Have a few pics of my dad and a friend on an old Indian during WWII. I know it is an Indian because of the leaf spring front end and I know Harley didn't make a front suspension like that.
I'm pretty sure it's a flathead but that all I know as of now.
Anybody know anything more than I do ?

 

look up Indian 741 that was the WW2 military model - they did build a few scouts but not many - Indian after the teens were all flatheads and the leaf spring fork was ended in 1940s not really sure exact date on the new 741, as it has one spring atop the girder forks behind the headlight -- 30s scouts had the straight out spring

my eyes are not that good cant tell from your picture but the size of the rider compared to the size of the machine i would say its a scout and not a chief as i own a 40s chief

 

Thanks John... I've have been looking for pics of old Indians but never found one that looked like this bike. Wasn't able to find many pics of Scouts though.
My dad was not a bike rider at all. I never knew him to even be on a bike except for these pics I remember from my childhood. These were from the beginning of WWII and the place was Hawaii, before he was deployed to the Attu, Alaska and the Phillipines.
Thanks again and God bless, you.

 

i double clicked the pictures and got a good size photo - the bike is not military it is a chief 30s and its been modified to a harley riding style - he has his heel on the clutch and harleys are always Toe to go by design - indain from indian is set heal to go - the shifter is on the wrong side for a scout and in the wrong location scouts were always a jockey type shifter direct off the gear box - chiefs were right side shift against the tank up front left throttle and right side timing advance - BUT could be set like a harley for guy with both bikes also the front brake is on the right and scout would have been left

so its left throttle right shift right timing advancer and toe to go with the foot clutch and left front brake indian chief 1930 something

 

Yeah, I found some differences myself. The shifter is on the left side of the tank and there is a crossover rod that is under the tank with a shift linkage attached. Also I too believe it is a thirties model since the girders with leaf spring were only produced, as far as I can tell, in the 20s and 30s. The 40s models have the girders but house a coil spring in the girder system. I appreciate you pondering it with me.

 

There were many military chiefs and they all had leaf spring forks. The 640's and 741's had a girder suspension. I've had them all.

 

46 chief was the first girder, and 1950 was the vard hydraulic forks.

 

the first 500 1946 Indain chiefs were all built before the war ended and all were black, all had 18 inch military wheels with a kick stand one inch longer, and all had 1941 horns and no chrome but a very few pieces as gun barrels were still in war use as well as colors to paint bikes with - the the girters had timkin type bearings instead if bushings so the forks are a one year only with no grease fittings i have 4## in the shop under going a total resto