A DUKW (commonly DUCK), during World War II

Propeller on a French VAB

An amphibian or amphibious vehicle, is a vehicle that, like an amphibian, can move on land as well as on water. DUKW on a road during World War II. From http://www. ... DUKW on a road during World War II. From http://www. ... A DUKW in WW II. The DUKW, popularly called the DUCK, is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck developed by the United States during World War 2 for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1835 KB) propeller on VAB armored personal carrier Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: Amphibian vehicle Véhicule de lAvant Blindé ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1835 KB) propeller on VAB armored personal carrier Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: Amphibian vehicle Véhicule de lAvant Blindé ... General characteristics Length 5. ... Vehicles are non-living means of transportation. ... For other uses, see Amphibian (disambiguation). ...

The first known self-propelled amphibious vehicle, a steam dredger named the Orukter Amphibolos, was demonstrated by United States inventor Oliver Evans in 1805, although it is not known to ever have travelled overland. A year later in 1806 the French Fournier blended a boat-like hull with a car frame to produce the first true amphibious vehicle. Oliver Evans Oliver Evans (13 September 1755 – 15 April 1819) was a United States inventor. ... 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Several amphibious automobiles have been developed, including the Amphicar in the 1960s and the contemporary Gibbs Aquada. A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... The Amphicar was a German automobile designed by Hans Trippel and built from 1961 to 1965. ... The 1960s, or The Sixties, in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... A Gibbs Aquada The Gibbs Aquada is a high speed amphibian vehicle developed by Gibbs Technologies. ...

Military applications

Many modern tanks and armoured personnel carriers have an amphibious mode in which a fabric skirt adds buoyancy, and the tracks provide motive power. The Sherman DD tank used in the D-Day invasion had this setup. The M113, one of the most common APCs, on duty during the Vietnam War Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... Caterpillar tracks are large (modular) tracks used on tanks, construction equipment and certain other off-road vehicles. ... The M4 Medium Tank was the main tank designed and built by the US for use in World War II. In the UK lend-lease M4s were dubbed M4 General Sherman after Union General William Tecumseh Sherman, continuing a practice of naming American tanks after famous Generals. ... The phrase DD Tank is commonly used to refer to amphibious tanks, mostly American M4 Sherman medium tanks, used in the Battle of Normandy. ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ...

The most famous such vehicle in World War II was the DUKW Amphibious Truck. It was deployed in the Pacific theatre to establish and supply beachheads. It was designed as a wartime project by Sparkman and Stephens, the famous yacht design firm. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that engulfed much of the globe... A DUKW in WW II. The DUKW, popularly called the DUCK, is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck developed by the United States during World War 2 for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. ... A yacht A yacht was originally defined as a light, fast sailing vessel used to convey important persons. ...

Second best known is the German Schwimmwagen designed by the Porsche engineering firm in 1938 and widely used throughout the war. The amphibious bodywork was designed by Erwin Komenda, the firm's body construction designer, using the engine and drive train of the Kübelwagen. Schwimmwagen from the December 1944 issue of the Intelligence Bulletin. ... The Porsche logo. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Erwin Komenda (April 6, 1904 - August 22, 1966) was the designer of the bodies for the VW Beetle and various Porsche sports cars. ... A 1951 VW Kübelwagen (LIM 111). ...

During the Vietnam War, the US Army used the amphibious Gama Goat to move supplies through the canals and rice paddies of Southeast Asia. The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or Viet Cong) against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and their allies—notably the United States military in support of... US Army Seal The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... M561 Gama Goat The Gama Goat was a six-wheel-drive semi-amphibious Off-road vehicle originally developed for use by the US Military for the war in Southeast Asia. ... A rice paddy in Japan A paddy field is a flooded parcel of farmland for growing rice (from the Malaysian word padi, a noun meaning growing rice). Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice-growing countries of East and Southeast Asia, such as China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

A modern amphibious vehicle, the Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB ("Armoured Vanguard Vehicle" in French), can be used as a personnel carrier, anti-tank missile platform and even for riot control with a water cannon. General characteristics Length 5. ... French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ... A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. ...

Amphibious vehicles are slowly being supplanted by air cushion vehicles, such as hovercraft, in many modern militaries. A U.S. Navy hovercraft attached to the Amphibious assault ship Kearsarge (LHD-3) A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle, is a vehicle or craft that can be supported by a cushion of air ejected downwards against a surface close below it, and can in principle travel over any relatively...

See also

• Amphibious assault ship

Six of the U.S. Navys seven amphibious assault ships in formation Amphibious assault ships, usually shortened to amphibs, phibs or popularly known as gator freighters, denotes a range of classes of warship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory by an amphibious assault. ...

External links

• Amphicars
• Aquada
• Portland Ducks - Amphibious Land & Water Tours