Captain America, Marvel Comics’ World War II era super hero, is going to save the day – again – this time on the big screen starting July 22.

 

No stranger to staring in cinematic roles, Harley-Davidson teamed up with Marvel to create a WLA-styled motorcycle for Captain America to ride in the film. Harley-Davidson built close to 70,000 WLA motorcycles during World War II as part of their war efforts and the popular motorcycle eventually became known as the “Liberator” by the troops that used them.

 

In an unabashed show of jingoism, Dino Bernacchi, Harley-Davidson’s director of Marketing Communications, stated that “Captain America truly embodies the iconic, heroic and American aspects of our brand. Both Captain America and our motorcycles are great symbols of freedom.”

 

Harley-Davidson built five examples of the WLH Liberator for use in the film, two of which have been earmarked for use in the Harley-Davidson Museum. Embodying the best design spirit of an OCC chopper build, the film’s WLH was intended to reflect the motorcycle used by Captain America as a means of transportation during his exploits. Using a Cross Bones as the basis for the project, the machine was altered to resemble an original 1942 WLA with the addition of several comic-specific parts such as an ammunition box and the twin machine guns mounted on its front fender.

 

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the Captain America WLA will appear as a 2012 production model; after all, who wouldn’t appreciate the usefulness of a motorcycle equipped with machine guns as part of their daily commute to the office. Even better, who wouldn’t like to see a Captain Canuck version of the bike?