"Duplex drive" redirects here. For a steam locomotive with a duplex drive, see Duplex locomotive.
DD tank
DD Sherman tank with its flotation screen lowered.
Service history
In service
1944–1950s
Used by
United Kingdom Canada United States
Wars
World War II
Production history
Designer
Nicholas Straussler
Designed
1941–1944
Variants
DD Valentine, DD Sherman, DD M-10 Tank Destroyer
Specifications
Maximum speed
4 knots (7 km/h) swimming
DD or duplex drive tanks, nicknamed "Donald Duck tanks",[1] were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War. The phrase is mostly used for the Duplex Drive variant of the M4 Sherman medium tank, that was used by the Western Allies during and after the Normandy Landings in June 1944.
DD tanks worked by erecting a canvas 'flotation screen' around the tank, which enabled it to float in water. DD tanks would use propellers to move forward through water, then lower the flotation screens once they had reached land and fight as an ordinary tank.
The DD tanks were one of the many specialized assault vehicles, collectively known as Hobart's Funnies, devised to support the planned invasion of Europe.
^"History of the Duplex Drive tank – Hobbart's funnies in 1944 – D-Day Overlord". 19 February 2016.
DD or duplex drive tanks, nicknamed "Donald Duck tanks", were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War....
Exchange as DD Dunkin' Donuts, a company Data Disc DDtank, an amphibious tank Dishonorable discharge, a punitive discharge in the U.S. military DD, the U...
bombs Valentine DDtank with screen lowered, 1944 Valentine with AMRA Valentine Scorpion Canada Canadian Army received 30 of 1,420 tanks built in Canada...
fire to get to the beach. In spite of the rough seas, DDtanks of two companies of the 741st Tank Battalion were dropped 5,000 yards (4,600 m) from shore;...
pillboxes. The Duplex-Drive tank (DDtank), another design developed by Hobart's group, was a self-propelled amphibious tank kept afloat using a waterproof...
LCT to carry the DDtanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion all the way to the beach, after 27 of the initial 29 DDtanks of the 741st Tank Battalion were swamped...
and water obstacles. Some heavy tanks can operate amphibiously with a fabric skirt to add buoyancy. The Sherman DDtank used in the Normandy landings had...
brigade each of swimming DDtanks, Crab mine clearers, and AVRE (Engineer) tanks along with a regiment of Crocodile flamethrowing tanks. Montgomery considered...
flotation system used by Allied amphibious DDtanks during World War II. He also designed several armoured cars and tanks, including the 39M Csaba armoured car...
early; the LCTs carrying DDtanks were forced to break off their advance. The seas proved too rough to launch the DDtanks, so they were ordered to deploy...
winds made conditions difficult for the landing craft, and the amphibious DDtanks were released close to shore or directly on the beach instead of further...
Loyd amphibious tank 1944 Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) amphibious tank with float screens lowered A Polish PT-76 amphibious light tank coming out of the...
736th Tank Battalion, equipped with DDtanks, was attached to the 743rd, and led the assault across the Rhine on 24 March, with all 17 DDtanks reaching...
submerged tank from the 70th Tank Battalion discovered in his search. In 1984, with the aid of local residents and diving firms, he raised the tank, which...
yards (910 m) south. Eight Landing Craft Tanks (LCTs), each carrying four amphibious DDtanks of 70th Tank Battalion, were scheduled to land a few minutes...
operating environment of the DDtanks, then with the tanks themselves, using British DD Valentine tanks, then later their own new DD Shermans. By April, the...
Portland to Slapton Sands to undertake landing rehearsals for D Day. Two Tank landing ships (LST) were sunk in the engagement and 946 American servicemen...
blocked access to the other sectors. Two infantry battalions supported by DDtanks would lead the assault followed up by the commandos and the rest of the...
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