The American Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) was a vital weapon in the Allied island-hopping campaign in the Pacific theater during WWII. As well as being used for carrying cargo as was originally intended, they were soon being used in the amphibious assault role too. The Amtrac allowed soldiers and Marines to reach enemy-held beaches, protecting them with armor and supporting them with their weapons. Based on the LVT-2 variant, the armored LVT(A)-1 was produced from 1942 onwards. As a fire support vehicle, it was fitted with an M3 tank-style turret mounting a 37mm M6 gun. It also featured a couple of machine guns, and a total of 510 units were manufactured.
Dragon Armor already offers quite a wide variety of LVTs in its 1/72 scale range. However, this new LVT(A)-1 offers something a little different. Although the original vehicle’s exact unit of origin is unknown, the green-painted amtrac is known to have participated in the Pacific campaign during 1945. What sets it apart is the colorful illustration of a shark’s face on the bow plate. The illustration boasts a series of sharp teeth and two eyes designed to intimidate enemies. Although it cannot be ascertained what effect these markings had on Japanese defenders, it certainly is impressive in 1/72 scale. This is one model that collectors would like to set their eyes on and sink their teeth into!
