Bicycles have been used in the military since WWI and if anyone has spent anytime at an Army-Navy Surplus you have undoubtedly ran into a couple. The Japanese, Brits, Italians, Germans, Danes, and Chinese all had airborne bicycle divisions to get troops into enemy territory. They were cheap, most were foldable, required no fuel and were virtually silent. However, no military utilized the bicycle more so than the Bicycle Grenediers of the Swiss Army. They disbanded in 2003 after 100 years of service. Das Schweizer Militaerfahrrad & Militaer Velo shop has all your Swiss bike needs covered. Army Bike Carl has some terrific info and photos of Swiss Military bikes as well.
Swiss Light Infantry Bicycle 1940’s-1950’s
Swiss Light Infantry Bicycle 1990’s
Apparently, the US military was not as keen on outfitting their airborne troops with bikes strapped to them. That said, Huffman and Westfield Columbia both made excellent bikes for the US military. The Westfield Columbia models are the most desirable and are quite rare. These were mainly used to get around the bases, airfields, depots and I suspect a great many beer runs.
WWII Westfield Columbia
McCellan Field, Sacramento, CA in 1942
If you want to learn more about military bicycle history look no further than this thesis by Major Stephan Tate from 1989 on the, “Suitability of using bicycles to enhance the mobility of U.S. light infantry units.” It will no doubt educate your head off. 188 pages! I noticed this in Stephan’s thesis and it doesn’t surprise me in the least:
“The bicycle’s simplicity may be the reason it has been constantly overlooked by the American military.”
Located in England, Buy Vintage, is a very detailed and thorough site dedicated to buying vintage vehicles. It’s packed with interesting, rarely seen gas and pedal powered modes of transportation. I was skimming through it recently and ran across the English company BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Co.) who made airborne bicycles for the British paratroopers. It turns out they made around 70,000 of these foldies from 1939-1942. However, by the time the big invasions of 1944 came around the Brits had bigger aircraft than the Hotspur to fly in Jeeps, etc. Apparently the soldiers disliked the bike intensely and discarded them within a few miles of the beach. Can you blame them? Just imagine hitting the beaches of Normandy with Germans firing on you with all that gear + a bike to lug in the deep sand.
British Commandos with BSA Paratroopers Bicycles Preparing for D-Day, June 1944
Enroute to Normandy
Canadian Troops Landing with BSA Airborne Bicycles
BSA Airborne Bicycle. After the war, Hudson Bay & Co. was selling them for around $5US.
More military bike info can be found here:
Strikehold
The Liberator
Bcoy
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During the 70’s and 80’s Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel interviewed scores of popular artists, crafts people, musicians, fashion designers, directors, photographers, etc. Jim Dine, Robert Motherwell, Frank Gehry, Lee Krasner, Bill Blass just to name a few. Terrific glimpse into the past. All of the interviews can be found on YouTube.
Below are a few from the Made in America series.
Sam Maloof – Woodworker
Albert Paley – Metalsmith
Sandy Fox – Quilter
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Derelict Places is an English based web-site dedicated to abandoned structures. From insane asylums to woolen mills to crumbling WWII bunkers, it’s got something for everyone.
I have had a fascination with old abandoned structures, especially old farm houses and hunting lodges since I was wee lad. I grew up camping, fishing and hunting and whenever we were in the back woods of MN, WI, or IA and came across an old building I had to investigate. Scavengering through one of these abandoned houses was a very close second to plopping down in a duck blind or fishing for trout. You never new what lied within. My father used to collect old beer cans and he was just as interested in pawing about as I was. In the back of all these structures was their dump site and this is where you could unearth old cork bottles, tins and beer cans. My father still has a bunch of his rarest cone top beer cans in his office that came from these dumps. On many of these excursions I used to collect agates.
The Lake Superior agate can be found all over MN and WI. Because of their abundancy, the Lake Superior Agate, became the official MN State Gem in 1969. Most of mine came from long walks on gravel roads. I clean my agates then store them in water filled cork bottles and sit them on my window ledge.
5″ tall cork bottle with Lake Superior Agate shards.
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I had a chance to check out the “Insecta Fantasia” exhibit by Jennifer Angus at the Newark Museum last month. Besides being a collector of rare insects, Jennifer is a Professor of Textile Design at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. So it’s really no surprise that she pinned up all these insects into intricate patterns to look like wallpaper and textiles. This exhibit comprises two bedrooms in the old Ballantine House (Ballatine Beer) which the Newark Museum has owned since the 30’s.
Jennifer did all the textile work on the wallpaper as well. The resulting color combinations and patterns are beautiful and mesmerizing.
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Vintage Seattle is yet another terrific blog featuring rare photos and profiles. Created by Jess Cliffe, his knack for unearthing interesting Seattle history is something every city needs. Judging by the official welcome site of the Seattle Government they could use Jess’s graphic design skills.
