35043 Tamiya - 1/35 Ford GPA Jeep  [35043]

The Ford GPA 'Seep' (from Seagoing Jeep), ended up being an amphibious version of the WWII Ford GPW Jeep. Unlike the jeep, the seep wasn't a fruitful design being too sluggish and hefty on land and lacking enough seagoing abilities in open water. Similar design features have been based in the more expensive and more effective DUKW amphibious vehicle.

History and development

After having commissioned Willys, Ford and Bantam generate the very first 4,500 jeeps (1500 each) in March 1941, america Motor Transport Board put up a task within the method from the National Defense analysis Committee (NDRC) to be designated "QMC-4 1/4 Ton Truck Light Amphibian".
The War wound up being on at complete tilt, sufficient reason for bridges over European countries's rivers being applied for one after another, it seemed practical if the jeep could swim and drive. So that it came to Roderick Stephens Jr. of Sparkman & Stephens Inc. yacht developers, to generate a shape for a 2700 lb (1,200 kg) amphibious jeep, in the same vein as their design the DUKW six-wheel-drive amphibious automobile. As well as Stephens' hull design looked like a miniature type of that related to DUKW, and simply want it, the 'Seep' was going to have a screw propellor, driven by an electric take-off, operating in a passionate tunnel faired in the buttocks bodywork, in addition to a suitable rudder.
The construction about the car originated in competition by Marmon-Herrington and Ford Motor Business. Marmon-Herrington specialised in all-wheel drive automobiles. The Marmon-Herrington prototype's hull formed an integrated unibody framework, made by cutting types out of steel meal and welding those together, a tremendous amount for instance the hull or chassis of an armoured automobile. The Ford entry nonetheless used a sturdy framework and interior frame, to which pretty much regular automobile type sheet-steel ended up being welded. This construction made the GPA some 400 lb (180 kg) lighter than its competitor. Additionally The GPA's design was indeed in line with the Willys MB and Ford GPW standard Jeeps whenever possible. When making and building the GPA, Ford utilized many of a similar elements your Ford GPW did. The GPA had an internal similar to set alongside the MB/GPW jeeps, even though the driver's compartment had nearly doubly numerous control levers: 2WD/4WD, hi-range/lo-range, capstan winch (in bows), propeller execution and rudder control. After a primary contrast of this two business's prototypes, Ford received a contract for manufacturing beginning in 1942.