LVT (Family)

Description

LVT stands for Landing Vehicle, Tracked, which were used to land infantry on amphibious assaults further than regular landing craft.

In-Game most LVT's have an (A) in their name, which stands for armor.

Vehicles

Rank I

• LVT(A)(1) - LVT-2 with a Light tank M3 turret & two .33 cal MG's in the back
• LVT(A)(4) - LVT-2 with a Motor Howitzer Carriage M8 turret

Rank II

• LVT(A)(4) (ZiS-2) - Captured, refitted with a ZiS-2 (57 mm)
• LVT(A)(4) (ZiS-2) (China) - Captured, refitted with a ZiS-2 (57 mm)

Variants

LVT-2 Water Buffalo

The LVT-2 was an improved version of the LVT-1, designed to have better mobility - both on land and on water. It received the powertrain from the M3A1 Stuart light tank which was moved to the rear of the vehicle, and it also received bolted-on aluminum track grousers, which would allow for easier maintenance; the earlier track grousers were easily worn out by sea water corrosion and rough terrain. It retained the 24 passenger capacity, and it had a cargo capacity of 5,950 pounds. The driver's compartment was revised. The armament consisted of two .50 cal (12.7 mm) M2HB machine guns mounted over the rear of the driver's compartment, and two .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 machine guns at the rear of the vehicle. The M1919A4 machine guns were later replaced with M2 .50 cal machine guns.

British LVT-2 vehicles were often armed with Polsten cannons and sometimes with "Wasp" flamethrowers. The version equipped with flamethrowers was known as the Sea Serpent, and it saw service with the 72nd Armoured Division. They would have been used in the invasion of the Japanese mainland with the  "flame battery" of the 34th Amphibian Support Regiment, Royal Marines, but the war ended before the invasion took place.

LVT(A)-2 Buffalo II

This was an up-armored version of the LVT-2. It featured 0.4 in (10.16 mm) armor plates added to the inside of the main compartment, sideskirts, and front, and there were .5 in (12.7 mm) armor plates fitted to the cab. The fuel tanks were replaced with self-sealing fuel tanks. The additional armor increased the weight of the vehicle significantly, and it had an empty weight of 2400 pounds, and so the cargo capacity was reduced by 1400 pounds; the passenger capacity was also reduced to 18. By 1944, shields were added to the gunners' positions at the front of the vehicle, which were usually equipped with .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns. 450 LVT-2(A) vehicles were built. Note: Unlike other LVT variants with an (A) in the designation, the LVT-2(A) was not equipped with a tank turret.

LVT-3C

The LVT-3C was an improved version of the LVT-3. It featured an armored roof over the cargo compartment, which consisted of two hinged "doors" which could be folded open on top of the sponsons. Additional side armor was fitted, and escape hatches were added to the design. The standard armament consisted of two .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns fitted in turrets, and another .30 cal machine gun in a ball mount in the bow of the vehicle. The weight of the LVT-3C was 6000 pounds heavier than that of the LVT-3. 1,200 LVT-3 were converted to the LVT-3C standard at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.