RE: Wartime Beetle
Nice Porsche! Interesting project, and well done.
The good Hr Doktor designed the original VW, and it was quite successful. Schnikelgruber built the Wolfsburg complex as a planned factory and town complex. The Germans could have money deducted from their pay and held in an escrow account until they had paid enough to buy a VW.
After the War, of course everyone thought the monies were gone, but when the VW complex got up and running again, VW said anyone who had their payment book from before and during the war, VW would honor what they paid against a new VW. Talk about instant brand loyalty!
If memory serves, the first post war production was two units in late '45, after most of the rubble had been cleared away. Might be wrong on the year though, might have been early '46. And in late '45, Henry Ford was on a tour of Germany, accessing the damage to factories and infrastructure, and was shown the VW plant complex. He was offered the complex as partial payment for his war time efforts on USA's behalf, and after looking at the Beatle, said something to the effect of 'I don't think that thing will sell, so I'll pass'. Hmmm.
The Kubel was built on the original VW Kafir chassis, basically unmodded, as the German Jeep. Worked quite well, and some are still running around today.