An amphibious vehicle is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water - just like an amphibian. The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) This article is about the means of transport. ... Look up craft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Subclasses and Orders    Order Temnospondyli - extinct Subclass Lepospondyli - extinct Subclass Lissamphibia    Order Anura    Order Caudata    Order Gymnophiona Amphibians (class Amphibia; from Greek αμφις both and βιος life) are a taxon of animals that include all living tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates) that do not have amniotic eggs, are ectotherms, and generally spend part...

This definition applies equally to any land and water transport, small or large, powered or unpowered, ranging from amphibious bicycles, ATVs, cars, buses, trucks, RVs, and military vehicles, all the way to the very largest hovercrafts. Classic landing craft are generally not considered amphibious vehicles, although they are part of amphibious assault. Nor are Ground effect vehicles, such as Ekranoplans. The former don't offer any real land transportation at all - the latter (aside from completely disconnecting from the surface, like an airplane), will likely crash on any but the flattest of landmasses. BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), 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 smooth... Amphibious Assault began when 17-year-old, former Kittie guitarist, Fallon Bowman was on a plane from Ontario to New Jersey, skimming through a Tom Clancy novel when she came upon the term amphibious assault. ... A Ground effect vehicle is vehicle that takes advantage of the aerodynamic principle of ground effect (or Wing-in-ground). ... An ekranoplan (Russian: , literally screen plane) is a vehicle resembling an aircraft, but operating solely on the principle of ground effect. ... Fixed-wing aircraft is a term used to refer to what are more commonly known as aeroplanes in Commonwealth English (excluding Canada) or airplanes in North American English. ...

A LARC-V 5-ton U.S. amphibious cargo vehicle

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 511 pixel Image in higher resolution (1624 × 1038 pixel, file size: 573 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A LARC-V vehicle. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 511 pixel Image in higher resolution (1624 × 1038 pixel, file size: 573 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A LARC-V vehicle. ... A LARC-V vehicle. ...

General technical notes

Apart from the distinction in sizes mentioned above, two main categories of amphibious vehicle are immediately apparent: those that travel on an air-cushion (Hovercraft) and those that don't. Amongst the latter, many designs were prompted by the desire to expand the off-road capabilities of land-vehicles to an "all-terrain" ability, in some cases not only focused on creating a transport that will work on land and water, but also on intermediates like ice, snow, mud, marsh, swamp etc.. This explains why many designs use tracks in addition to or instead of wheels, and in some cases even resort to articulated body configurations. BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), 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 smooth... Freshwater marsh in Florida In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, cat tails, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A Tracked vehicle is a vehicle that runs on its own tracks rather than on wheels. ... Articulated well cars with containers Tilting Talgo permanently coupled trainset An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in its construction, allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply. ...

Propeller on a French VAB

Most land vehicles - even lightly armored ones - can be made amphibious simply by providing them with a waterproof hull and perhaps a propellor. This is possible thanks to the vehicle's volume usually being bigger than its displacement, meaning it will float. Heavily armored vehicles however sometimes have a density greater than water (their weight in kilograms exceeds their volume in liters), and will need additional buoyancy measures. These can take the form of inflatable floatation devices, much like the sides of a rubber dinghy, or a waterproof fabric skirt raised from the top perimeter of the vehicle. 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 ... Medical evacuation version detail of propeller for amphibious operation Milan anti-tank missile variant 25 mm Dragar turret variant The Véhicule de lAvant Blindé or VAB (Armoured Vanguard Vehicle in French) is an armoured personnel carrier manufactured by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. ... A hull is the body or frame of a ship or boat. ... Look up displacement in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In physics, density is mass m per unit volume V. For the common case of a homogeneous substance, it is expressed as: where, in SI units: ρ (rho) is the density of the substance, measured in kg·m-3 m is the mass of the substance, measured in kg V is... The U.S. National Prototype Kilogram, which currently serves as the primary standard for measuring mass in the U.S. It was assigned to the United States in 1889 and is periodically recertified and traceable to the primary international standard, The Kilogram, held at the Bureau International des Poids et... The liter (spelled liter in American English and litre in Commonwealth English) is a unit of volume. ... In physics, buoyancy is the upward force on an object produced by the surrounding fluid (i. ...

