Honor on the Road

What better way to honor the servicemen and women of yesteryear than by making them a part, in some way, of your business?For Danlar Collison, located in Albuquerque, N.M., a company that provides a host of towing and road service, World War II has been a source of inspiration, reflected in the graphics of their tow trucks, consisting of some of the bomber planes of that era.Owner Larry Knippel’s father and uncle were both pilots during the war, flying B-17s and B-25s.“My father did two tours and bombed Rommel over North Africa and Italy while my uncle bombed Germany and Berlin,” said Knippel, who is also a pilot.He refers to his personal interest in flying as another cause for promoting and honoring WWII military planes on their tow trucks.One of their newest trucks, purchased in 2012, is a 2009 International 4300 Durastar with a Holmes 600R 16-ton rotator. On that truck you will find the nose of a B-25, which was a medium range bomber, more versatile than the B-17.“We call it ‘Lady Luck,’ ” said Knippel. “Many of the WWII planes had special names. My uncle flew a plane called the ‘Yankee Maid’ and my father the ‘Wabash Cannonball.’ We have named our trucks after these planes as well.”It is no accident that you will find the nose of a B-25 on their rotator.“That rotator has a similar versatility to that of the medium-range bomber,” Knippel said. “In Albuquerque we don’t have as much of a need for a larger rotator because we don’t have near as much traffic as other major cities.” He said its maneuverability allows them to use the Holmes 600R “on a daily basis.”What also makes the truck stand out is its bright orange, easily visible lettering and blue shadows against a white backdrop. The name Danlar is clearly visible anywhere from the road.This quickly growing company continues their passion of honoring our military by showcasing these special planes with every new truck they add to their fleet.