LCVP - landing craft

A plastic model of the LCVP landing craft was made in 1:35 scale. The work was presented at the 11th International Festival of Plastic Reduction Models Bytom 2014, in Poland.

The LCVP landing craft (also known as Higgins' boat) was a vessel widely used by the Allies for amphibious operations during the Second World War. The boat was American-made and the abbreviation LCVP comes from the words: Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel.

The front of the boat, i.e. the unloading ramp, was made of steel, while the sides and rear were made of plywood. A small draft and a special tunnel under the fuselage to protect the screw propeller were making it possible to swim up close to the shore, unload soldiers or equipment and quickly retreat in reverse.

The boat could take 36 soldiers or 3.6 tons of cargo (e.g. 12 soldiers and a jeep). She was used in the years 1935-1950. About 20,000 copies were built.

The LCVP Landing craft played such a great role in World War II that Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, stated that boat designer Andrew Higgins "... is the man who won the war for us".

Specifications:

• Length: 11 m (36.09 ft),
• Width: 3.30 m (10.83 ft),
• Draft at a stern: 91 cm (3 ft),
• Draft at a bow: 66 cm (2.17 ft),
• Displacement : 8.2 t (UK-8.07 tons, USA-9.04 tons),
• Powerplant: 225 hp diesel engine (168 kW),
• Speed: 12 kn (22 km/h, 13.67 mph),
• Crew: 4,
• Armament: 2 machine guns, caliber 7.62 mm (0.3 in).

Sources:

• https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCVP
• http://2ww.cba.pl/uzbrojenie/okrety/lcvp.html

24 Mar 2014