Post War America: The buoyant celebrations that greeted the end of fighting in Europe (V-E Day) and in Japan (V-J Day) carried over into the next decade. The post-war era was a boom time for most Americans. When the war was over, there were 12 million Americans in uniform, including 7 million overseas. When these young servicemen and women returned stateside, they were filled with the firm belief that they were building a better world.

Like most organizations of the time, the Post Office Department was changing to adapt to post-war conditions. Perhaps anticipating the move from urban areas to sprawling suburbs, the Post Office cut residential deliveries from twice to once a day in 1950. The benefit was faster mail delivery. But there was more mail in each delivery, so the Post Office began using larger vehicles, like the Dodge Route Postal Van. In 1953, the Post Office began piggy-back mail service by both tractor trailers and trains, so a larger quantity of mail could be sent to various zones at the same time. As the American economy grew, another innovation - Certified Mail - ensured that the most important communications were delivered.

The Post Office often placed posters on vehicles to support the worthy efforts of other federal departments, such as the poster that portrays Smokey the Bear and reads: "Our Most Shameful Waste!" and "Remember Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!" This poster has been recreated on the sides of a 1948 Dodge Route Van used by the U.S. Post Office. This model is also an example of the red, white and blue colour scheme that replaced the green and black treatment. This precision-engineered model is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

(1999)

Scale: 1:43