WWII Motor Pool Now Open at The National WWII Museum

NEW ORLEANS – The National WWII Museum recently opened the WWII Motor Pool, a new workshop facility dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the museum’s priceless collection of WWII macro-artifacts — aircraft, boats, tanks, vehicles and other large-scale machinery. Housed in John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion, the WWII Motor Pool includes an observation area that allows visitors to watch museum staff and volunteers as they work to bring these large vehicles and machines back to their wartime appearance. Click here to learn more about our restoration efforts and team.

Current projects include the museum’s M3A1 Stuart tank, 1943 Ford-American LaFrance fire truck and Clark Clarkat Model B factory tug:

• The M3 Stuart was the first American tank in combat in World War II, fighting invading Japanese troops in the Philippines in December 1941 and serving with British forces in North Africa. In Europe, the Stuart was outclassed by many German tanks and was often used for scouting duties or to screen and support American infantry soldiers. US factories built more than 22,000 M3s and upgraded M5s during the war. The museum’s machine most likely served in Brazil during and after World War II.
• A 1.5-ton Ford commercial truck was the chassis for the museum’s airfield fire truck, modified by American LaFrance to hold a powerful midship-mounted pump, an expansive water tank and other firefighting equipment. This truck was assigned to service a US Army Air Forces airfield in Alabama in 1943.
• Clark tugs were used for hauling cargo unloaded from trucks and freight trains, for moving parts and tooling in wartime factories, and for towing aircraft and bombs at military airfields. This one was purchased from Clark Equipment Company by a New Orleans-area roofing business and later was used to maneuver boats onto trailers at a boatyard in Arabi, Louisiana.

In addition to the WWII Motor Pool, John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion offers up-close looks at WWII macro-artifacts, including the museum’s patrol torpedo boat, PT-305, and LVT4 amphibious vehicle. The Pavilion also houses the STEM Innovation Gallery, an educational space that gives visitors the opportunity to engage in tactile learning and exploration.