ザ GMC DUKW(popularly known as theDuck) was one of the most vital inventions of WWII. It solved the “last mile” problem of amphibious warfare: how to get supplies from ships anchored offshore directly to inland depots without stopping at the water’s edge. Built on the rugged chassis of the GMC CCKW 2½-ton truck, it was wrapped in a watertight hull and fitted with a propeller. While military “brass” were initially skeptical, calling it a “clumsy hybrid,” the Duck proved its worth by landing 40% of all Allied supplies at Normandy between June and September 1944.
Attribute
Technical Specification (GMC DUKW-353)
役割
Amphibious Transport Vehicle
乗組員
1 to 2 (Driver and Assistant)
エンジン
GMC Model 270 straight-six (91–104 hp)
Top Speed
80 km/h (50 mph) on land / 10 km/h (6.4 mph) in water
Cargo Capacity
2,300 kg (5,000 lbs) or 25 equipped troops
武装
Occasionally a .50 cal Browning M2 machine gun on a ring mount
Operational Weight
Approx. 6.5 tonnes (Empty)
Total Production
21,147 units
Design Engineering: Yacht Design Meets Truck Power
The “Yacht” Hull:The DUKW’s hull wasn’t designed by tank engineers, but bySparkman & Stephens, a famous firm of America’s Cup yacht designers. This gave the Duck surprisingly good “seakeeping” abilities, allowing it to navigate rough surf that would swamp other landing craft.
Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS):The DUKW was the first vehicle in history to allow the driver toinflate or deflate tires from inside the cab. This was critical for landing: pilots would deflate tires to “float” over soft beach sand, then reinflate them once they reached hard-packed roads.
The Name “DUKW”:It’s not a military acronym, but a GMC factory code:
D:Designed in 1942
U:Utility (Amphibious)
K: 全輪駆動
W:Dual Rear Driving Axles
The Bilge Pumps:To survive the thin sheet-metal hull being punctured by flak or rocks, the Duck was equipped with high-capacity bilge pumps that could move hundreds of gallons of water per minute.
Operational History: From Sicily to Sightseeing
The Rescue That Saved the Project:The DUKW project was nearly canceled until a prototype successfully rescued the crew of a grounded Coast Guard vessel in a 70 mph gale off Cape Cod. The military was finally convinced that if it could handle a Nor’easter, it could handle an invasion.
Normandy and Sicily:General Eisenhower called the DUKW one of the “four most valuable pieces of equipment” produced by the U.S. in the war. At Normandy, they shuttled constantly between the transport ships and inland supply dumps, bypassing the clogged beaches.
The Pacific “Quack” Corps:Marines used DUKWs to cross jagged coral reefs that would tear the bottoms out of traditional landing craft, proving essential in the island-hopping campaigns like Saipan and Iwo Jima.
Post-War “Duck Tours”:After the war, thousands of DUKWs were sold as surplus. They became the foundation for the global “Duck Tour” industry, where they still carry tourists through the streets and rivers of cities like Boston, London, and Tokyo.