The Dodge WC series, nicknamed "Beeps", and at first (from 1940-1942), nicknamed jeeps, is a prolific range of light 4WD and medium 6WD military utility trucks, produced by Chrysler under the Dodge and Fargo marques during World War II. Together with the later 1/4‑ton jeeps produced by Willys and Ford, the Dodge 1/2‑ton G-505 and 3/4‑ton G-502 trucks made up nearly all of the light 4WD trucks supplied to the U.S. military in WW II -- with Dodge contributing some 337,500 4WD units (over half as many as the 1/4‑ton jeeps).

Contrary to the versatility of the highly standardized 1/4‑ton jeeps, which was mostly achieved through field modification, the Dodge WC‑series came in many different, purpose-built, but mechanically uniform variants from the factory, much akin to the later family of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. The WC series evolved out of, and was part of a more extended family of trucks, with great mechanical parts commonality, that included open- and closed-cab cargo, troops and weapons carriers, (radio) command, and reconnaissance cars, ambulances, carry-alls, panel vans, and mobile telephone installation and (emergency) field workshop trucks.

The Dodge WC series were essentially built in two generations. From 1940 to early 1942, almost 82,400 of the 1/2‑ton 4x4 Dodge trucks were built. Initially called the VC series (for 1940), these were the U.S. military's first ever "light" four-wheel drive, (pre)-production trucks, preceding the momentous 1940 rethink, leading to the creation of the "1/4-ton truck". However, the great majority, from the 1941 model year, were named WC series, and built in more variants. Contrary to what Dodge's nomenclature maybe suggested, the 1941 WC models were a straight evolution of the 1940 VC models, retaining their G-505 U.S. Army Ordnance Corps' Supply Catalog number.

Pictured here is a 1:43 scale replica of a US Army Dodge WC6 command car that was attached to the 2nd Armored Division, then deployed to France during August 1944. Now in stock!

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

Release Date: July 2026

Historical Account: "Beeps" - In 1940, the Army revised its range of standard, payload-based, general-purpose truck classes: a 1/4-ton 'small truck' requirement was added, (these became famous as the WW II 'jeeps', after many other nicknames); and after buying over 80,000 1/2-ton trucks from Dodge, the U.S. Army instead wanted 3/4-ton rigs -- and some more heavy categories were specified.

While the Army bought many half-ton WC series trucks, Dodge had to replace them with new 3/4‑ton trucks. In late 1941, Dodge introduced a redesigned WC‑series of 4x4 trucks, up-rated to 3/4‑ton off-road capacity, and their SNL code changed to G-502. The 3/4‑ton featured a lower profile truck bed that could seat eight troops, plus under seat stowage compartments; while service-parts remained 80 percent interchangeable with the existing 1/2‑ton series. Maintaining 80% service parts interchangeability with the 1/2‑ton models was of great value to both the field mechanics, and spare parts supply chain logistics. It also meant that production of the 3/4‑ton models could start very quickly, and they could be quickly deployed. The 1/2‑ton, G-505 WC‑trucks remained in various uses to the end of World War II -- from 1943 as "limited standard" vehicles.

Throughout the war, Dodge was the U.S. Army's sole producer of 3/4‑ton trucks, and built a total of 255,193 of these, across all variants, from April 1942 to August 1945. Standard vehicles in the 3/4‑ton 4x4 class were the WC-51 / WC-52 Weapons Carrier, WC-56 /-57 /-58 (Radio) Command Reconnaissance, WC-53 Carry‑all, and the WC-54 Ambulance. In the mass-produced cargo/troop and command trucks, the WC-52 and WC-57 are identical to the WC-51 and WC-56, but have a longer frame, extending further forward to the protruding front bumper with front-mounted winch.