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United States' Landing Vehicle Tracked LVT-1

LVT-1
United States' Landing Vehicle Tracked, LVT-1
Aberdeen Tank Museum

Could hold 24 men with packs and rifles or 4,500 pounds. Machine gun rails are provided on sides and rear. Arc welded sheet steel construction. Track was basically an unsprung track fixed the the hull. This worked well in water or soft ground but not hard ground. The driver's cab had 3 windows, the center could be opened for ventilation or used as an escape hatch.

Were first used at Guadalcanal in August 1942 and last used in beach assaults at Tarawa5 in November 1943.

 LVT 1
Crew 35
Physical Characteristics 
Weight 21,800 lb5, 32,500 lb
Length w/gun 21' 6"5
Length w/o gun 
Height 8' 1"5, 8' 1.5"
Width 9' 10"5
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance 18"5
Ground contact length 140"5
Ground pressure 13.9 psi5
Turret ring diameter 
Armament 
Main .50 cal HB M2 MG5
Secondary 
MG 2: .30 cal MG
.30 cal M1919A4 MG5
Side arms 
Quantity 
Main 
Secondary 
MG6,000
Side arms 
Armor Thickness (mm) Unarmored5
Hull Front, Upper0
Hull Front, Lower 
Hull Sides, Upper 
Hull Sides, Lower 
Hull Rear 
Hull Top 
Hull Bottom 
Turret Front 
Turret Sides 
Turret Rear 
Turret Top 
Engine (Make / Model) Hercules WXLC-3
Hercules WXLC35
Bore / stroke  
Cooling Water5
Cylinders 65
Capacity  
Net HP 1465
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type) 3 forward, 1 reverse5
Steering Clutch brake5
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type) Gasoline5
Octane  
Quantity 80 gallons5
Road consumption 1.9 mpg5
Cross country consumption  
Performance 
Traverse 
Max speed 12 mph5
Water: 6.1 mph5
Cross country speed  
Road radius 150 miles5
Water: 60 miles5
Cross country radius  
Turning radius 
Elevation limits 
Fording depth 
Trench crossing 5' 4"5
Vertical obstacle 1' 6"5
Climbing ability 30° slope5
Suspension (Type) Unsprung, rollers in track ride in guides on sponson5
Wheels each side11
Return rollers each side2
Tracks (Type) Link-Belt roller chains connected by aluminum cleats5
Length 
Width 10"5, 10.25"
Diameter  
Number of links 795
Pitch 3.26"5
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 

Sources:

  1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
  2. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
  3. -
  4. Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
  5. Tank Data 2, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, E. J. Hoffschmidt and W. H. Tantum IV, 1969
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