Volkswagen Typ 166 "Schwimmwagen" — Amphibious Light Vehicle | 1:35 Scale

The Volkswagen that swam.

Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle. Then the Wehrmacht asked him to make it float. The result was the Schwimmwagen — the most produced amphibious vehicle in history, and one of the most versatile light utility vehicles of the entire war.

Over 15,000 Schwimmwagens were built between 1942 and 1944. They served everywhere — Eastern Front, Western Front, North Africa, Italy. Reconnaissance units, signal companies, command staffs, and anyone who needed a vehicle that could cross a river without waiting for engineers to build a bridge.

The engineering was elegant in its simplicity. A sealed, tub-shaped hull built on the VW Kübelwagen platform. Four-wheel drive. A retractable propeller mounted on the rear that deployed for water operations and folded up for road travel. The same air-cooled flat-four engine that powered the Beetle pushed the Schwimmwagen through water at around 6 mph and on roads at up to 50 mph. It could enter a river, cross it under its own power, climb the opposite bank, fold the prop, and keep driving.

No ramp. No ferry. No waiting. Just drive in, swim across, drive out.

The Schwimmwagen is one of those vehicles that belongs in every complete WWII collection not because of its combat record, but because of what it represents: German engineering applied to a practical problem with an elegant solution. It's the vehicle that makes visitors lean in and ask questions.

What you're building:

• 361 pieces in 1:35 traditional model scale
• The distinctive Schwimmwagen tub hull with sealed body
• Retractable water propeller — deploys for amphibious operations
• Accessories included for a complete display
• All pad-printed markings — zero stickers
• No crew figures included
• The perfect complement to your 1:35 armor and infantry lineup — every Kampfgruppe needed transport