Yellow gear 3 wheel "Jet Starter Jeep" assisting with a Grumman Panther engine maintenance in the 1950s.

Early jet aircraft didn't have on-board power units to start the engine, so they needed compact APUs (auxiliary-power units) on both land and on aircraft carriers. Two of the models of APUs used by the Navy were built on the Jeep CJ3A chassis. Each of these jeeps had a PTO that powered a generator capable of producing DC and in some cases AC. In addition, two extra gauges were added to the dashes of these vehicles: a running time gauge and a tachometer.


This one is 3-wheeled, with rear wheel steering, smaller than normal diameter wheels, and no windshield so to be able to fit under the wings. It was also quite nimble on carriers. Built by O.E. Szekely Associates, Philadelphia.

Thanks Steve!

http://warjeeps.com/articles/APUnavyJeeps/apu-jeeps.html



http://48cj2a.com/apu.htm

E-Willys added in the comments, just now, " the jeep community was under the impression that only O. E. Szekely manufactured APUs. Since that time, Nick Oxender discovered an APU that proved there was a second producer of APU jeeps: Valentine Welder and Co. It manufactured a four-wheeled version with the f-head motor and classic APU triangular hood bump. There is no evidence Valentine ever manufactured a 3-wheeled version. Earlier this week Nick listed his Valentine APU, the only one known to exist out of 75 made, on eBay, but it didn't break his reserve price."
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