Janeen Kochan wrote in early 2025, "My husband Dennis has been working on his new-to-us CJ-3B. We bought it from a gentleman at an airpark here in central Florida, and it had been totally restored as a Navy Jeep about ten years before.
"We are both flight instructors and aircraft mechanics, with our hangar in the back yard of our house, adjacent to the Winter Haven Regional Airport in Florida."
The "Air Boss" name on the dash seems appropriate for a Navy Jeep on the flight line, since the term refers to the officer in charge of flight operations on an aircraft carrier. (And it's sometimes used in special situations such as an air show or wildfire water bombing.)
But Janeen and Dennis also gave their new Jeep the nickname "Big Duck" in response to the trend of Jeeps being decorated with little rubber ducks, and they installed a duck on the TC shifter (270K JPEG) to boss the Air Boss.
Janeen says, "We replaced all of the canvas and interior cushions. New brakes, tires, rear springs, brake pedal cross-shaft and pedal arm and a bunch of other hardware and replacement parts. All painted parts have been cleaned and waxed. Exterior features (such as beacon and siren) have been overhauled, cleaned, polished and painted."
"In the engine compartment, various gaskets and hoses were replaced, along with an oil change, new filter and new plugs. Also a new alternator."
Serial number tag 57348 87409 is in great shape on the firewall (140K JPEG) as well as stamped on the frame. According to Kaiser Jeep 1960-67 Serial Numbers, the Jeep came off the assembly line in November 1961.
Seen from the front, the 3B is set up for the Shore Patrol at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, including the blue Beacon Ray mounted on the rear (310K JPEG).
The lack of any sign of a government nomenclature tag on the dash suggests that prior to the restoration this was a civilian Jeep. Janeen and Dennis don't know whether there is any significance to the Navy hood number it was given.
Janeen says, "Dennis' first vehicle was a 1954 CJ-3B. He had other Willys along the way (a few CJ-5s) and we had a 1951 M38 for about 25 years. We sold it to a friend when we found the new (old) Willys.
"I have quickly become the second biggest Jeep fan in the family, but I must admit my Corvettes are still #1. Unfortunately, I only have a new one but am ready to do a restoration on a '69 or '70."
"Big Duck is mainly an airport vehicle and doubles as a tug for our airplanes or other stuff, as necessary. His first job was pulling a large Christmas palm out of our yard that we recently lost to the frost. That low 4-wheel drive is magic!"
Here's a nice shot of the Jeep out on the runway protection zone at the Winter Haven Regional Airport.
Thanks to Janeen and Dennis for sending the photos. -- Derek Redmond
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