Airfix 1/76 DUKW
Hi everyone!
This is my Airfix 1/76 DUKW, built as a participant to David Kopielski's @davids_models inspiring Naval Ships and Boats GB.
In order to solve the problem of resupplying units having just performed an amphibious landing, Rod Stephens Jr. of Sparkman & Stephens Inc. yacht designers, Dennis Puleston, a British deep-water sailor resident in the U.S. and Frank W. Speir from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, came up with a watertight hull built around the GMC AFKWX, a cab-over-engine (COE) version of the GMC CCKW six-wheel-drive military truck, with the addition of a propeller at the rear. The named it DUKW (D: Designed in 1942, U: Utility, K: All-wheel drive, W: Dual rear axles)
Initially rejected by the armed services, their opposition to the DUKW melted, when a United States Coast Guard patrol craft ran aground on a sand bar near Provincetown, Massachusetts and an experimental DUKW happened to be in the area for a demonstration: winds up to 60 knots, rain, and heavy surf prevented conventional craft from rescuing the seven stranded Coast Guardsmen, but the DUKW had no trouble. The DUKW later proved its seaworthiness by crossing the English Channel.
It was not an armored vehicle, being plated with sheet steel between 1⁄16 and 1⁄8 inch thick, to minimize weight.
The DUKW was the first vehicle to allow the driver to vary the tire pressure from inside the cab.
Post-war, reduced numbers were kept in service by the United States, Britain, France, and Australia, with many stored pending disposal.
A practical and handy vehicle, it was post-war put to good use by civilian organizations such as the police, fire departments, and rescue units, and it is still in use as tourist transport in harbor and river cities across the globe.
This is the venerable Airfix 1/76 kit, understandably soft on the details, but promising to be a quick pleasant build
Should you wish to read the full build review, you may do so by visiting my beloved site Modelingmadness:
https://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/vehicles/us/other/pendukw.htm
Whaatt?! No wings?! It even says it's a "duck!" Oh well- I'll let you add a target to your collection with no further ribbing...
If it floats like a DUKW, and rolls like a DUKW...
Nice!
Thanks my friend @gkittinger!
Great build supported by a nice description, Spiros @fiveten
Especially your article on MM is very nice to read.
Thanks my friend @johnb!
What cool model! I've not seen the Airfix version built up before. It is a neat little model. I have several in my stash. Well Spiros. I especially like the out of box build and glossy finish.
Thanks my friend @thevid! An old mold, a very pleasant out of the box build!
Old memories this one brings 😉
Some of my first toy kits were these 1/7ish Airfix kits. Low cost and easy to glue just to play around in battles with friends.
Very cool model my friend @fiveten
Thanks my friend @holzhamer! Yep, I caught myself thinking I was a young boy upon building it 🙂
Spiros Goes swimming !
Great history. I love the small “ satisfaction build “models Too.
I remember the tourist DUKW that Came out of the Surf and rolled right up the Sandy Beaches in Oostende . Summers in the 1960 ies. Us kids gawked at them. They looked gigantic with the wheels and cab way up.
Thanks my friend @bernardbedeur! Yep, a simplistic DUKW model is what I needed asca break from the more demanding 1/32 Trumpeter Su-27!
Quack quack! And now for something completely different from the Spiros Factory. Enjoyed your posting over at MM @fiveten. Very cool.
Thanks my friend @eb801! Yep, it was pure fun! Once started, I could not stop until finishing it!
Nice Duck Spiros. I have seen these almost every summer of my life but have never seen how the drivetrain was arranged. Very cool. I may get one for myself to make as the current operator has them set up.
If you're ever in Wisconsin hit me up and I'll treat you to a tour of Wisconsin Dell on an honest to goodness
Duck!
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Thanks my friend @jpatt1000! I would love such a tour!
Looks like that Simon guy has got everyone trying a braille kit or two
Nicely done brother, are you now having trouble seeing clearly?
Thanks my friend @markh! Simon's fantastic builds are definitely an inspiration snd this one is so petite!
It's great seeing this classic kit built! Nicely done.
Thanks my friend @roofrat!
I can just image buying a decommissioned vehicle like that for the cottage - my kids would hate it - driving/floating around in this DUKW.
A great looking build and a nice review on MM, Spiros.
Thanks my friend @georgeswork!
Hey Spiros , this one takes me back , I built a few of these as a kid back in the seventies , well done mate.
Thanks my friend @neil-foster!
Great model and subject Spiros! Many years ago went on a trip to the EAA museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and got to ride one on the Wisconsin Dells (think it was the same colors/passenger seating as the picture Josh P. posted). Lot of fun.
Thanks my friend @eydugstr!
Wish I were lucky to have such a ride, as well!
as a new member i must say having spent my childhood messing about on DUKWs you r model is a excellent reproduction the british dukws were painted light grey and were used during the mass evacuations during the flood disaster in the West Country in 1953 they were based at the REME at Fremington and they are still in ude on the Thames
Thanks @jandwmoles!
This is great info regarding the useful DUKW!