Original Military Bicycle Photographs

[New Mexico Brant]

Off this site, no photo credit provided:

 

[DaGasMan]

It's brilliant in it's inception! From the mind of a man that said, "I want to be able to ride on the train tracks
and be high enough to see way ahead and behind me... just in case there's a train coming." And everyone
has that, "Oh yeah, we're serious about this" look about them. The one guy with the beard is eyeballing the
officer with that, "Dick. I've been getting ready for this photo for weeks now. I mean, look at this beard! I was
supposed to be the guy up there right now!" And we all know that officer will never ride that awesome monster
more than 20 feet down the track ... looking all smug. Dammit that's a cool photograph of Bulgarian Soldiers.

 

[Rivnut]

Off this site, no photo credit provided:

View attachment 1577807

The guy sitting on the bike is holding on to something with his right hand that appears to be attached to the right pedal. There’s another similar one on the left pedal. A long slot on the end. Would the arc of the pedal run through the slot allowing one to also use his arms to help pedal? There also appears to be an adjustable weight on the angled bar running to the small wheel. Anyone have an idea where more information about this contraption could be found?

 

[DaGasMan]

"... Anyone have an idea where more information about this contraption could be found? ..." Fast Eddie

Perhaps the Professor from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

 

[leo healy]

Hi All 1880s. The Russian railway cycle of 1894 (above) was used by the security forces to check that the line was safe from sabotage by ‘nihilists’ prior to the Czar travelling. Since steering was not an issue you can see levers at the front that are operated by the arms to assist the propulsion of the treadle.

Taken .from this ,A Tale of Invention: the birth of the modern bicycle. can be downloaded.. https://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/nph120/meteo/Bicycles.pdf

 

[Bozman]

So I've been researching wartime bicycle usage and came across a great series of pictures that now reside in my collection.

The pictures are from Corporal Christian F. (Fred) Klein, S/N 36277550, 644th Squadron, 410th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, which flew A-20 Havoc Bombers in support of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, breakout from Normandy, and drive across Northern France in 1944.

 

[Bozman]

 

[Bozman]

An original G519 photograph from my collection.

 

[Mercian]

Hi @Bozman

The photos of Klein and his colleagues were taken at USAAF Gosfield, in Essex, UK, between April and September 1944. The huts probably survive, but are on private property.

RAF Gosfield - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Here's some further information on 644th Squadron, 410th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force.

644th Bomb Squadron | American Air Museum

www.americanairmuseum.com

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[DaGasMan]

So, here's a question: What is on their epaulets and collars and why?
That Lt. Colonel must be a re-enactor because those shoes aren't reg.