Ford GPA in Israel

The Ford GPA is an amphibious vehicle created during World War II. It was a version of the Ford GPW all-wheel drive truck with a waterproof boat-like body, made of steel 1-2 mm thick. A 4-cylinder engine allowed the vehicle to develop a speed of 89 km/h on land and 8.6 km/h afloat. The GPA was produced within 8 months and managed to take part in hostilities, despite a lot of design flaws. The draft of the loaded vehicle on the water turned out to be large, and the sides were low, which created a danger of flooding by oncoming sea waves. The heavy weight applied a high tyre pressure, as a result of which the amphibian often got stuck in the coastal sand. However, the vehicle came in handy for the Red Army to overcome rivers. According to various sources, the Russians received from 2,200 to 3,500 units and used them perfectly.