Inspired by the DUKW (p.W:DF87), the GPA was a Willy’s Jeep (p.W106) with a boat hull. Unfortunately, while the DUKW was one of the most successful vehicles of the war, the GPA was a flop. Out of some 50,000 ordered, only a bit more than 12,000 were built and most were sent to Russia (who used them for reconnaissance). The main problems of the GPA were it’s poor handling in even moderately-rough surf (limiting it to inland waters), it’s low cargo capacity and, on land, stability problems. The GPA could tow, on land and in water, a 1/4-ton trailer.
The GPA used 1.8 gallons of fuel per hour at routine usage.
Subassemblies: waterproofed Very Small Wheeled chassis
+2, 2¥waterproofed Mini-Weapon superstructure +0, four off-road wheels
+1.
Powertrain: 40-kW gas engine with 40-kW all-wheeled transmission
and 9-kW screw prop, 12-gallon standard fuel tank; 4,000-kWs batteries
Occupancy: 1 XCS Body, 3 XPS Body Cargo:
1 Body
| Armor | F | RL | B | T | U |
| All | 2/3 | 2/3 | 2/3 | 2/3 | 2/3 |
| Wheels | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Statistics
| Size: 15’¥5’¥6’ | Payload: 0.49 tons | Lwt: 1.8 tons |
| Volume: 20 | Maint.: 233 hours | Price: $740 |
HT: 10
HP: 85 [Body], 30 [each Superstructure], 14 [Each Wheel]
| gSpeed: 65 | gAccel: 3 | gDecel: 10 | gMR: 0.75 | gSR: 4 | GP: Very Low (1/4) |
| wSpeed: 5 | wAccel: 0.3 | wDecel: 10 | gMR: 0.25 | gSR: 1 | Draft: 1' |
Design Notes
The design gSpeed was 75 mph. The historical value has been substituted.
The superstructures represent the bow and stern of the floatation hull
added around the basic Jeep chassis, and also allow some cargo space.
Although normally unarmed, the GPA could mount a pintle MG like the Jeep if required.