Studebaker Trucks In Russia

[57pack]

Sitting here watching WW2 in color on the American Heros Channel with the Mrs.
Suddenly there was a whole series of film clips of the Russian counter offensive featuring many Studebaker military trucks. Troop transports, rocket launchers, and some with gun mounts!
I yelled out, "their using Studebaker trucks!" My wife just looked to me like I had a third eye growing out my forehead.

[Studebaker Wheel]

I have an album of about 100 - 8 X 10 b-w action photos that show Studebaker trucks being used by the Russians in WWII. This album was sent to Studebaker by an official of the Russian army with a letter of thanks. Below a series of color images used in Studebaker magazine advertising during the war. I also have a set of similar images of the B-17 in action.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Also made into a set of nice color post cards. Sample below. Available.

[Chris Pile]

Yup. Lend-Lease Act gave the Russkies our Studebakers.

[Gunslinger]

There's a book recently released titled "Images From the Arsenal of Democracy" by Charles K. Hyde showing the contributions by the American automotive industry during WWII. There's photos of Studebaker's production of Wright R-1820 engines and tooling...stating that for the last twenty months of the war Studebaker was the exclusive supplier of B-17 Flying Fortress engines. There's also photos and information on the US6 trucks and the M-29 Weasel.

[JRoberts]

I have heard many times that the Russians so liked the Studebaker trucks we sent them that the word Studebaker became synonym for "truck." About three years ago on a mission trip in West Virginia and young many from Russia rode with me delivering supplies. I asked him if he had ever heard of a Studebaker and he replied that he had heard older folks use it and thought it had something to do with trucks. Of course we talked about the origin of that use of the word. He knew about the lend-lease program and was fascinated about the fact that American Studebaker trucks came to his country via this program. Even more so when I told him about my Studebaker truck.

[Skip Lackie]

See chapter 6 of the Stude truck history on the main SDC website.

http://www.studebakerdriversclub.com/StudebakerTruckHistory.asp

[57pack]

Great information on the Studebaker-Russian connection. Never realized the extent of and amount of Studebaker built trucks sent to Russia. An didn't know that Reo built so many Studebaker design US6 military trucks.
Wonder if the Russian truck industry ever copied the Studebaker design?
Know the Packard design was copied.
Thank you for all the great information!

[2moredoors]

Was on a plane last spring, heading to Cuba, sitting next to a young Canadian Russian couple. They too were familiar with the word Studebaker and in Russian meaning truck. This couple were university aged and for whatever reason recognised the word STUDEBAKER.

One of the couple's grandfather had been a high ranking military person in the Soviet Union.

[Skip Lackie]

Great information on the Studebaker-Russian connection. Never realized the extent of and amount of Studebaker built trucks sent to Russia. An didn't know that Reo built so many Studebaker design US6 military trucks.
Wonder if the Russian truck industry ever copied the Studebaker design?
Know the Packard design was copied.
Thank you for all the great information!

Yes, they did later copy the Studebaker US6, though it was mostly in the mechanical components, which were not all really a "Studebaker design" (ie, many components were provided by outside suppliers, and were also used in the GMC 6 X 6 trucks). That said, it was Studebaker's ruggedness of design and construction that impressed them the most -- and those were Stude's responsibility. And they supposedly were really impressed with the Stude cab's vent windows (wind wings) -- which were, in fact, a first in the heavy truck field.

[53k]

I have heard many times that the Russians so liked the Studebaker trucks we sent them that the word Studebaker became synonym for "truck." About three years ago on a mission trip in West Virginia and young many from Russia rode with me delivering supplies. I asked him if he had ever heard of a Studebaker and he replied that he had heard older folks use it and thought it had something to do with trucks. Of course we talked about the origin of that use of the word. He knew about the lend-lease program and was fascinated about the fact that American Studebaker trucks came to his country via this program. Even more so when I told him about my Studebaker truck.

This old thread also had a story about meeting a young Russian woman who was very familiar with the name Studebaker (also in West Virgina). It also mentions that Khruschev mentioned Studebaker trucks at least twice in his memoirs.

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/showthread.php?55643-Studebakers-in-Russia-an-interesting-perspective&highlight=khruschev

[JRoberts]

Yes, they did later copy the Studebaker US6, though it was mostly in the mechanical components, which were not all really a "Studebaker design" (ie, many components were provided by outside suppliers, and were also used in the GMC 6 X 6 trucks). That said, it was Studebaker's ruggedness of design and construction that impressed them the most -- and those were Stude's responsibility. And they supposedly were really impressed with the Stude cab's vent windows (wind wings) -- which were, in fact, a first in the heavy truck field.

Indeed the vent windows were unique to Studebakers of the era. Many of the US6 trucks look pretty much the same but you can tell a Studebaker by those vent windows. By-the-way, these trucks were used a lot during the construction of the road build to Alaska during the war.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Indeed they did.

[57pack]

Just noticed over on the Studebaker Addicts Group on Facebook there are several WW2 Studebaker military truck advertisements posted. One with the Katuska rocket launcher installed. Cool!