If Darth Vader ever had a bicycle

[XRCD011]

I am sure it would have been a Truppenfahrrad. Good lord what should have been the easiest "rustoration" has been a uphill battle all the way. I present the "barn find" wartime Truppenfahrrad of 1943.

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Stricker frame badge, one of the 36 known manufacturers of Truppenfahrrads during the Second World War for the Germans.

 

[Kayser Sose]

As a plastic modeller (1/35 scale) with an appreciation of the Tamiya 'Wehrmacht bikers' figure set, i am eternally grateful.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Is that a 3 speed or a 10 speed ? LOL

Grizz

 

[enefgee]

It must have been used on a covert mission to Britain, it has a Brooks saddle.

 

[Auggie Doggie]

Is that a generator on the front wheel for the light?

Auggie D.

 

[53Izzy744]

And the dead soldier laying to the right... lol wtf

 

[J.Hancock]

And the dead soldier laying to the right... lol wtf

Lmfao, just saw that

 

[geologist]

And the dead soldier laying to the right... lol wtf

WW2 saying: The only good German is a ...............

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Is that a generator on the front wheel for the light?

Auggie D.

Note the Black Out head lamp.

Grizz

 

[HuskyDude]

I present the "barn find" wartime Truppenfahrrad of 1943.

Awesome job !!!!

Did ya keep a record and "Pics" of the process?
Must tell us more!
Love hearing stories like this.

Lots of comments (some in fun)
Like the "dead soldier laying to the right" by 53Izzy744 LOL.

Have to add my twisted humor too...


Here I fixed it for ya...

 

[johnny rotten]

What's in the ammo box on the cross-bar
Small mortar bombs, 50mm?
Is the little box on the back for the mortar sight
The driver of another bicycle then takes the mortar tube
Is that how this works
Any ideas

 

[53Izzy744]

Awesome job !!!!

Did ya keep a record and "Pics" of the process?
Must tell us more!
Love hearing stories like this.

Lots of comments (some in fun)
Like the "dead soldier laying to the right" by 53Izzy744 LOL.

Have to add my twisted humor too...


Here I fixed it for ya...

Haha i was looking for a bullet hole in the original!! Awesome job lol

 

[Jaylegger]

That is awesome. The tits up boots and the apparent bullet hole in helmet a dry touch.

Just realized someone else added the bullet hole. sigh.

 

[M1-Garand]

Is that a generator on the front wheel for the light?

Auggie D.

Yes it is,ran on the sidewall of the tire in the dark,latched out of the way when not needed.

 

[HuskyDude]

You could buy a generator kit from Crappy Tire. Still had them in the 60's.
Tail light too... Yahoo!!!

Didn't work very well. About the same as a candle with a reflector.

They made peddling harder. Faster you peddled brighter the light was...

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Yes it is,ran on the sidewall of the tire in the dark,latched out of the way when not needed.

We had those when I learned to ride a bike and probably still do.

Grizz

 

[diopter]

 

[XRCD011]

Wrong army my friend, looks like the Swiss MO-05 bike that is a collectible also with a long service history. Very similar to the German wartime Truppenfahrrad but different.

 

[XRCD011]

The Truppenfahrrad is a 1943 Stricker built bike that I did up as a 5 Cm mortar bomb carrier. It seems EVERYBODY who owners a Wehrmacht bike go for the usual MG ammunition or grenade box carrier so I went with something a little different. While horses where a big part of the German forces the lowly bicycle deserves a bit of a shout out as 4.5 Million served at moving troops and material about during 1939-45. The 5 Cm mortar went out of front line service in 1941 and is a pretty complex and over engineered piece.

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The fellow from Forgotten Weapons did a great piece on the 5 Cm Granatwerfer 36. Anyways I had a 5 Cm bomb box from 1939 and ran with that.

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[diopter]

Closer Helmut profile to Darth Vader's.