THE JOHN DEERE MODEL D

Leon Clausen, head of Deere manufacturing, knew that the company needed something more modern than the Waterloo Boy. In 1923, the Model D, the first tractor to carry the name John Deere was introduced. Although the D lacked many features of some of its competitors it was simple and reliable and remained in production for 30 years with over 160,000 having been sold. The styled version of the D was introduced in 1936. The distinctive sound produced by its’ twin horizontal cylinders gave rise to the name “Johnny Popper”. Looking back, the D has to be considered as the most important tractor in John Deere’s history as it, more than any other, was responsible for the Company becoming a major tractor manufacturer.