were built in right-hand drive configuration and saw service in various theatres during World War II, including North Africa, Europe and the Eastern Front, along with post-war conflicts in Indonesia, French Indochina and former Portuguese colonies in Africa. Surplus CMP trucks were adopted by armies all over the world and were also used for a multitude of civilian tasks, with many ex-Australian Army ‘Blitzes’ ending their days on farms all over the country. With the rise of interest in military vehicles some have been preserved in museums and private collections but good examples rarely come on the open market.