The Landwasserschlepper (LWS) was conceived by Germany as a tracked amphibious tractor in 1936. The LWS could carry 20 soldiers plus two crew and was designed to assist river crossing and bridging operations. The LWS suffered from a high silhouette. It was powered by a Maybach HL120 V12 petrol engine giving it a road speed of 21mph and 7.5mph in water. Ultimately due to design delays the LWS did not enter service until 1942 although they remained in use up to the end of WWII.

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