While it has been said that there is not much to do in Singapore, I always see throngs of tourists at our attractions. One may also have noticed the bus tours run by Big Bus Singapore, where open-top buses bring tourists to various attractions. You may have noticed the huge boat-shaped vehicles with a duck face at the front: one moment cruising through city streets, the next splashing into the water. The Ducktours have become so ubiquitous of our tourism landscape over the years, and after much research, I was able to understand more about the history of the 1973 Condiesel LARC-V!
Developed by the US Army Transportation Research Command in the late 1950s, the 'Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 5-ton' or LARC-V was first produced in 1963 by Le Tourneau-Westinghouse and later Consolidated Diesel Electric Corporation. There were also 2 other types of LARCs, namely the XV and LX; for brevity further mentions of 'LARC' refer to the V version.
LARCs were initially intended for use in rivers and protected waters in support of amphibious operations, which later evolved to surf zone salvage and survey diving operations. They were made from aluminum alloy, for enhanced corrosion resistance and lightweight buoyancy. Based on publicly available US Army manuals, they were also capable of traversing sand and coral beaches, go off-roading and operate in both arctic and tropic climates. Interestingly, LARCs were not developed as a dive platform, thus it was unable to provide optimal dive support.
LARCs were extensively used during the Vietnam War, as support for logistics and manpower build-up. This involved the shuttling of ammunition, fuel and general supplies. Its amphibious nature allowed the US Army to reduce the dependence on compromised harbours. As the US withdrew from Vietnam, many units were destroyed to prevent the North Vietnamese forces from using them. Post-Vietnam war, LARCs were also deployed elsewhere such as Argentina during the Falklands War, though they are not used as much within the US.
LARCs were powered by a 903 cubic inch (14,798 cc) Cummins V-903C V8 engine, producing 295 horsepower. It could reach a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) on land, and 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h) in water. It was 35 ft (10,668 cm) long and 10 ft 2 in (310 cm) tall, with a maximum gross weight of 30,000 pounds (13,607 kg).
About 968 LARCs were made, though it is estimated that less than half still exist. Today, LARCs are still used by Australia (for Antarctic resupply operations and soldier training exercises), the Philippine navy, Portugal and Singapore. Approximately 100 are privately owned and used for tourism such as our Ducktours, though it is believed that the Singapore Army still has a small fleet of LARCs.
The LARCs that are currently used by Ducktours were made between 1973 to 1977, for use by our army. 7 units were withdrawn between 2000 to 2002 and subsequently converted by VMD Pte Ltd, the first two units entered service in June 2002. It appears that the engine was also changed along with the installation of chairs and canopy: engine capacity was noted to be 9500 cc, with an unladen weight of 10,960 kg and maximum laden weight of 13,140 kg. Only 5 Ducktours LARCs remain as of writing, and all will be deregistered in late 2026.
I had the opportunity to ride one of the LARCs recently, especially when I knew that they would be deregistered soon. LARC 'Katrina' as indicated was the conveyance for the day; two others were named 'Darlene' and 'Orlene' while the last two had no names. It was surreal to finally ride on this unique classic; incidentally we were allocated to sit right behind the driver. Naturally, the LARC did not have power steering so I was able to see the driver wrestle with the steering wheel when making turns.
Our tour guide for the day was engaging and the route brought us to the iconic Singapore landmarks. I was mildly surprised to know that there were quite a few locals on board as the ticket was S$53 per person (on weekends). Everyone whipped out their phones to record the moment when the LARC drove into the water and I got slightly wet. We were able to view Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Flyer, the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands all from the water which was pretty neat. The ride was about 1 hour long and we were sorry to disembark, though we were also starting to get hungry.
The LARC-V plays a special role in our automotive history, especially when it continues to entertain guests despite its rather dated looks. Amphibious vehicles are few and far between, and the Ducktours LARC would be the only way to experience it currently in the civilian setting. It is unfortunate that the LARCs will be replaced, apparently by an electric version from Seahorse Amphibious Vehicles. Hopefully, you will have a chance to take a ride on it soon and feel the unspoken stories of its history!
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