The "Belly Flopper" was not front wheel driven. All you would have need to do is review a picture of it -
http://www.warwheels.net/images/HowieMGcarrierHAUGH4.jpg

You left out the part about how in June 1940, an Army committee went to Bantam and watched their cars run up hills, loaded tested the frame with sandbags and among other things worked out that what was needed was a vehicle with rear and front drive axles (or 4×4).

Probst was important to the story of the jeep but he was not a designer. He was a fast draftsman. Bantam employees like H. Crist were the true designers of the Bantam BRC pilot.

You have the cart before the horse. The army had Bantam and Ford ideas worked into the Willys only after the were awarded the bid.

Contrary to your article, the jeep was in fact a General Purpose vehicle. A simple understanding of the role in procuring vehicles by the Quartermaster Corps would make that clear. The QMC only purchased General Purpose vehicles. These were either administrative (like a staff car) or tactical (like a jeep or other 4×4 vehicles). The Ordnance Corps purchased armored vehicles. This was true until Sept 1942 when all vehicles moved under the Ord Corp. So you see the jeep was a "GP". Also about the word jeep. "GEEP" appeared in at least two issues of the military publication "Army Motors". So it is possible that jeep is derived in part from GP either the Ford vehicle or general purpose contracted. You also have the remember that Willys vehicles were very late to the party. Bantam had already delivered all of their vehicles and Ford had delivered most of them before Willys built their MAs.

While decided a Quartermaster Corps view on history, a review of Rifkinds work on the jeep would be in order should you ever write another article about the jeep.

Sorry to be picky, I did enjoy your story for the most part.

Magazines generally come out with the date a month later than the actual month you are in. As in Septembers issue would arrive at your doorstep in July.