For propulsion in or on the water some vehicles simply make do by spinning their wheels or tracks, while others can power their way forward more effectively using (additional) screw propellor(s) or water jet(s). Most amphibians will work only as a displacement hull when in the water - only a small number of designs have the capability to raise out of the water when speed is gained, to achieve high velocity hydroplaning, skimming over the water surface like speedboats. A propeller can be seen as a rotating fin in water or a wing in air. ... Categories: Marine propulsion | Stub ... A displacement hull is the type of hull used by large ocean-going vessels and sailboats. ... A Musto Skiff, planing on a fast reach A planing boats hull skims across the surface of the water rather than pushing through the water in the way a traditional displacement hull works. ... A 1962 Rebel. A wooden speedboat with an outboard engine. ...

History

Some of the earliest known amphibious vehicles were amphibious carriages, the invention of which is credited to the notorious Napolitan Prince Raimondo de Sangro of SanSevero (ca. 1750) or Sir Samuel Bentham (1781).

The first known self-propelled amphibious vehicle, a steam-powered wheeled dredging barge, named the Orukter Amphibolos, was conceived and built by United States inventor Oliver Evans in 1805, although it is disputed to have successfully travelled over land or water under its own steam[1]. 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). ...

Although it is unclear who (and where and when) built the first combustion-engined amphibian, in all likelihood the development of powered amphibious vehicles didn't get afloat until 1899. Until the late 1920s the efforts to unify a boat and an automobile mostly came down to simply putting wheels and axles on a boat hull, or getting a rolling chassis to float by blending a boat-like hull with the car's frame (Pohl, 1998). One of the first reasonably well documented cases was the 1905 amphibious petrol-powered carriage of T. Richmond (Jessup, Iowa, USA). Just like the worlds first petrol-powered automobile (1885, Carl Benz) it was a three-wheeler. The single front wheel provided direction, both on land and in the water. A three-cylinder petrol combustion-engine powered the oversized rear wheels. In order to get the wheels to provide propulsion in the water, fins or buckets would be attached to the rear wheel spokes. Remarkably the boat-like hull was one of the first integral bodies ever used on a car (Pohl, 1998). A boat is a craft or vessel designed to float on, and provide transport over, water. ... Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI Cooper S. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Look up Chassis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... After developing a successful gas-powered two-stroke piston engine in 1873, Karl Benz focused on developing a motorized vehicle. ...

Since the 1920s development of amphibious vehicles greatly diversified. Numerous designs have been created for a broad range of applications, including recreation, expeditions, search & rescue, and military, leading to a myriad of concepts and variants. In some of them the amphibious capabilities are central to their purpose, whereas in others they are only an expansion to what has remained primarily a watercraft or a land vehicle.

Small wheeled amphibians

Amongst the smallest non air-cushioned amphibious vehicles are amphibious bicycles, (see also) and ATVs. Although the former are still an absolute rarity, the latter saw significant popularity in North America during the nineteen sixties and early seventies. Typically an Amphibious ATV or AATV is a small, lightweight, off-highway vehicle, constructed from an integral hard plastic or fibreglass bodytub, fitted with six (sometimes eight) driven wheels, with low pressure, balloon tires. With no suspension (other than what the tires offer) and no steering wheels, directional control is accomplished through skid-steering - just as on a tracked vehicle - either by braking the wheels on the side where you want to turn, or by applying more throttle to the wheels on the opposite side. Most contemporary designs use garden tractor type engines, that will provide roughly 25 mph top speed. Small off-road, and typically amphibious 6x6 vehicles were developed in the early 1960s and quickly became popular in both the US and Canada. ...

Constructed this way, an AATV will float with ample freeboard and is capable of traversing swamps, ponds and streams as well as dry land. On land these units have high grip and great off-road ability, that can be further enhanced with an optional set of tracks that can be mounted directly onto the wheels. Although the spinning action of the tires is enough to propel the vehicle through the water - albeit slowly - outboard motors can be added for extended water use. Current AATV manufacturers are Argo, Land Tamer, MAX ATVs and Triton.
Articulated-body designs in this category were the Coot and the very similar TAG Croco.

