Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

GMC DUKW (G-501 / Duck)

1942 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

History

The introduction of the 6x6 wheeled GMC CCKW 2.5 ton truck in 1941 became the logistical backbone of the Allied advance to Rome, Berlin and Tokyo during World War II, with approximately 562,750 trucks of this type produced by 1945, recognizing that An amphibious version of the truck would be a sound investment for the war, and a GMC initiative produced the DUKW - nicknamed "The Duck" - which featured a boat-like hull atop the CCKW's powertrain, while retaining the original The 6x6 wheel layout remains the same. The car was originally built at Pontiac's Michigan plant until war demands exceeded supply, which led to a St.

Louis Chevrolet contribution. For many, the DUKW range of amphibious trucks is considered one of the "won" products of World War II. Total production by the end of the year was 21,147, many of which were also leased.

The Soviets liked the font so much that they not only used it a lot, but also had their own interpretation of the design.

The name "DUKW" comes from GMC's proprietary nomenclature used to describe certain design qualities of a product through acronyms. The "D" refers to the car's design in 1942, and the "U" refers to a user-facing product.

The "K" designates all-wheel drive, and the "W" designates a dual rear-axle arrangement. The layman "duck" arose from the acronym DUKW, which is still used today to refer to a vehicle.

One of the standard configurations of the DUKW is a missile delivery platform with a 4.5-inch high-explosive (HE) missile mount that can be used from a transport ship to attack enemy positions when approaching a specific beach. This type of suppressive firepower is very popular and is seen on the battlefield as a psychological tool against the enemy as much as conventional weapons. The Rocket Legends version is rightly called the "Scorpion" and was used frequently during the Pacific Island Hopping campaign.

DUKW also became veterans of the "D-Day landings" in northern France on June 6, 1944, but their recognition came earlier than that - during the Allied landings in Sicily (July-August 1943).

The Soviet Army became the main recipient of the American classic DUKV through a Lend-Lease agreement. Its success on the Eastern Front led to the local copy of the product being shown as "BAV-485", albeit with some modifications to suit Soviet service - mainly the addition of a loading ramp to the rear of the hull to facilitate loading and unloading of vehicles.

As the Eastern Front involved fewer large-scale amphibious assaults, the vehicle was adapted for river/ocean crossings rather than ship-to-shore work.

In addition to the United States and the Soviet Union, DUKW also entered stocks in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Australians operate more than 500 units, while Canadians own about 800 units. French use ended in the early 1980s, while the British had around 2,000 of them in stock before finally abandoning them in the 1970s.

However, some were used by the Royal Marines until 2012.

Many "ducks" were retired from the civilian market after the war - perhaps the most famous use was the Wisconsin Dells "ducks", used to travel from land to rivers and back.