I just found this bit of aviation history on Jess’s site. This crazy fella below is Horace Pentecost of Seattle, WA. He developed the “Hoppicopter” for paratroopers in WWII to use instead of parachutes. A couple of issues, it was very costly if the soldier were to fall when landing in rough terrain. But, more importantly, if the soldier did fall the flying debris could have made mince meat out of him. Imagine the stones you would have to have flying about with this harnessed to your back! One of the Hoppicopters is hanging at the Pima Air Museum.
At first glimpse his small tie looked to be made from the same material as his shirt. I don’t even think Thom Browne dared to go that small.
They added landing gear but, it too, did not get that juicy government contract.
Neat write up in the Modern Mechanix Illustrated from 1951 mentioning Horace. “Helicopters for Everyone.” I seriously doubt the big 3 auto makers were really worried about this but I still bet a few lobbyists got an ear full.
More info on the Hoppicopter HERE and HERE.
The Past……………
The Future…………
Yves Rossy – Jet Man
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“I’m watching Kojak. I always watch Kojak at 11. It’s 5 after 11. I pick up the phone. It’s my mother. I say mom, I told you never call me when I’m watching Kojak.” This is What Wepner told his Mom before she told him that he was going to be fighting Ali in 1975.
Complete interview here.
Chuck Wepner nicknamed the ‘Bayonne Bleeder’ & inspiration for Rocky films
More on Chuck and his life here. Classic New Jersey!
Commentary on the Andre the Giant fight HERE
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Photo District News recently posted 14 rare color photos from the FSA (Farm Securities Administration.) The Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division which owns these FSA photos has a huge collection that you can view here. Lot’s of terrific old rural scenes, Great Depression shots, laborers and WWII images. You can search for certain key words or by photographer. The color ones are great to see as most of the photos of that era were obviously shot in B &W.
A couple books on the subject that might interest you can be found here and here.
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Newline Miniatures from Carrollton, GA offers some amazing 1/6th scale military and vintage style civilian accessories and clothing of unparalleled detail and accuracy. More info here.
WWII US Airborne Figure
WWII US M41 Uniform Set
WWII Roughout Boots (These are almost too cool for words)
Distressed Leather Luger Holsters
Civilian Chore Jacket
Civilian Workers Outfit
Newsboy Style Cap
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I just found out about this long standing motorcycle rally called the “Gypsy Tour.” Our friend Dylan came by the studio with his his friend Thomas the other day. They are both set designers, artists and serious antique/vintage collectors. I plan on taking photos of Dylan’s collections soon. He has a treasure trove of vintage moto jackets, antique Americana, military items, art, etc. Anyways, Thomas had on the below belt with Gypsy Tour belt buckle from 1938 and I was so taken by it that I grabbed a few shots. The deco design and quality is really amazing. The leather belt easily shows half a century of wear and is worn into perfection.
In 1916 (The Gypsies) during parades and rides of the pre-World War 1 period mounted the below flag on their handlebars of early Harleys and Indians. The term “Gypsy Tour” arose from these groups of early riders. 1916 was the very first year of the Laconia rally, but it was an unofficial gathering of about 150 riders.
In 1917 the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) sanctioned its first official “Gypsy Tour” at Laconia. A Gypsy Tour was an overnight event with organized road rides and other activities of interest to motorcycle enthusiasts. Gypsy Tours were held in various parts of the country, and typically occurred on the same weekend every year. The photo below shows a group of riders from the Boston area and was taken before the 1917 rally. This rally became known as the “New England Gypsy Tour.”
 
A couple of early merit awards given out to the riders who completed endurance rides, etc.
Signet ring from 1932
Photo from the start of the 1918 rally in NH.
On August 1, 1924, the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) was officially established. The following year, in 1925, the AMA took over from the M&ATA the sponsorship of the Gypsy Tours, and greatly expanded them, from perhaps a few events to over 200 separate ones. With the exception of the World War II period, the Gypsy Tours were yearly events that continued until the early 1960’s. At that time, even though many of the gatherings that they were based on continued, the term “Gypsy Tour” fell out of favor, and was replaced by the term “Tour and Rally”, as in “New England Tour & Rally”.
In 1991, the term Gypsy Tour was officially revived by the AMA. However, by that time the individual events had all gone their own way in naming themselves. In 1953, or perhaps even earlier, Laconia first called its event ” Motorcycle Week”, and that term has stuck to the current day.
1939 photo.
Mid 1950’s photo of some “Greasers” before the rally.
Ebay usually has a good number of Gypsy Tour items…..This 1950 tour buckle just sold for $35.
This 1942 version went for $38. Pot-metal was used on this one because of WWII. Note the “V” for victory.
*Gypsy Tour info/photos from Weirs Beach
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