[MV] Amphibious Gamma Goats

Daniel Terp (dterp@tallcity.com)
Mon, 25 Oct 1999 23:46:58 GMT

We were talking about amphibious vehicles, and someone mentioned that
the M561 Gamma Goat was amphibious.=20

This has always confused me as I've never seen anything that looks
less like a boat than an M561. DUKWs, GPAs and LARCs all have that
boat-with-wheels look, but the M561 doesn't look the least bit
aquatic.=20

One of my friends postulated that the amphibious capability may be
more of an "extended fording" thing, able to cross small streams and
ponds and such, but not lakes.=20

Even if it floats, with no prop and just the wheels for propulsion I
expect the going would be painfully slow. And there's so little
freeboard, it would certainly be a calm water thing.=20

Is there anyone out there with first hand knowledge of the Gamma Goat
that can provide more info on just how amphibious it is?=20

(interestingly, Thomas Berndt's "Standard catalog of U.S. military
vehicles" says it's amphibious, but lists it with 1.5 ton trucks, not
in the amphibious section)

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