Recently some efforts are made towards amphibious ATV's of the straddled variety. For instance in the form of an add-on inflatable pontoon kit, that can be installed on any quad-bike ATV with front and rear metal frame racks and at least 14" water fording ability. A new development was shown in 2006 by Gibbs Technologies. Their Quadski is a prototype for a cross between a Jetski and a Quad-bike. The Quadski is an amphibious quad bike/ATV vehicle launched in May 2006 by New Zealand inventor Alan Gibbs - the chairman and founder of Gibbs Technologies. ... Jet ski is the brand name of Kawasaki Heavy Industries personal water craft. ... A group of “quad” all terrain vehicles The term All-Terrain Vehicle or ATV is used in a general sense to describe any of a number of small open motorized buggies and tricycles designed for off-road use. ...

Amphibious cars

WW II German Schwimmwagen

The Amphi-Ranger 2800SR

As already mentioned, amphibious automobiles have been conceived from ca. 1900, but the Second World War significantly stimulated their development. Over the years two approaches can be distinguished: on the one hand purely recreational designs, where the swimming capability itself adds to the car's fun-factor. On the other hand are serious off-road designs, intended to transport you not only where there are no roads, but also where there are no bridges. Military designs usually fall into the second category. Image File history File links Beschreibung: VW Schwimmwagen Fotograf: Darkone, 2. ... Image File history File links Beschreibung: VW Schwimmwagen Fotograf: Darkone, 2. ... German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI Cooper S. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

Two of the most significant amphibious cars to date were developed during WW II. The most proliferous was the German Schwimmwagen, a small jeep-like 4x4 vehicle designed by the Porsche engineering firm in 1942 and widely used in World War II. The amphibious bodywork was designed by Erwin Komenda, the firm's body construction designer, using the engine and drive train of the Kübelwagen. An amphibious version of the Willys MB jeep, the Ford GPA or 'Seep' (short for Sea jeep) was developed during WW II as well. A specially modified GPA, called Half-Safe, was driven and sailed around the world by Australian Ben Carlin in the 1950s.
One of the most capable post-war amphibious off-roaders was the German Amphi-Ranger, that featured a hull made of sea-water resistant AlMg2 aluminium alloy. Extensively engineered, this costly vehicle was proven sea-worthy at a Gale force 10 storm off the North Sea coast (Pohl, 1998). Only about 100 were built - those who own one have found it capable of crossing the English Channel almost effortlessly. Schwimmwagen from the December 1944 issue of the Intelligence Bulletin. ... Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... Dr. Ing. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... 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). ... The WWII Willys MB US Army Jeep. ... The Ford GPA Seep (or Seagoing Jeep), was an amphibious version of the WWII Ford GPW Jeep. ... Birmabright is a lightweight proprietary alloy of aluminium and magnesium used in the body of the Land Rover vehicles. ... ...

Purely recreational amphibian cars include the 1960s Amphicar and the contemporary Gibbs Aquada. With almost 4.000 pieces built, the Amphicar is still the most successfully produced civilian amphibious car to date. The Gibbs Aquada stands out due to its capability of high speed planing on water.
Other amphibious cars currently in production include the Dutton Commander 'AmphiJeep' (GB), the US Hydra Spyder and WaterCar, as well as several Chinese designs like the JMC BY5020TSL (see also) and BJ5032(XZHE), and the even longer JMC JX5021TLYDS. American distributor Rodedawg is now seeking to bring an adapted version of the Chinese amphibs to America. Amphicar photographed in Stuttgart 2005. ... A Gibbs Aquada The Gibbs Aquada is a high speed amphibian vehicle developed by Gibbs Technologies. ... The Landwind at the IAA 2005 in Frankfurt The Jiangling Motors Corporation Limited, abbreviated JMC, is an automobile manufacturer in China. ... The Landwind at the IAA 2005 in Frankfurt The Jiangling Motors Corporation Limited, abbreviated JMC, is an automobile manufacturer in China. ...

Amphicar

Gibbs Aquada

Image File history File linksMetadata Amphicar-stuttgart-2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Amphicar-stuttgart-2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1595x797, 304 KB) A Gibs Aquada amphibian vehicle. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1595x797, 304 KB) A Gibs Aquada amphibian vehicle. ...

