LANDING VEHICLE, TRACKED (LVT1)

[aukepalmhof]

The craft depict on this stamp of Kiribati shows us a Landing Vehicle, Tracked used during the landings in Tarawa in November 1943 by the American Marines.
She is a LVT (1) comparing the stamp with photo’s on the net.

Altogether 1,225 of this type were built the by Food Machinery Corp. in the USA, the first produced in July 1941 were not armoured and carried not weapons, and were only used as logistic support vehicles.
During the Battle of Tarawa armour plates were bolted on as she were fitted out with one to four 0.30 caliber machine guns.
The last of this type was produced in 1943.

The craft depict on the stamp carries the No 27 have not any information on her.
Displacement 16,900 lbs., dim. 21.6 x 9.10ft.
Powered by one 6-cyl Hercules WXLC 3 engine of 146 hp, which did give her a speed at land of 15 mph and in the water of 4 knots.
Crew 3.
Capacity 4,500 lbs of cargo or 20 equipped troops.

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Vehicle_Tracked gives on this type. LTV (1)
The first military model. Traveling at a respectable six knots in the water and twelve mph on land, it could deliver 24 fully equipped assault troops to the beach, and supply supporting fire from two .30 cal. machine guns. Many vehicles were refitted prior to the Tarawa landing to hold two .50 cal Browning machine guns forward, with the .30 cal guns aft. The vehicle was not armored and its thin steel hull offered virtually no protection, although prior to Tarawa some vehicles received 9 mm armor to the cab. Tracks performed well on sand, but not on tough surfaces. Proper maintenance of the new machine was often an issue, as few Marines were trained to work on it, and early models suffered frequent breakdowns. 1,225 units produced.

Kiribati 2005 75c sg?, scott?

Source: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/LVT/LVT.html and various other web-sites.