I just finished reading The Original Jeeps In Pictures by Paul R. Bruno and have to say it scratched my inner #JeepThing well. This is a book that is both a coffee table conversation book and a historical “holy crap, I didn’t know that” page turner.
As most of those who know me are well aware, I love Jeeps. Especially the original Willys series made popular during and after World War II. This book is Bruno’s third book about Jeeps and covers the timeline of Jeep models from the beginning with the 1918 Project Genesis to 1941 and the licensing of the MB for wartime production. Most of the photos in the book are from pre-war and wartime testing and use of the various models made during that period.
In this book, Bruno covers a lot of the history, design work, and discussion that flowed around what would become the Jeep as well as several of the offshoot/spinoff models made from it during that time period. Vehicles like the Bantam BRC, the Willys MA, and of course the Ford GP that became the Jeep’s namesake. The powertrain for the MB would also become a feature in several other war machines of the era including light tanks, tractors, personnel haulers, and more.
During the latter part of his book, Bruno explains the history behind the Willys Overland company and its struggles and triumphs up to and during the Second World War. Although he touches on a few of the post-war changes, The Original Jeeps In Pictures focuses mainly on the leadup to and rollout during the war.
Every page of The Original Jeeps In Pictures is a fascinating look at this most iconic of American machines. Through sheer willpower and production dominance, the Jeep dominated the battlefields and countrysides of WWII and became the single most recognizable piece of American ingenuity worldwide.
You can find Bruno’s book on Amazon.