Amphibious trucks and barges

A DUKW (commonly DUCK), during World War II

M561 'Gama Goat' articulated amphibian truck

With more than 20.000 units produced, the DUKW was the most sucessful amphibious truck of World War II. This 31 foot 6x6 truck was deployed in the Pacific theatre to establish and supply beachheads. It was designed as a wartime project by Sparkman & Stephens, the famous yacht design firm who also designed the hull for the Ford GPA 'Seep'. DUKW on a road during World War II. From http://www. ... DUKW on a road during World War II. From http://www. ... The DUKW (popularly pronounced DUCK) is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck that was originally designed inside General Motors Corporation during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Gama Goat M561 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Gama Goat M561 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The DUKW (popularly pronounced DUCK) is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck that was originally designed inside General Motors Corporation during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Six wheel drive, 6WD, and 6x6 are terms used to describe a six-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all six wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously. ... Sparkman & Stephens is firm of yacht designers based in New York, USA. They achieved great success in the middle of the twentieth century, particularly for their racing yachts. ... A modern yacht A yacht (From Dutch Jacht meaning hunt) pron. ... The Ford GPA Seep (or Seagoing Jeep), was an amphibious version of the WWII Ford GPW Jeep. ...

During the Vietnam War, the US Army used the amphibious articulated Gama Goat and the larger Caterpillar 'Goer' truck-series to move supplies through the canals and rice paddies of Southeast Asia. The latter was based on a 1950s civil construction vehicle and became the US Army’s standard heavy tactical truck before its replacement by the HEMTT. Although the vehicles' wheels were mounted without suspension or steering action, and land speeds over 20 mph were ill-advised, its articulated design provided it with good maneuverability and helped it to keep all four wheels firmly in touch with uneven ground. Coupled with its amphibious capability, in the Vietnam War (especially during raining season), the Goer developed a reputation of being able to go where other trucks could not. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and 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. ... Terrace of rice paddies in Yunnan Province, southern China. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The heavy expanded mobility tactical truck(HEMTT) comes in five configurations, designed for different combat-support missions. ...

For taking vehicles and supplies onto the beaches the US used the 1950s designed LARC-V and the huge LARC-LX or "BARC". At 63 feet long and 27 feet wide the latter is is one of the largest wheeled amphibians to date. It could carry up to 100 tons of cargo or 200 people, but a more typical load was 60 tons of cargo or 120 people. The vehicle was powered by four V8 diesel engines positioned in the sides of the hull, each driving a single 8-foot wheel. A LARC-V vehicle. ... A US Army photo of a LARC-LX at sea. ...

The United Kingdom used the 6x6 wheeled Alvis Stalwart as their amphibious cargo carrier. This highly mobile 5-ton truck entered service with the British Army in 1966. In the water it was driven by vectored thrust water-jet propulsion units at about 6 knots. General characteristics Length 6. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Thrust vectoring is the ability of an aircraft to direct the thrust from its main engine(s) in a direction other than parallel to the aircrafts length. ...

American manufacturer Terrawind currently offers civilian amphibious buses and motorcoaches.

LARC-LX (BARC) amphibous barge unloading a 5-ton LARC-V truck Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

LARC-LX (BARC) amphibous vehicle at Sea, powered by two 4-feet propellors Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Alvis Stalwart heavy-duty military truck Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 540 pixel Image in higher resolution (1302 × 879 pixel, file size: 121 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: An Alvis Stalwart and the remains of a caravan it decimated. ...

Alvis Stalwart HMLC Mk.2 (FV 622) Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Wheeled armored vehicles

