Landing craft from Saving Private Ryan

I know this is an old subject but I like the history of Landing Craft. The landing craft used in the movie were LCVP Mark 2. They are a post WW2 (1960s) designed craft operated primarily by the British Royal Marines. The Brits. have developed LCVPs up to Mark 5s. The Mark 2 were used in the Falklands War in the 1980s. 

I'm guessing they were available as surplus at the time the movie was made or the Royal Marines made them available for the production.I suspect WW2 era LCAs or LCVPs, even if available, would have been considered museum pieces and would not be used and knocked around for a movie.

Cheers Bollard

Cheers Bollard

One thing to keep in mind is the movie was apparently filmed in Ireland where, presumably, it would be easier to get your hands on the British versions of the landing craft and then try to americanize them to look like US LCVPs and LCMs.

As for LCUs, they are modern versions of the LCTs and have quarters for a live aboard crew. Originally they had the crew quarters and engine spaces across the aft end of the boat. However the more modern versions have the quarters and engines along the sides  so that there is the opportunity to  open the stern and marry several together as a causeway.

Amphib

Nah, the LCU is even bigger than a LCM.... almost the same size as a LCT.

I don't know why but that looks like a LCU (Landing Craft Utility). The Coast Guard still uses a bunch of those on the St. Mary's river. And a lot of the surplus LCM's LCA's and LCVP's are regularly sold to cruise lines as shuttles from the boat to the islands.

I do believe you may be right . After all, if in real water , they would've had to comply with all insurance requirements . This could result in changes to the boats .

It looks to me like they took a LCVP hull an then put a narrower LCM-inspired well and gunwale inside the LCVP's well.

Stickpusher, and everyone else, some amazing info and pictures! awesome! thanks!!

unknown movie craft

unknown movie craft in foreground with actual LCVPs in background

And the real deal...

Rangers in LCAs in England, prior to embarkation to Normandy

LCVP

LCM

and just to show that I have too much time on my hands sometimes, here is the diagram of the assault waves at Omaha with the timetable, units, and landing craft types. Exactly what was supposed to land where at what time.

A couple points regarding the Ranger Force in Normandy. D, E, and F Companies, 2nd Ranger Battalion were to assault Pt Du Hoc at H-Hour while C company was to land with the 2nd wave at Omaha Beach Dog Green sector, and move overland to Pt Du Hoc as a back up in case D, E, & F companies cliff assault failed. A and B companies, 2nd Ranger Battalion, and 5th Ranger Battalion were to either follow D, E & F up the cliffs as a follow on force if that assault was successful, or if no signal for a succesfull asault up the cliffs was recieved by a certian time, go to Omaha Dog Green. Due to a navigational error, D, E, and F companies assault was late, so the rest of 2nd Rangers and 5th Rangers headed for Omaha Dog Green. A and B Companies landed in the follow on waves at Dog Green and endured the similar rough handling at the hands of the beach defenses there. 5th Ranger Battalions CO, LTC Max Schneider, saw the chaos and mayhem on Dog Green and diverted the 5th Rangers to the less heavily defended Dog White sector where they landed as a unit intact, and were essentially the first unit to breach the German defenses in that area as a unit. The Ranger motto was born there when General Cota, assistant division commander of the 29th Division yelled out to them "Lead the way, Rangers!" after they blew a gap in the wire at the edge of the beach.

The movie is correct in depicting C Co. 2nd Rangers landng at Dog Green, which they did at H+5 in the 2nd wave, immediately after A Co. 116th Infantry of the 29th Division. That company suffered the highest casualties of any D-Day assault company and was essentially annihilated within minutes of landing with only a handful of survivors.

meanwhile the force under Col Rudder, D, E, and F companies made their delayed assault up the cliffs at Pt Du Hoc, successfully stormed and captured the (empty)position, and later destroyed the guns that were found in a wood a short distance away and held off repeated counter attacks until relieved on D+3.

Okay , here's a thought  .Most , if not all of the boats were incorrect ! The LCM 3 and it's later sisters the LCM 6 and 8 were taller than a standing man on the sides .You could NOT stand in the well deck of a 3 or 6 and be seen above the side plates ! Unless the well was modified for extra fuel capacity .

   How do I know ? Well, like Buick used to say, Ask the man who owned three at one time .Two sixes and an eight  No, not Buicks, Boats ! He! He!  The LCVP'S ? were very wrong in both size and shape  as well , again they had a deeper well area than shown  .Many houseboats have been conversions from that little dandy. the roof of the living area was at six or seven and one half foot ( inside measurement ) from the deck, depending on the builder .Higgins boats were deeper .     T.B.

Youtube clip of Private Ryan opening scenes.    Check starting about 3:20    The landing craft shown are "hybrids". 

  That is another name for a word which the FSM nannybot doesn't allow --  child of an unwed mother

Hull looks similar to LCVP,  buta LCM-like  bow ramp extension above the gunwale line is there in one shot,  next shot it is missing -- and the missing configuration is incorrect for a LCVP.   There is a box conning station a'la a LCM-3  but the cargo hold is not large enough fro a LCM.    The LCVP coxswain was inside the hull (no on top) behind the cargo area.  (Personnel are cargo).

There is a cable reel to the port of the conning station.   No reels on either the LCVP or LCM.

Army Rangers went ashore at Pointe du Hoc.    Ryan has them in the initial assault wave at Dog Green Omaha

Great movie,  but plenty of nits to pick

I don't know if this might help id the Landing craft type, but I found this image of one on display in France supposedly of one of the boats used in the movie.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g644120-d2075974-i86703355-Le_Grand_Bunker_Musee_du_Mur_de_l_Atlantique-Ouistreham_Calvados_Basse_No.html#76967703

The Wikipedia article on the movie has some interesting information about the equipment used in it.  Here's the link: en.wikipedia.org/.../Saving_Private_Ryan .

Scroll down to "Production," then to "Portrayal of history."

The article seems to imply that those landing craft were LCVPs, but they sure didn't look it to my eye.  Maybe - maybe - the were LCVPs dummied up to look more or less like LCAs.

One had to look pretty hard to find mistakes in that movie.  Personally, that D-Day scene left me in a state where criticizing the landing craft was the farthest thing from my mind.

At the opposite extreme, I'd like to have a discussion with the idiot who was responsible for the landing craft in the Russell Crowe version of "Robin Hood."

The movie ones look like some kind of cross between a LCM-3 and a LCVP

Thanks Stick! I have come to the same consensus myself. After looking at as many pictures as I could find, I can't quite find one that fit the bill. Even after ruling out "artistic license and camera tricks".

But with that said, the confirmation that the Rangers did land on LCA's is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks!

The Rangers in Normandy were carried ashore in LCAs. But whatever the movie makers did use, they were not LCAs, nor LCVPs.