WW2 Military and Civilian Bicycle Production Numbers

[Mercian]

Hi All,

This is a repeat of a post I've put in the Schwinn Lightweights section, but some of you may not venture there, and it's of interest here too.

Some of the figures are estimated. These are in Blue

The Huffman figures are based on a statistical analysis of the Survivor numbers I've collected, usually using about 15 to 20 bicycles per year. It will be slightly biased, because I've been more likely to collect G519 numbers than civilian bikes, but won't be too far off.

There may also be errors in the original information.

We know from a discovery this year that a G519 type bicycle serialled MG46352 was made by Westfield in 1945. This does not appear on the statistics, and we don't know if it was a one off or part of a small batch.

Exactly the same number of Cycle Trucks being produced in 1943 and 1944 seems unlikely. Even if the same number per day were produced, 1944 was a leap year.... I suspect it is the total for those two years, divided by 2.

Best Regards,

Adrian

Edited for the correct reference from post 2 below.

 

[GTs58]

Hi Adrain,
To be more exact on the circa in #6 for you source of Schwinn's total production numbers, the numbers came from the March 1980 Schwinn Reporter that I posted in Miq's thread.

Gary

 

[Mercian]

Hi Gary, @GTs58

Thanks for pointing it out, and taking the trouble to find and post it in the first place.

Sorry I missed that.

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Mercian]

Hi Gary, @GTs58

Reference updated.

Thanks again (-;

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[DaytonandElgin]

Adrian, how many of the 500 Huffman folding bikes survived? (Model HF-777, manufactured for paratroopers in 1943.)

 

[DaytonandElgin]

Adrian, I found a photo of an HF-777 that @johan willaert posted on his website, TheLiberator.be, based in Belgium. The undated picture was taken at Dayton History/Carillon Historical Park.

But the handlebars, chainring, and crankset are different, compared to another HF-777. A U.S. Army picture/illustration, of that Huffman folding bike, was obtained by Kenneth Kowal in the Columbia archives, according to @johan willaert.

The second Huffman machine has, or had, a whirlwind chainring, special pedals, and straps. @johan willaert has more details on his website.

The Ordnance Dept. described the 1943 order for Huffman folding bikes as Model 81-81. However, a Tank-Automotive Center tentative spec referred to the model as HF-777.

(See the image of the front cover of this latter spec manual below. It is part of Webmaster's Collection, via Robert Sroczenski, and posted by Johan.)

 

[Mercian]

Hi Don, @DaytonandElgin

Huffman Model 81 is the standard G519 bicycle, so you are OK to use HF-777 for the folding bike.

I am only aware of the one on the wall at Dayton History/Carillon Historical Park museum and I do not know what the serial number is (if anyone happens to be passing, I would be interested....)

The one on the wall is odd, because, as you noticed, it has different handlebars and chainwheel to the WW2 photo.

Both of these were originally on the Westfield Compax folding bicycle.

I will write a longer answer sometime this week. I have deleted a lot of this one when I realised I was wrong, and your question was a lot more complex than at first sight!

Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[DaytonandElgin]

Just to be clear . . .

The Model 81-81 reference (with a hyphen between) is from TheLiberator.be website, operated by @johan willaert.

That's how the Ordnance Dept. described the 1943 Huffman order for a folding bike, he wrote. But a tentative spec, published by the Tank-Automotive Center, called it Model HF-777, according to Johan.

Were there two types of Huffman folding bikes, with aggregate production reaching 500? The pictures show some obvious differences.

 

[Mercian]

Hi Don. @DaytonandElgin

That’s why I’m unable to write a full reply now. (-:

What seemed straightforward, isn’t. And I can only find parts of the manual on the internet ( I don’t have a copy). So I need to do some work on it

Best Regards

Adrian

 

[DaytonandElgin]

Here's a closeup view of the drive side of a Huffman folding bike, at Dayton History/Carillon Historical Park, courtesy of David D. Jackson: