The GMC CCKW is generally considered to be the "Truck that won WWII." Built in the thousands, it served the U.S. and her allies in all theaters of operation, becoming emblematic of the allied efforts to stop the Nazis in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific.

The trucks were delivered in both long (164-inch) and short (145-inch) wheelbase versions, with the longer designated "CCKW-353" and the shorter, "CCKW-352." The CCKW-353 was intended to serve as a general-purpose cargo truck, whereas the shorter, CCKW-352, was built as a prime mover for towing 75mm and 105mm weapons. The earliest production trucks had fully enclosed cabs, though by 1942, open cab versions became the military standard.

The CCKW was fitted with a greater array of body types than any other U.S. WWII-era vehicle. In addition to the cargo trucks, variants included: Dump trucks, water tankers, fuel tankers, air compressor trucks, bomb service trucks, fire trucks, ponton bolsters, mobile kitchens, decontamination units and even surgical and dental units.

The first true armored recovery vehicles (ARVs) were introduced in World War II, often by converting obsolete or damaged tanks, usually by removing the turret and installing a heavy-duty winch to free stuck vehicles, plus a variety of vehicle repair tools. Some were also purpose-built in factories, using an existing tank chassis with a hull superstructure to accommodate repair and recovery equipment. Many of the latter type of ARV had an A-frame or crane to allow the vehicle's crew to perform heavy lifting tasks, such as removing the engine from a disabled tank.

Pictured here is a 1:43 scale replica of a US Army GMC CCKW 353 2-1/2-ton cargo truck with wrecker set No. 7. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 6-3/4-inches
Width: 2-1/2-inches

Release Date: August 2023

Historical Account: "Hedgerows" - The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between Nazi Germany in Western Europe and the invading Allied forces as part of the larger conflict of World War II. Over sixty years later, the Normandy invasion, codenamed Operation Overlord, still remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving almost three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in then German-occupied France. It is most commonly known by the name D-Day.

The primary Allied formations that saw combat in Normandy came from the United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada. Substantial Free French and Polish forces also participated in the battle after the assault phase, and there were also contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, the Netherlands, and Norway.

The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks, naval bombardments, and an early morning amphibious phase began on June 6th. The 'D-Day' forces deployed from bases along the south coast of England, the most important of these being Portsmouth. The battle for Normandy continued for more than two months, with campaigns to establish, expand, and eventually break out of the Allied beachheads, and concluded with the liberation of Paris and the fall of the Falaise pocket in late August 1944.