BTR-80s coming ashore, engine snorkels and waterjet deployed

Many modern military vehicles, ranging from light wheeled command and reconaissance, through armoured personnel carriers and tanks, are manufactured with amphibious capabilities. Contemporary examples of wheeled armored amphibians are the the French Panhard VBL and GIAT Industries VAB.
The VBL (Véhicule Blindé Léger or "Light armoured vehicle") is a compact, lightly-armored 4x4 all-terrain vehicle that is fully amphibious and can swim at 5.4 km/h. The VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or "Armored Vanguard Vehicle") is a fully amphibious Armoured personnel carrier (APC), powered in the water by two water jets, mounted one on either side of the rear hull (see detail picture above). It entered service in 1976 and around 5000 were produced in numerous configurations, ranging from basic personnel carrier, anti-tank missile platform to riot control versions with a water cannon.
During the Cold War the Soviet bloc states developed a number of amphibious APCs, fighting vehicles and tanks, both wheeled and tracked. Wheeled examples are the BRDM-1 and BRDM-2 4x4 armored scout cars, as well as the BTR-60, BTR-70, BTR-80 and BTR-94 8x8 armored personnel carriers and the BTR-90 infantry fighting vehicle. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 516 pixel Image in higher resolution (2790 × 1800 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 516 pixel Image in higher resolution (2790 × 1800 pixel, file size: 2. ... Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ... The Panhard Véhicule Blindé Léger (Light armoured vehicle) is a wheeled 4x4 all-terrain vehicle offered in various configurations. ... Medical evacuation version detail of propeller for amphibious operation Milan anti-tank missile variant 25 mm Dragar turret variant The Véhicule de lAvant Blindé or VAB (Armoured Vanguard Vehicle in French) is an armoured personnel carrier manufactured by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. ... Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. ... An amphibious vehicle is a vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on water - just like an amphibian. ... French mobile gendarmes doing riot control. ... A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) comprised the following Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Albania (until the early 1960s, see below), the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia. ... The BRDM-1 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная Машина, literally Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle †) was an armored scout car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. ... The BRDM-2 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная Машина, literally Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle †) is an armoured scout car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. ... Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. ... BTR-70 The BTR-70 is an eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier originally developed during the late 1970s and fielded by the Warsaw Pact and allies beginning in the early 1980s. ... BTR-80 is a 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed in the Soviet Union. ... The BTR-94 amphibious armoured personnel carrier is an Ukrainian modification of the Soviet eight-wheeled BTR-80. ... 8x8 Inc. ... East German BRDMs on parade during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... BTR-90 (GAZ-5923) is a 8x8 wheeled Armoured personnel carrier designed in Russia. ... A Warrior vehicle with UN markings, during the making of the eponymous film. ...

Panhard VBL during French national holiday parade Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 578 pixel Image in higher resolution (1932 × 1396 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Panhard Véhicule Blindé Léger (Light armoured vehicle) is a wheeled 4x4 all-terrain vehicle offered in various configurations. ...	VBL fitted with MILAN anti-tank weapon Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixel Image in higher resolution (1536 × 1024 pixel, file size: 279 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image by Pierre Delattre, with kind permission of the author. ... Milan (Italian: ; Lombard: Milán (listen)) is one of the biggest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. ...	VAB Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé Download high resolution version (2592x1344, 588 KB)A VAB (armoured personnel carrier) during the 2003 Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, France. ... Medical evacuation version detail of propeller for amphibious operation Milan anti-tank missile variant 25 mm Dragar turret variant The Véhicule de lAvant Blindé or VAB (Armoured Vanguard Vehicle in French) is an armoured personnel carrier manufactured by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. ...	VAB rear - water jet pods clearly visible Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2560 × 1920 pixel, file size: 2. ...
Soviet BRDM-1 amphibious armored scout car Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 1. ...	BRDM-2 armored command vehicle in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel, 2005 Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 572 pixel Image in higher resolution (1144 × 818 pixel, file size: 153 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Soviet BRDM-2 armored car in a command vehicle version in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ...	Soviet BTR-60 APC in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel, 2005 Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 486 pixel Image in higher resolution (1254 × 762 pixel, file size: 163 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Soviet BTR-60 APC in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ...	Russian KFOR BTR-80 (Kosovo, 2000) Image File history File links Size of this preview: 751 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1268 × 1012 pixel, file size: 483 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source http://www. ...

Tracked armored vehicles and tanks

Two U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicles emerge from the surf onto the sand of Freshwater Beach, Australia

