DD tank
DD or duplex drive tanks, nicknamed "Donald Duck tanks", were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War. The phrase is mostly used for the Duplex Drive variant of the M4 Sherman medium tank, that was used by the Western Allies during and after the Normandy Landings in June 1944.
| DD tank | |
|---|---|
DD Sherman tank with its flotation screen lowered. | |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1944–1950s |
| Used by | United Kingdom Canada United States |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nicholas Straussler |
| Designed | 1941–1944 |
| Variants | DD Valentine, DD Sherman, DD M-10 Tank Destroyer |
| Specifications | |
| Maximum speed | 4 knots (7 km/h) swimming |
DD tanks worked by erecting a canvas 'flotation screen' around the tank, which enabled it to float in water. DD tanks would use propellers to move forward through water, then lower the flotation screens once they had reached land and fight as an ordinary tank.
The DD tanks were one of the many specialized assault vehicles, collectively known as Hobart's Funnies, devised to support the planned invasion of Europe.
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