A postwar photo of DUKW loading; (Indicated by late model postwar Jeep in foreground.)

A beautifully clear photo of the driver's position:


And a not so easy to see, less fortunate one:


(Photographer Unknown)

Open mesh flooring behind the main cockpit:


(Both photos Michael Koenig)

Please note piping and driveshaft you need to add to your model.

The driver's position:



Co-driver station.

(Photos by Michael Koenig)

DUKW's and LST's:










(US Army Signal Corps Photos)

(US Coast Guard Photo)

Fully loaded DUKW coming ashore:

Thachweave Products offers several woven rope detailing items in a number of scales that I can recommend highly. You can find them at:

http://thachweave.tripod.com/index.htm







There are also offered a number of products for the LCVPs, LCMs and PT boats, etc. in almost every popular scale.

Slightly of topic but WOW look at the size of that LARC next to the standard DUKW!!!

Wheel skirt detail:




I assume it was thought these skirts would reduce turbulance and therefore reduce drag when moving through the water.

(Mike Koenig Photos)

Interestingly there was also a floating trailer sometimes seen deployed along with the DUKW.


(Photo - VehiclesofVictory.com)


(US Army Technical Manual Photo)

QUESTION: Anyone have any additional photos/info on the trailer? I think there was a resin kit of this done at one time. Anyone have any info on that kit?

Perhaps someone out there has scratch built one of these!

the trailer was made by TRAKZ:
WTCT 6A Amphibious Trailer Review

Some good pics can be found in this book:
U.S. WWII GMC DUKW-353 & Cleaver-Brooks Amphibian Trailers
Technical Manual Series N. 6003 from Tankograd Publishing.

Tankograd TM 6003

and perhaps in this threat:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?73262-Cleaver-Brooks-Amphibious-DUKW-Trailer-Restoration

Slightly different take on the bracing for the boom. I guessing this one was theater made.

Michael-- fantastic array of photos! I am all fired up to finally start one of these beauties.
Thanks
Well Done!
DJ

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the pictures.

Al

Thanks guys - just trying to help.

As for myself I have my resin set of tires and a resin cloth top plus the Archer decal set and am now scratch building the wheel skirts for my DUKW project.

Cheers,
Mike

Some fellow modeler's efforts in building the DUKW with the A-frame boom.

- #1

- Photo #2

- Photo #3

- Photo #4


F.Y.I. The biggest problem with a cable supported hinged boom such as on the DUKW is the boom's tendency to come flying forward of it happens to suddenly loose it's load. (Cargo net tears, a lift cable breaks or the lift cable jumps off the pulley at the top of the boom and comes sliding down one of the A-frame legs. Only model #3 (third picture) addresses this potential safety problem. (Saw a man almost loose his head when a somewhat similar thing happened on a M-728 recovery vehicle.)

The short chains in photo #4 if replaced with lengths of pipe would also solve this problem. (Hey, thread the chain down THROUGH the hollow pipe! - - I think that's what the guys in the Pacific Theater photo above are about to do with those two short lenghts of pipe they are about to hand up to the guys on the rear deck of the DUKW.)

Working on those wheel skirts. Going to build the fourth one separately and paint it only in primer as though it is a replacement skirt.

I thought I would throw in an after market engine kit as well:

I forgot to mention; I am also filling in the drain slots that were cut into the outside horizontal body ribs of the DUKW. These slots were not an original production item on the DUKW and there is much discussion as to the question if these holes were cut prior to the end of the war or not. As far as I am concerned it is better to be on the safe side and fill then in. That guarantees that the model can be considered acceptable for D-Day and well into the battle in Europe.

What about a DUKW with some added punch ?





H.P.

Commander Models makes a great little rocket launcher for their International and Dodge early war trucks. They really should consider making this launcher as a drop in conversion for the DUKW!

Here are a couple more reference photos of the "kick-back" protection device installed on the DUKW lifting boom.





As you might notice there is a long pipe that slides through a hole in the drum mounted on the kick-back device. When you remove the pipe the boom will fold forward as on the lower photo.

Drain slots filled, skirts built and hull painted: