LVTP-5A1 USMC AMTRACK Vietnam

The LVTP5 was a large vehicle with an inverted V-shaped bow that made for more efficient water operation, and it broke with previous LVT designs by having the tracks set low in the hull with an internal return channel rather than the all-round track design of its predecessors. Infantry access was via a bow ramp, and the crew and passenger compartment was at the front of the vehicle, with the powerplant to the rear. There were one large and two smaller access hatches over the passenger compartment, and two more small hatches provided access to the engine. The vehicle tracks were made with inverted grousers which propelled the LVTP5 in the water and also served as center guide teeth. There were two track pins, inner and outer, on each shoe, which left a hole in the middle of the track block that allowed the grouser to operate more efficiently in the water. The road wheels on the LVTP5 were paired on either side of the center guide teeth, giving a total of 36 wheels per track. One wheel was surrounded by a solid rubber tire, and these carried the vehicle under normal circumstances. The other wheel was steel-rimmed and helped absorb shock loads. When fitted, the machine gun cupola was installed at the front of the vehicle between the driver and commander. When operating in the water, weight for the LVTP5 was reduced to 81,780lbs (37,100kg), and it could then carry only 25 passengers. The ground clearance down the center of the vehicle was 18" (46cm), which tapered down toward the tracks.
Modifications to the LVTP5's engine air intake and exhaust system produced the LVTP5A1. The most obvious external difference was a large housing on the vehicle's rear roof above the engine.