This is the first book to be released by Squadron Signal Publications in their Historical Reference series. As explained in the front of the book, this series is written by using in depth research of primary documents, giving a very detailed look at the subject matter. It appears that there may other books in the works covering aircraft and vessels. In my opinion this book is like a Walkaround or an In Action series book on steroids.

To me, this book starts off in an unusual manner. It starts by covering the people and the committee who were involved in the development of the DUKW and not the actual vehicle. This really helps give a good understanding both to how this vehicle was developed and the background of the people involved. Doyle then takes you through the different processes that led to the production of the duck, its wartime usage, post-war usage, variants, and its use in the civilian world even today.

This book is loaded with photographs. Most are black and white, and although there are a few color photographs, most of these are of modern-day vehicles. And, of course, there’s background on how this vehicle became known as a "duck". This is a model designation used by Yellow Truck and Coach. The first letter is the year of vehicle introduction – "A" represented 1939, so the "D" is for 1942. The "U" is for utility, the "K" for front wheel drive, and the "W" is for the six driving axles. Thus, the DUKW. Good thing that it was not made in 1944!

Overall, this book is a wonderful reference for anyone who is a fan of the DUKW. Yes, the price may be a little steep for some, but it is well worth it. Thanks to Squadron Signal Publications for providing the book for review, and to IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it.