Among tracked armored vehicles with amphibious capabilities are first of all those that are intended for use in amphibious assault. The United States started developing a long line of LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) designs from ca. 1940. The US Marine Corps currently uses the AAV7-A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle, which is to be succeeded by the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (previously AAAV), which is capable of planing on water and can achieve water speeds of 37 - 46 km/h.
A significant amount of tracked armored vehicles that are primarily intended for land-use, such as Armoured fighting vehicles and Infantry fighting vehicles nevertheless also have amphibious ability, tactically useful inland, reducing dependence on destroyable and easily-targeted bridges. To provide motive power, they use their tracks, sometimes with added propellor or water jet(s). As long as the opposite bank has a shallow enough slope for the APC, AFV or IFV to climb out within a few miles, they can cross rivers and water obstacles. American examples are the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier and the M2 Bradley. Soviet examples are the PT-76 amphibious tank, and the BTR-50 and MT-LB APCs based on its chassis. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 751 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1268 × 1012 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 751 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1268 × 1012 pixel, file size: 1. ... Amphibious Assault began when 17-year-old, former Kittie guitarist, Fallon Bowman was on a plane from Ontario to New Jersey, skimming through a Tom Clancy novel when she came upon the term amphibious assault. ... The Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) was an amphibious vehicle used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. It was widely known as amphtrack, amtrak, amtrac etc. ... The Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAV-7A1 (formerly known as LVT-7) is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps and is also operated by other forces. ... USMC Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ... A Warrior vehicle with UN markings, during the making of the eponymous film. ... U.S. M60 Patton tank. ... The M113 is an armored personnel carrier family of vehicles in use with the US military and many other nations. ... The M2 Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and M3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle) are American infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, (formerly United Defense, originally FMC). ... The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious tank which was introduced in early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armies. ... BTR-50P/PK recognition plate. ... The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully-amphibious armoured personnel carrier which was first introduced in the 1970s. ...

Some heavy tanks have an amphibious mode in which a fabric skirt is needed to add buoyancy. The Sherman DD tank used in the D-Day invasion had this setup. When in water the waterproof float screen was raised and propellers deployed. The M2 and M3 Bradleys also need such a skirt. In physics, buoyancy is the upward force on an object produced by the surrounding fluid (i. ... WWII foreign variants and use: Lend-Lease Sherman tanks Post-WWII foreign variants and use: Postwar Sherman tanks The Medium Tank M4 was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium... DD Sherman tank with its flotation screen lowered. ... 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. ...

Some military vehicles are not truly amphibious but are capable of "wading" using waterproof screens to keep the upper hull dry. In WWII the tanks following the Sherman DDs were given waterproofed hulls and trunking was fixed to the engine intakes and exhausts to allow them to come ashore from landing craft in shallow water. The Germans gave their Tiger tank a long snorkel, essentially a long tube on the commanders hatch that allowed it to wade through 4 metres of water. First Tiger I tank captured near Tunis The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. ... Snorkel A snorkel (also spelled schnorkel or schnorchel) is a tube that allows a person, vehicle, or vessel to draw air while submerged under water. ...

LVT 'Buffalos' taking Canadian troops across the Scheldt (Netherlands, 1944). Image File history File links Buffalo amphibious vehicles taking troops of the Canadian First Army across the Scheldt in Holland, September, 1944. ... The Scheldt (Dutch: Schelde, French Escaut) is a 350 km[1] long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands. ...	Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle at speed in water Image File history File links Size of this preview: 746 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1491 × 1199 pixel, file size: 333 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Source: http://www. ...	1944 Sherman DD amphibious tank. Image File history File links DD-Tank. ...	M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle exiting the water (1983) Image File history File links DA-SC-85-11316. ...
Soviet PT-76 amphibious tank in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 520 pixel Image in higher resolution (1147 × 746 pixel, file size: 139 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Soviet PT-76 amphibious tank in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ...	BTR-50PK APC in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel, 2005 Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 502 pixel Image in higher resolution (1263 × 792 pixel, file size: 169 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: BTR-50PK APC in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. ...	MT-LB Armoured personnel carrier Image File history File links A MT-LB Armoured personel carrier. ...

Articulated and multi-unit tracked amphibians

Hagglunds Bv206 in US military service as M-973 SUSV (small unit support vehicle ).

