Captured Ford C11ADF Station Wagon

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
My understanding of the whole situation is that based on the photographic evidence we have all commented on here, the windshield canvas kit was very widely used on the whole gamut of German vehicles. Therefore, they would have been inclined to not only use the feature on their own vehicles so equipped but to also try to rig up the same thing on non standard or captured vehicles such as your Wagon. In my opinion, the apparatus seen on the wagon was "home built" probably out of whatever materiels may have been available at the time.

My point exactly. I´m sure the Germans supplied their vehicles with folding windscreens with standard issue windshield cover. But since this is basically a rectangular bag, I can´t see how one can claim the sun visor on the Ford Woodie is a standard issue bit of multi-purpose kit made by the thousand. We don´t even know for sure if it was fitted by the Germans or Allies.

Your Jeep photo was most interesting as I do not recall ever seeing a canvas windshield cover for a US vehicle. May be there, I just don't remember seeing one. Nor, for that matter, do I remember seeing any British or Commonwealth vehicles that had fold down windscreens equipped with a cover before.

The Biography of Russ Cloer might be an explanation why one rearly sees the windshield cover fitted:

And the windshield was always down flat on the hood in its canvas cover so as not to obstruct firing to the front or cast reflected light which might give away our position. Comfort was not a factor. The canvas windshield cover served as a waterproof foot locker for the driver's personal belongings, which usually meant that any glass remaining in the windshield was cracked or shattered by a restless bottle of vino or some other hard object.

Hope this helps,
Hanno