The
DUKW was based on the "Jimmy" or "deuce-and-a-half"
GMC 6x6 cargo truck. Equipped with a propeller and rudder on the
rear, it was designed to ferry troops or cargo on
short amphibious runs or long stretches of road. Over 21,000 were
built. Some were equipped with 105mm howitzers. DUKW, by the way,
stands for (D) 1942; (U) amphibian; (K) all-wheel drive; (W) dual
rear axles.
While
many modelers assumed Tamiya would produce a DUKW to follow their
Jimmy cargo truck, it was Italeri that came out with the long-wanted
kit in the late summer of 2002. The kit has received good initial
reviews and we'll likely see many DUKWs in a row on contest tables
in the months to come.
This
series of photos was taken at an expo at Fort Snelling. The sequence
begins at the left front corner and travels clockwise around the
vehicle.
These
next four photos are still along the left side of the DUKW. I raised
my camera over the edge and shot photos looking toward the interior
wall of the right side.
From
the rear the propeller and rudder are apparent. The stern deck shows
various details and a lot of rust.
We
walk around the right side in this final sequence. Again, I raised
my camera over my head and shot the interior, looking toward the
left wall.
-tss-
|