What can two units do that one unit can't ? Help each other. According to a 1999 article in Military Parade magazine, multi-unit, all-terrain transport vehicles were first proposed by the British in 1913, and by the 1950s, over 40 types of articulated tracked vehicles (ATVs) were in production. The articulated tracked concept is chosen primarily for its combination of high maneuverability, cross-country abilities, and remarkable load-carrying capacity. In some cases the design is made amphibious, giving them all-terrain capability in the truest sense. Usually the front unit houses at least the engine, gearboxes, fuel tank(s) and the driver's compartment, and perhaps there is some space left for cargo or passengers, whereas the rear unit is the primary load carrier.
Examples of this concept are the Russian Vityaz DT-(10/20/30)P models, the Swedish Volvo Bv202 and Hagglunds Bv206 designs, and Singapore Bronco ATTC (All-Terrain Tracked Carrier). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2810x1900, 1613 KB) Source: http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2810x1900, 1613 KB) Source: http://www. ... Volvo BM Bv 202 Photo by K.A. Gallis Bandvagn 202 (Bv 202) is a tracked, all-terrain vehicle developed by Volvo BM, a subsidiary of Volvo, for the Swedish Army. ... US Marines in a Norwegian Bv 206 travelling through snow Diagram of the Bv 206 Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) is a tracked, all-terrain vehicle developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Land Systems) in conjunction with the Swedish Army. ...

A highly specialised development is the Arktos expedition and evacuation craft, that uses a linkage with two joints to connect the two units, as well as fitting each unit with its own engine, to give each unit enhanced independance of movement.

Hovercraft

BHC SR-N4 Mk-3, the world's largest hovercraft to date

A U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushioned (LCAC)

Main article: Hovercraft

For certain applications wheeled and tracked amphibious vehicles are slowly being supplanted by air cushion vehicles, or hovercraft in many modern militaries. A Hovercraft, or Air-Cushion vehicle (ACV) is designed for traveling over land or water supported by a cushion of slow moving, low-pressure air ejected downwards against the surface below it. In principle a hovercraft can travel over any sufficiently smooth surface, solid, liquid, mixed, or anything in between. Considering that hovercraft can be quite large, some riding on an air-cushion contained by skirts several meters tall, these can deal with a reasonable level of unevenness in the terrain, unphased by obstacles 1 to 2 meters in height. On the other hand the smallest ACVs - single-seaters no bigger than a compact hatchback - are nimble enough to follow some rolling of the terrain just as easily. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1756x1128, 581 KB) Summary SR.N4 Hovercraft (Mountbatten Class). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1756x1128, 581 KB) Summary SR.N4 Hovercraft (Mountbatten Class). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2030 × 1624 pixel, file size: 892 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image was copied from wikipedia:de. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2030 × 1624 pixel, file size: 892 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image was copied from wikipedia:de. ... BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), 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 smooth... BHC SR-N4 The worlds largest car and passenger carrying hovercraft A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), 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 smooth...

As already mentioned, one of the benefits of this type of amphibious craft is the possibility of making them large - the British built SR-N4 Mk-3 Channel-crossing ferries were 56,4m (185 ft) in length and 23,8m (78 ft) wide. Other benefits of ACVs include their very high water speed (an SR-N4 Mk-1 could do 83 knots - 95 mph or 154 km/h !) and the fact that they can make the transition from land to water (or vice versa) at speed - contrary to most wheeled or tracked amphibians.
Drawbacks are high fuel consumption and noise levels. Mark 3 SR-N4 Hovercraft arriving in Dover on its last commercial flight - 1 October 2000 The Mountbatten class hovercraft or SR-N4 was built by the British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC). ... A knot is a non SI unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. ...

For military purposes, the hovercrafts ability to distribute its laden weight evenly across the surface below it, makes it perfectly suited to the role of amphibious landing craft. The US Navy LCAC can take troops and materials (if nessessary an M1 Abrams tank) from ship to shore and can access more than 70% of the world's coastline, as opposed to conventional landing craft, that have only about 17% of that coastline available to them for landing. Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ...

Further reading

• René Pohl: Mit dem Auto baden gehen. HEEL Verlag, Gut-Pottscheidt Konigswinter 1998, ISBN 3-89365-702-9
• Ben Carlin, Half-Safe, Andre Deutsch Ltd 1955
• Ben Carlin, The Other Half of Half-Safe, ISBN 0-9598731-1-2, Guildford Grammar School Foundation 1989

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Amphibious vehicles

• The A to Z 'Amphiclopy'
• Ford GPA "Seep"
• "Amphibious" Land Rover
• Portland Ducks - Land & Water Tours
• The Museum of Creative Invention of multirole vehicles; see also their extensive external links page.