A little history on the Schield Bantam cranes,manufactured and designed by Vern Schield, in Waverly,Iowa. Back in the Depression era, the Schield family owned and operated a limestone quarry near Waverly,Ia. The steam-shovels that they used at the time,were too cumbersome to use in tight spots,and weren't designed with turntables,to enable a 360-degree radius. Mr. Schield designed and built THE FIRST truck-mounted crane on a 2-ton truck frame, using parts from old steam-shovels,farm machinery and whatever else he could find at the time. His crane became so popular,that soon after, his family operated the quarry,and he started Shield Bantam Crane Works,which is now operated by Terex.
