An amphibious vehicle is a vehicle or craft that has the ability to travel through water and is used to transport people and equipment across large bodies of water. The majority of amphibious vehicles are used by armies and militaries worldwide to transport troops, goods, food and fighting equipment from point to point. There are other amphibious vehicles that are used as personal water craft vehicles, mainly for fun purposes. The vehicle can be used on land as well as in the water. It has features for both purposes and the transition from the water to the land or vice versa is almost seamless.
An amphibious vehicle is divided into two categories. Those categories are ones that travel as hovercrafts and ones that don't. A hovercraft is a vehicle that travels on an air cushion. Some of the most popular amphibious vehicles around today are called duck boats. These vehicles have the ability to travel on land and in the water and are mainly used for tours of a city by river while also duck watching. This is widely popular in the city of Philadelphia. The tour starts out on land in Center City and then makes its way to the Delaware River.
The very first amphibious vehicle was created by an American inventor, Oliver Evans, in 1805. Its name was the 'Orukter Amphibolos.' This vehicle was propelled by steam and not a combustible engine. The very first amphibious vehicle to be propelled by a combustible engine was developed around the year 1899. The production and development of the amphibious vehicle skyrocketed in the 1920s. Amphibious vehicles were used in World War II by a variety of the countries involved.
Most amphibious vehicles are designed to look like a vehicle that can be used in the water or on land but with some of them you can't even tell the difference from a regular vehicle to an amphibious vehicle. There have been cars made to look like cars but actually are amphibious vehicles. The same can be said for some SUVs. Some of the most popular vehicles are the Amphicar and the Gibbs Aquada as cars and the Amphi-Ranger 2800SR.
The United States Marines employ the use of amphibious vehicles; one of which is known as the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. These vehicles are heavily armored, camouflaged and can storm ashore in a matter of minutes from the water. The United States Military also employs the use of amphibious tanks and other armored trucks and tracked vehicles. Most amphibious vehicles come into good use when navigating an icy terrain. The traction on their tires or tracks makes it easy for the vehicle to avoid skidding or fish tailing on an icy terrain. Amphibious vehicles are used for security, for transporting food and goods through flooded areas of a tragic storm, for personal use and for tourism. Since their development in the late 1800s and their mass distribution since the 1920s, the amphibious vehicle has become a popular form of transportation and a mode of entertainment.
