LCT (Landing Craft Tank)

The Landing Craft, Tank (LCT) is a flat-bottomed amphibious vessel of World War II built to carry tanks and vehicles directly onto a beach through a hinged bow ramp, no port or pier needed. British and US marks varied widely: a typical LCT ran about 117 feet long with a 32-foot beam and a forward beaching draft near 1.5 feet light, displacing roughly 134 tons light and 286 tons loaded, carrying about 150 tons of cargo, which meant three heavy or four medium tanks. The 12-foot bow ramp dropped onto the sand for direct drive-off. LCTs landed armor at Sicily, Salerno, and Normandy and seeded the postwar landing-ship fleet.